LLMs are like GUIs

One might liken the emergence of generative artificial intelligence and large language models to the creation of the graphical user interface, the mouse and natural language interfaces. In other words, LLMs are to AI as GUIs, the mouse and natural language are to computing. 

From the command-line interfaces of early computers to the way we now speak or point to interact with computing devices, innovations such as LLM allow people to interact seamlessly and naturally with technology.

We sometimes take very much for granted the role “what you see is what you get” displays, touch interfaces, spoken input and output, icons, buttons and menus play when we are interacting with computing appliances. 

But there is an argument to be made that LLMs will have more impact than did GUIs
or the mouse, largely because LLMs use natural language and add conversational interaction in addition to a huge background of ingested knowledge. ------------------------------------

Feature	GUI	Mouse	NLI	Generative AI
Interface Type	Visual	Physical	Textual	Textual
Input Method	Clicking and dragging	Pointing and clicking	Text input	Text input
Output Method	Visual	Visual	Textual	Textual, multimedia
Accessibility	High	High	Moderate	Low (currently)
Learning Curve	Low	Low	Moderate	High
Flexibility	Moderate	High	High	Very high
Creativity	Low	Low	Low	Very high