The Eternal November

 The concept of Eternal September originated from the internet's early days, when AOL started offering easy internet access to a massive number of people in September 1993. This influx of new users overwhelmed the existing online communities, changing the dynamics of the internet forever. What was once a niche, controlled space became open to everyone, leading to a period of chaotic growth and learning curves.

Now, when we think about AI's public emergence — especially large language models like GPT (and its successors) becoming publicly accessible and widely used — we might say we're experiencing a similar phenomenon, except this time in the realm of artificial intelligence.

The "Second Eternal September" of AI

In a way, we are indeed living through something like a **second Eternal September**, but this time for AI:

1. Mass Adoption of AI Tools: With platforms like ChatGPT, DALL·E, and MidJourney becoming widely accessible to the public, AI is no longer confined to researchers or tech giants. People are now interacting with AI on a daily basis, whether it's through writing assistance, image generation, or even customer service bots.  

2. AI Everywhere: Just as the early internet rapidly became embedded in people's lives, AI technologies are similarly infiltrating various industries — from healthcare to finance to entertainment — and becoming more ubiquitous in our daily activities. Everyone, regardless of their background, is now a potential user and sometimes even a creator.

3. Overwhelming Impact: Just as the flood of new users in 1993 overwhelmed the established internet culture, the surge in AI tools has resulted in a new world of possibilities, but also confusion, excitement, and even concern. People are grappling with how to use AI responsibly, ethically, and effectively, much like the early internet users were learning how to interact with the digital world.

4. Learning Curve: Just like the "Eternal September" saw internet culture evolve as everyone learned the norms, etiquette, and limits of a new space, the rapid rise of AI has led to a similar period of adjustment. We're still figuring out the best ways to integrate AI into our lives, deal with biases, manage data privacy, and cope with the societal shifts it brings.

A "Second New Whatever-Month-AI-Became-Public"

The "New Whatever-Month" might be the month or year when a significant AI technology became widely available or when AI entered the mainstream conversation in a big way. In many ways, November 2022, when OpenAI's ChatGPT was released publicly, could be seen as a moment akin to that shift, just as the internet had moments like the Eternal September.

- AI's "Explosive Growth": Much like how we saw the "first wave" of AI innovations in research labs and specialized industries, ChatGPT's public release brought AI into the mainstream. People who never before interacted with AI suddenly found themselves using it in their everyday tasks.

- Shift in Norms and Expectations: We're now navigating what this AI revolution means for productivity, creativity, and decision-making. The impact on education, journalism, and even coding practices is still unfolding, and the internet itself is rapidly changing as a result.

Key Similarities

- Accessibility and Ubiquity: Just as the internet became accessible to millions in 1993, AI is now accessible to everyone with an internet connection.

- Chaotic Growth: The "early days" of the internet saw a flood of new users and content, leading to rapid evolution and sometimes chaotic shifts. AI is experiencing a similar burst of innovation and adoption, with people experimenting with AI tools in various unexpected ways.

- Cultural Change: Just as internet usage radically changed human communication and information sharing, AI is transforming how we work, create, and even think about intelligence itself.

Key Differences

- Faster Pace: While the internet took several years to reach a truly mass-adopted state, AI tools have entered the public sphere at a much faster pace, largely due to the power of cloud computing, global connectivity, and the scale of models like GPT. The rate of change is much faster, and it feels as if we're on an accelerated trajectory of adoption.

- AI's Broader Implications: While the early internet's impact was largely social, cultural, and communicative, AI's impact is extending much deeper — affecting industries, job markets, privacy, and even philosophical ideas about intelligence, consciousness, and agency.

So, What's Next?

If we're living through the second "Eternal September" of AI, it suggests we're on the brink of rapid transformation in how we use AI — with both exciting possibilities and challenges ahead. Just like the internet revolutionized the world, AI is poised to change how we engage with technology and its role in our lives. But unlike the internet, AI doesn't just connect people — it **augments human capabilities** in profound ways. It's not just about browsing the web or sharing information; it's about creating new content, solving complex problems, and reimagining industries.

As AI continues to become part of the everyday fabric of life, it will likely continue evolving with new tools, applications, and societal shifts that mirror the **disruptive** and **transformative** phases of the internet’s rise.

In essence, we are in the midst of a historical moment where AI is mainstreaming, and this transition could shape the next era just as profoundly as the internet revolution shaped the previous one.