Generations of AI applications: conversational, delegative, and collaborative
The article discusses the evolution of AI applications from conversational to delegative and collaborative generations. It highlights how the mental model of AI is outdated, primarily focusing on the initial conversational applications. The shift to delegative AI represents a significant change in how humans interact with AI, moving from consultation to delegation of tasks.
- ▪Most people’s understanding of AI applications is based on the conversational model from November 2022.
- ▪The delegative generation allows users to delegate tasks to AI, which can now operate external systems and tools.
- ▪The transition from conversational to delegative AI marks a shift in human roles from executors to supervisors.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
May 18, 2026 · 9 min · #aiGenerations of AI applications: conversational, delegative, and collaborativeMost people's mental model of AI applications is stuck in November 2022. And it's making it harder for them to build AI products.Mental modelMost people’s mental model of AI applications is stuck in November 2022. It’s a mental model of a chat window, a back and forth conversation, and a clever seeming response from an LLM. That mental model is now two generations out of date.ConversationalThe conversational generation of AI applications came first. ChatGPT launched in November 2022, and through the first half of 2023 the Chat product category evolved. In early 2024 Google Gemini joined the race, and the Claude 3 family of models launched.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at /dev/knill.
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