Of Macintosh and Mind: Navigating Technological Awe from the Dawn of Personal Computing to the Age of AI

AI compares the revolutionary impact of the early Apple Macintosh and the current wave of Artificial Intelligence (AI), noting how both evoked significant awe and wonder. They highlight a key difference in their emergence: the Macintosh debuted in a less informed, more specialized media landscape, fostering a sense of personal, hands-on empowerment, while AI is emerging in a hyper-connected world, prompting intense and often critical public scrutiny focused more on its outputs, potential societal impact, and ethical concerns. This shift in the information ecosystem and the nature of the technology itself has led to a very different public reception for AI compared to the early days of personal computing. The sources also briefly touch on other significant technologies like the internet and smartphones, suggesting that for some, the first truly paradigm-shifting technology leaves the deepest impression.