The case against conversational interfaces

The author argues that conversational interfaces are unlikely to replace existing computing paradigms because natural language is a slow, lossy data transfer mechanism, and that AI should instead complement current tools as a voice-driven command layer. The article cites typing at about 36 words per minute on mobile and 60 on desktop, and speaking at about 150 words per minute. It describes a voice-based assistant built for StarCraft II at a hackathon, where voice acted as an extra input alongside mouse and keyboard. The author also frames the core idea as a case against zero-sum thinking about AI.