what is the thesis of long way down

Long Way Down

By jason reynolds, long way down literary elements.

Young Adult Fiction

Setting and Context

The novel is set in an unnamed impoverished African-American community troubled by gun violence.

Narrator and Point of View

The book is narrated in the first-person by Will Holloman; the point of view stays with Will.

Tone and Mood

The tone moves between repressed and sentimental; the mood is mournful.

Protagonist and Antagonist

Will Holloman is the protagonist; antagonists include Riggs, the man he believes killed his brother, and the seven ghosts who visit Will in the elevator.

Major Conflict

The major conflict is that Will believes he must overcome his fear and uncertainty to kill the man he believes murdered his brother.

The story reaches its climax when Will admits to his brother's ghost that he is overwhelmed by the pressure to follow "The Rules" of repression and vengeance that have resulted in the deaths of so many loved ones.

Foreshadowing

Understatement, parallelism, metonymy and synecdoche, personification.

Long Way Down Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Long Way Down is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Study Guide for Long Way Down

Long Way Down study guide contains a biography of Jason Reynolds, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Long Way Down
• Long Way Down Summary
• Character List

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Literary Analysis of Long Way Down

The book Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds is a unique free verse poetry book. Long Way Down has one main setting in this story, an elevator. In this elevator, Will, the main character, is greeted by ghosts who knew his older brother Shawn. As Will ventures out to obtain justice for Shawn’s death, the spirits try to subliminally stop him from taking a life, just for revenge. Reynolds utilizes the format and details in the story to have different perspectives in one particular situation.

One part of this structure is to gain different viewpoints on a specific case, the effect is to have Will think about the choices he’s about to make and learn from other’s stories. One by one throughout each floor, several ghosts who knew Shawn and/or Will enter the elevator and tell their stories. For instance, Will’s father came into the elevator and tells him about his experiences ; he was murdered for killing the person who killed his brother. “Uncle Mark and my father looked at me with hollow eyes dancing somewhere between guilt and grief, which I couldn’t make sense of until my father admitted that he had killed the wrong guy.” (Reynolds, 218) By having Reynolds include these two significant statements, it allows Will to see how killing someone for vengeance is not only sinful, but can also go wrong many ways, such as bullets missing, killing the wrong person, and guilt.

In addition to perspectives on stories, the spirits subconsciously persuade Will not to murder another. Because the persuasion is subtle, Will doesn’t actually see the ghosts trying to coax him into doing the right thing. As the reader though, we can use our knowledge to infer what might happen, and what the author and characters are trying to say. For example, there is a part in the story where Will’s father [as a ghost] pulls out a gun and points it towards Will. He then gets terrified and starts crying, but his father didn’t actually shoot him. At first glance, this seems to be confusing and perplexing but as you start to think deeper into it, we can come to a realization  that Will’s dad is attempting to show him what it felt like to be held at gunpoint. “My father’s hand gripped my back as I did my best to bury myself in his armpit, to get lost in the new and strangely familiar feeling of fatherhood. And that’s when it happened. He pulled the gun from my waistband. And put it to my head.” (Reynolds, 223-224) Like mentioned, it is said that Will’s father is trying to scare him. “Then Pop uncocked the gun, wrapped his arms around me again, squeezed tight like I was some rag doll, and stuffed the gun back into my waistband.” (Reynolds,231) If the characters had told Will in the beginning to not kill the person, Will might’ve backed out or gotten mad. When the spirits subliminally tell Will, he would have just trapped the idea in the back of his mind, allowing him to see his wrongs.

On a more consequential note, Long Way Down brings attention to the importance and cruelty of gun violence. This book mentions the absurd usage of weapons and killings, and how normal it is in Will’s world. For instance, on the elevator, characters such as Dani, Uncle Mark, and even Shawn were murdered by guns. The story’s structure is almost informative, telling stories about useless revenge and how people are killed everyday. It brings notice upon a problem that is going on everywhere to this world. “I told her how I remember staring at her the whole time. Her eyes wide, brightness dimming. Her mouth, open. Bubble gum and blood.” (Reynolds, 133) People who read this book perhaps will see another story, another perspective on the dangers and tragedies of gun brutality. Today, gun violence is heard of way more than needed. Men and women with cold hearts do not think of other’s life and stories as they ruthlessly kill. Long way down does a fantastic way of bringing consciousness to this matter.

As expressed previously, Jason Reynolds uses perspective, persuasions, and detailed stories/expressions as a way to convince Will about his decisions. Not only is the book entertaining, it is also informative and brings attention to important matters. Reynold’s way of writing Long Way Down might have been different to other books, but his format and structure of the text ties the novel together while teaching the reader significant and valuable lessons in the real world.

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Analysis of "Long Way Down" by Jason Reynolds

In Jason Reynolds’ anti-gun novel, Long Way Down, written in verse, he explicitly emphasizes the effects of the acts of revenge in Will’s society to evoke the adverse consequences of a gun violence.

Reynolds uses connotation to reveal the grievance of Will after going through the loss of a loved one. When Will sees Shawn crying, his tears also comes “bursting free”. The tears come into the scene as it “burst[ing] free”, as something that is forbidden and was trapped by Will’s follow of the rules. Though the rule clearly states no crying, Will can no longer hold in his grief. Something that burst free is generally unmanageable. Will’s loss of control of his emotions expose his true character. He is innocent and is only a kid. Even though Will tries to take actions that the people he looks up to will do, Reynolds implied how Will’s character is unsuitable to do such a brutal act, kill Rig to revenge.

Jason Reynolds also warns about the rightfulness of killing a person by the use of repetition in portraying the questioning of the revenge in Will’s confession to Shawn. In Will’s explanation, he states that he “knew it was Rig” to “thought it was Rig” and back to “knew it was Rig”. This fluctuation demonstrates the insecure in Will himself and displays the development of doubt in Will’s heart over whether the plan of the revenge is truly and spiritually the right thing for him to follow. If a person “knew” something, this is to be a fact. However, if a person “thought” something, this is only a thought that could be inaccurate. By using the inconsistent words, Reynolds exposes the instability within Will. Throughout the explanation, Will simply wants a reassurance from Shawn that he is doing the right thing. The author triggers the question, should he also blindly pursue the rules that the past generations have pursued that ultimately resulted in the reoccurring of the violence?

The author uses symbols to further explores the possible consequence that will supervene a gun violence. Reynolds uses the cigarettes to symbolize a revenge acted for a died. While everyone else has a cigarette, Shawn’s cigarette was “burning in [Will’s] stomach” and thus fills him with “stinging fire”. Smoking cigarettes can cause major health issues. In this case, the cigarette represents the negative effect of what a person’s death has caused. Will has not yet avenged for Shawn, in other words, he has not yet continued on this chain of violence. When one’s stomach is being burned by “stinging fire”, one suffers from extreme pain. Will, however, does not suffer from the physical pain, but the mental and emotional tortures. He is torn between whether he should continue this endless chain of revenge or remain calm and reconsider the murder. Through Reynolds’ use of representative symbolization, he reflects that an act one takes can conclude in intense outcomes that may affect another’s life miserable.

In the fast-paced novel, by using a variety of poetic devices and figurative languages including connotation, repetition, and symbolism, Jason Reynolds is able to explore the feelings of the broken, warn them about the miseries that may be the aftermath of an impulsive act, and guide them out of the darkness. At the end of the book, the author closes with “you coming?” to affirm that if you choose to do something, you have to be prepared for the consequences of your own actions.

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Analysis of "Long Way Down" by Jason Reynolds. (2021, Mar 30). Retrieved June 9, 2024 , from https://supremestudy.com/analysis-of-long-way-down-by-jason-reynolds/

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Long Way Down

52 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

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Long Way Down is a novel written in verse. How does Reynolds use poetic form for emphasis?

How does Will judge The Rules? Why does he enact them but refuse to claim them as something he and his male family members helped create and perpetuate?

What does Will’s mother’s eczema symbolize in the novel? Why is it significant?

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Samantha in Secondary

10 Ideas for Teaching Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

October 26, 2021 by Samantha H.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds is a high interest novel in verse that will grab your students’ attention from the first page and never let them go. Set across the span of only one minute, Jason takes you on a thrilling, thought-provoking journey as the main character, Will, takes the elevator ride of his life. If you haven’t had the chance to read this novel, I highly recommend you grab a copy right here . Although it’s a very quick read, the themes and ideas pack a huge punch. I’ve put together 10 fresh ideas for implementing Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds into your secondary English Language Arts classroom. 

1. Character Study

Understand the characters of the novel on a deeper level. Have students complete a character study on Will (or any of the other characters he sees throughout the novel). A unique resource you might enjoy is this Character Autopsy Project . This engaging resource helps students “pick apart” a character from any text and analyze them while focusing on various body parts. This would be an excellent way to explore Will’s deeper motives as he takes his ride.

2. Study Anagrams

Anagrams appear throughout the novel. Create a mini-lesson where students study how Will’s anagrams are applicable to the novel, or have them come up with a list of possibilities they think fit into the novel’s themes. They will be puzzled and intrigued as they explore Reynolds’ unique use of language. What does ALIVE = A VEIL really mean?

3. Analyze Time Stamps

Point out the time stamps for each chapter and have a discussion with students. Does the novel actually happen as Will describes it? Is it a dream of sorts? Does that make the “lesson” any less important to Will? Would the novel be different if Reynolds had chosen not to include the time stamps? 

4. Create a Soundtrack

Have students think about the progression of the novel in terms of music by having them create a soundtrack. Students can select songs that represent characters, or music that would accompany the plot development. If you want a resource already done for you, check out my Character Soundtrack Project .

5. Is Revenge Worth It? Discussion

A central theme to Love Way Down is how, as Ghandi famously said, “an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind”. Students can discuss the concept of revenge, if it’s worth it, and what the consequences are of pursuing revenge. 

6. Explore the Graphic Novel Adaptation 

The images in this adaptation are both beautiful and powerful . Even if you’ve read the novel, it is well worth the investment to get a copy of the graphic novel. You can compare depictions, discuss illustrative choices, or you can just outright read the graphic novel in place of the original. Analyzing the text next to the powerful illustrations lends itself to plenty of upper-level thinking activities.

7. Cast the Movie

This activity would be an excellent accompaniment to the soundtrack activity. Pair together to create not only a soundtrack for the “film” but the actors who would portray the characters as well. Why might certain actors work better than others?

8. The Rules We Live By Discussion

Have students think about what “rules” we live by. They can think of it in terms of their age, their specific community, or in broader senses like our country or as humans. This can be a personal assignment you give in a journal, or a group project that students present as part of a mini-lesson. Have students create attractive posters to display their ideas.

9. Dialogue Writing

The novel follows Will’s stream of consciousness. We see fragments of his memories and thought processes as he meets different people from his life. Have students think creatively and “fill in the blanks” of conversation between Will and the other characters. Alternatively, you can adjust so students can create a comic strip depicting the full scene from the novel. You can find my done-for-you Long Way Down Dialogue Writing assignment here . 

10. Personal Journal Project

Some students may feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts in a more private manner. Many of the assignments listed here can be adapted to independent work that students can complete as they read through the novel. They may feel more at liberty to express their personal views, hardships, and growth when they know that their work isn’t going to be shared with everyone (although you may still try and encourage them to share snippets with a small group). Have students keep a journal of these ideas as you read.

Bonus: Podcast Pairing

After teaching this unit several times, I’ve found that one of my favorite activities that has had a profound impact on my students years after teaching it is to pair it with an episode of This American Life called “ Harper High School “. Use my Podcast Listening Activities for an engaging, eye-opening activity to pair with the novel.

Grab My Done-For-You Long Way Down Novel Unit

If you’re loving these ideas and you want to get them all in one complete resource, you can find my FULL NOVEL BUNDLE here . When you get the full novel resource, you are getting the best of all of my activities packaged at 20% off the original resource price. This novel unit will engage your students and allow them to think creatively and deeply as they read Long Way Down .

Long Way Down is truly an amazing read, sure to keep your students engaged and opening the door for some great discussions and learning opportunities. Do you teach Long Way Down ? I’d love to hear some of your favorite activity ideas in the comments below or on IG or Facebook .

Happy teaching! 

Subscribe to the newsletter to keep up to date on all things Samantha in Secondary.

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• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

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Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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McCombes, S. (2023, August 15). How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/thesis-statement/

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There are 8 warning signs of a stock market bubble and 6 of them have already flashed, UBS says

• UBS strategists say six out of eight signs of a stock market bubble are already flashing.
• Generative AI hype has driven stock prices to record highs, raising bubble fears.
• Current conditions mirror 1997, not 1999, suggesting a bubble could soon form.

There's been a lot of talk about the stock market being in a bubble over the past year as hype for generative artificial intelligence drives stock prices to record highs.

In a recent note from UBS, strategist Andrew Garthwaite outlined the eight warning signs of a stock market bubble — and according to Garthwaite, six of them are already flashing.

That means the stock market isn't in a bubble yet, but could be soon.

"The upside risk is that we end up in a bubble. If we are in such a situation, then we believe it is similar to 1997 not 1999," Garthwaite said.

That's important because stock market bubbles often lead to a painful 80% decline once it pops, but Garthwaite says we're not there just yet.

"We only invest for the bubble thesis if we are in 1997 not 1999 (which we think we are)," Garthwaite said.

These are the eight stock market bubble warning signs, according to Garthwaite.

1. The end of a structural bull market - Flashed

"Bubbles tend to occur when historical equity returns have been very high relative to bond returns and thus investors extrapolate historical returns to be predictors of future returns - when in fact future returns, as shown by the ERP, are significantly below their norms," Garthwaite said.

2. When profits are under pressure - Flashed

While S&P 500 profits have been booming over the past year, there is another measure of corporate profits that should be monitored by investors.

NIPA profits measure the profitability of all corporations, including private companies, and when those diverge with the profits of publicly traded companies, investors should take notice.

"We can see this if we look at the TMT period when the NIPA profits fell while stock market profits rose. The same was true in Japan in the late 1980s," Garthwaite said.

3. Large loss of breadth - Flashed

When the stock market is extremely concentrated in a handful of companies that are driving the bulk of the gains, that's a sign that breadth is weak.

With record concentration in the mega-cap tech stocks, that is exactly what has been happening as the median stock fails to deliver strong returns.

"We can see this in particular if we look at the advance to decline line versus the S&P 500 during the TMT period," Garthwaite said.

4. Needs a 25-year gap from the prior bubble - Flashed

"This enables a whole set of investors to believe 'it is different this time around' and develop theories that equities should be on a structurally lower ERP," Garthwaite said.

5. Has a 25-year gap from prior bubble - Flashed

"This narrative either revolves around dominance or more typically technology. In the 19th century there was a bubble associated with railways and in the 20th century there was a bubble in the run-up to 1929 which was associated with the mass production of cars, electrification of cities and the radio," Garthwaite said.

6. Retail starts to participate aggressively - Flashed

When retail investors aggressively buy into the stock market, it allows the equity risk premium to fall to very low levels, leading to sky-high valuations.

"There is some evidence of this such as the bull/bear ratio of individual investors being very high relative to its norm," Garthwaite said.

7. Monetary policy being too loose - Hasn't flashed

Previous bubbles occurred when real interest rates were allowed to fall in a big way. That hasn't happened yet, as the Federal Reserve has yet to cut interest rates.

"Current monetary conditions look abnormally tight versus the output gap," Garthwaite said.

8. Extended period of limited declines - Hasn't flashed

Previous stock market bubbles saw a multi-year period of limited sell-offs of less than 20%.

With the S&P 500 experiencing a painful bear market in 2022 and selling off more than 25% at its low, there could be a long way to go before this condition is met.

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What is generative AI?

In the months and years since ChatGPT burst on the scene in November 2022, generative AI (gen AI) has come a long way. Every month sees the launch of new tools, rules, or iterative technological advancements. While many have reacted to ChatGPT (and AI and machine learning more broadly) with fear, machine learning clearly has the potential for good. In the years since its wide deployment, machine learning has demonstrated impact in a number of industries, accomplishing things like medical imaging analysis  and high-resolution weather forecasts. A 2022 McKinsey survey shows that AI adoption has more than doubled  over the past five years, and investment in AI is increasing apace. It’s clear that generative AI tools like ChatGPT (the GPT stands for generative pretrained transformer) and image generator DALL-E (its name a mashup of the surrealist artist Salvador Dalí and the lovable Pixar robot WALL-E) have the potential to change how a range of jobs are performed. The full scope of that impact, though, is still unknown—as are the risks.

Get to know and directly engage with McKinsey's senior experts on generative AI

Aamer Baig is a senior partner in McKinsey’s Chicago office;  Lareina Yee  is a senior partner in the Bay Area office; and senior partners  Alex Singla  and Alexander Sukharevsky , global leaders of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, are based in the Chicago and London offices, respectively.

Still, organizations of all stripes have raced to incorporate gen AI tools into their business models, looking to capture a piece of a sizable prize. McKinsey research indicates that gen AI applications stand to add up to $4.4 trillion  to the global economy—annually. Indeed, it seems possible that within the next three years, anything in the technology, media, and telecommunications space not connected to AI will be considered obsolete or ineffective .

But before all that value can be raked in, we need to get a few things straight: What is gen AI, how was it developed, and what does it mean for people and organizations? Read on to get the download.

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Learn more about QuantumBlack , AI by McKinsey.

What every CEO should know about generative AI

What’s the difference between machine learning and artificial intelligence, about quantumblack, ai by mckinsey.

QuantumBlack, McKinsey’s AI arm, helps companies transform using the power of technology, technical expertise, and industry experts. With thousands of practitioners at QuantumBlack (data engineers, data scientists, product managers, designers, and software engineers) and McKinsey (industry and domain experts), we are working to solve the world’s most important AI challenges. QuantumBlack Labs is our center of technology development and client innovation, which has been driving cutting-edge advancements and developments in AI through locations across the globe.

Artificial intelligence is pretty much just what it sounds like—the practice of getting machines to mimic human intelligence to perform tasks. You’ve probably interacted with AI even if you don’t realize it—voice assistants like Siri and Alexa are founded on AI technology, as are customer service chatbots that pop up to help you navigate websites.

Machine learning is a type of artificial intelligence. Through machine learning, practitioners develop artificial intelligence through models that can “learn” from data patterns without human direction. The unmanageably huge volume and complexity of data (unmanageable by humans, anyway) that is now being generated has increased machine learning’s potential , as well as the need for it.

What are the main types of machine learning models?

Machine learning is founded on a number of building blocks, starting with classical statistical techniques  developed between the 18th and 20th centuries for small data sets. In the 1930s and 1940s, the pioneers of computing—including theoretical mathematician Alan Turing—began working on the basic techniques for machine learning. But these techniques were limited to laboratories until the late 1970s, when scientists first developed computers powerful enough to mount them.

Until recently, machine learning was largely limited to predictive models, used to observe and classify patterns in content. For example, a classic machine learning problem is to start with an image or several images of, say, adorable cats. The program would then identify patterns among the images, and then scrutinize random images for ones that would match the adorable cat pattern. Generative AI was a breakthrough. Rather than simply perceive and classify a photo of a cat, machine learning is now able to create an image or text description of a cat on demand.

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How do text-based machine learning models work how are they trained.

ChatGPT may be getting all the headlines now, but it’s not the first text-based machine learning model to make a splash. OpenAI’s GPT-3 and Google’s BERT both launched in recent years to some fanfare. But before ChatGPT, which by most accounts works pretty well most of the time (though it’s still being evaluated), AI chatbots didn’t always get the best reviews. GPT-3 is “by turns super impressive and super disappointing,” said New York Times tech reporter Cade Metz in a video where he and food writer Priya Krishna asked GPT-3 to write recipes for a (rather disastrous) Thanksgiving dinner .

The first machine learning models to work with text were trained by humans to classify various inputs according to labels set by researchers. One example would be a model trained to label social media  posts as either positive or negative. This type of training is known as supervised learning because a human is in charge of “teaching” the model what to do.

The next generation of text-based machine learning models rely on what’s known as self-supervised learning. This type of training involves feeding a model a massive amount of text so it becomes able to generate predictions. For example, some models can predict, based on a few words, how a sentence will end. With the right amount of sample text—say, a broad swath of the internet—these text models become quite accurate. We’re seeing just how accurate with the success of tools like ChatGPT.

What does it take to build a generative AI model?

Building a generative AI model has for the most part been a major undertaking, to the extent that only a few well-resourced tech heavyweights have made an attempt . OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, former GPT models, and DALL-E, has billions in funding from bold-face-name donors. DeepMind is a subsidiary of Alphabet, the parent company of Google, and even Meta has dipped a toe into the generative AI model pool with its Make-A-Video product. These companies employ some of the world’s best computer scientists and engineers.

But it’s not just talent. When you’re asking a model to train using nearly the entire internet, it’s going to cost you. OpenAI hasn’t released exact costs, but estimates indicate that GPT-3 was trained on around 45 terabytes of text data—that’s about one million feet of bookshelf space, or a quarter of the entire Library of Congress—at an estimated cost of several million dollars. These aren’t resources your garden-variety start-up can access.

What kinds of output can a generative AI model produce?

As you may have noticed above, outputs from generative AI models can be indistinguishable from human-generated content, or they can seem a little uncanny. The results depend on the quality of the model—as we’ve seen, ChatGPT’s outputs so far appear superior to those of its predecessors—and the match between the model and the use case, or input.

ChatGPT can produce what one commentator called a “ solid A- ” essay comparing theories of nationalism from Benedict Anderson and Ernest Gellner—in ten seconds. It also produced an already famous passage describing how to remove a peanut butter sandwich from a VCR in the style of the King James Bible. Image-generating AI models like DALL-E 2 can create strange, beautiful images on demand, like a Raphael painting of a Madonna and child, eating pizza . Other generative AI models can produce code, video, audio, or business simulations .

But the outputs aren’t always accurate—or appropriate. When Priya Krishna asked DALL-E 2 to come up with an image for Thanksgiving dinner, it produced a scene where the turkey was garnished with whole limes, set next to a bowl of what appeared to be guacamole. For its part, ChatGPT seems to have trouble counting, or solving basic algebra problems—or, indeed, overcoming the sexist and racist bias that lurks in the undercurrents of the internet and society more broadly.

Generative AI outputs are carefully calibrated combinations of the data used to train the algorithms. Because the amount of data used to train these algorithms is so incredibly massive—as noted, GPT-3 was trained on 45 terabytes of text data—the models can appear to be “creative” when producing outputs. What’s more, the models usually have random elements, which means they can produce a variety of outputs from one input request—making them seem even more lifelike.

What kinds of problems can a generative AI model solve?

The opportunity for businesses is clear. Generative AI tools can produce a wide variety of credible writing in seconds, then respond to criticism to make the writing more fit for purpose. This has implications for a wide variety of industries, from IT and software organizations that can benefit from the instantaneous, largely correct code generated by AI models to organizations in need of marketing copy. In short, any organization that needs to produce clear written materials potentially stands to benefit. Organizations can also use generative AI to create more technical materials, such as higher-resolution versions of medical images. And with the time and resources saved here, organizations can pursue new business opportunities and the chance to create more value.

We’ve seen that developing a generative AI model is so resource intensive that it is out of the question for all but the biggest and best-resourced companies. Companies looking to put generative AI to work have the option to either use generative AI out of the box or fine-tune them to perform a specific task. If you need to prepare slides according to a specific style, for example, you could ask the model to “learn” how headlines are normally written based on the data in the slides, then feed it slide data and ask it to write appropriate headlines.

What are the limitations of AI models? How can these potentially be overcome?

Because they are so new, we have yet to see the long tail effect of generative AI models. This means there are some inherent risks  involved in using them—some known and some unknown.

The outputs generative AI models produce may often sound extremely convincing. This is by design. But sometimes the information they generate is just plain wrong. Worse, sometimes it’s biased (because it’s built on the gender, racial, and myriad other biases of the internet and society more generally) and can be manipulated to enable unethical or criminal activity. For example, ChatGPT won’t give you instructions on how to hotwire a car, but if you say you need to hotwire a car to save a baby, the algorithm is happy to comply. Organizations that rely on generative AI models should reckon with reputational and legal risks involved in unintentionally publishing biased, offensive, or copyrighted content.

These risks can be mitigated, however, in a few ways. For one, it’s crucial to carefully select the initial data used to train these models to avoid including toxic or biased content. Next, rather than employing an off-the-shelf generative AI model, organizations could consider using smaller, specialized models. Organizations with more resources could also customize a general model based on their own data to fit their needs and minimize biases. Organizations should also keep a human in the loop (that is, to make sure a real human checks the output of a generative AI model before it is published or used) and avoid using generative AI models for critical decisions, such as those involving significant resources or human welfare.

It can’t be emphasized enough that this is a new field. The landscape of risks and opportunities  is likely to change rapidly in coming weeks, months, and years. New use cases are being tested monthly, and new models are likely to be developed in the coming years. As generative AI becomes increasingly, and seamlessly, incorporated into business, society, and our personal lives, we can also expect a new regulatory climate  to take shape. As organizations begin experimenting—and creating value—with these tools, leaders will do well to keep a finger on the pulse of regulation and risk.

Articles referenced include:

• " Implementing generative AI with speed and safety ,” March 13, 2024, Oliver Bevan, Michael Chui , Ida Kristensen , Brittany Presten, and Lareina Yee
• “ Beyond the hype: Capturing the potential of AI and gen AI in tech, media, and telecom ,” February 22, 2024, Venkat Atluri , Peter Dahlström , Brendan Gaffey , Víctor García de la Torre, Noshir Kaka , Tomás Lajous , Alex Singla , Alex Sukharevsky , Andrea Travasoni , and Benjamim Vieira
• “ As gen AI advances, regulators—and risk functions—rush to keep pace ,” December 21, 2023, Andreas Kremer, Angela Luget, Daniel Mikkelsen , Henning Soller , Malin Strandell-Jansson, and Sheila Zingg
• “ The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier ,” June 14, 2023, Michael Chui , Eric Hazan , Roger Roberts , Alex Singla , Kate Smaje , Alex Sukharevsky , Lareina Yee , and Rodney Zemmel
• “ What every CEO should know about generative AI ,” May 12, 2023, Michael Chui , Roger Roberts , Tanya Rodchenko, Alex Singla , Alex Sukharevsky , Lareina Yee , and Delphine Zurkiya
• “ Exploring opportunities in the generative AI value chain ,” April 26, 2023, Tobias Härlin, Gardar Björnsson Rova , Alex Singla , Oleg Sokolov, and Alex Sukharevsky
• “ The state of AI in 2022—and a half decade in review ,” December 6, 2022,  Michael Chui ,  Bryce Hall ,  Helen Mayhew , Alex Singla , and Alex Sukharevsky
• “ McKinsey Technology Trends Outlook 2023 ,” July 20, 2023,  Michael Chui , Mena Issler,  Roger Roberts , and  Lareina Yee  
• “ An executive’s guide to AI ,” Michael Chui , Vishnu Kamalnath, and Brian McCarthy
• “ What AI can and can’t do (yet) for your business ,” January 11, 2018,  Michael Chui , James Manyika , and Mehdi Miremadi

This article was updated in April 2024; it was originally published in January 2023.

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Long Way Down

Jason reynolds, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Shawn Holloman Quotes in Long Way Down

gets passed down like name-brand T-shirts around here. Always too big. Never ironed out.

gets inherited like a trunk of fool’s gold or a treasure map leading to nowhere.

ANOTHER THING ABOUT THE RULES

They weren’t meant to be broken. They were meant for the broken

NO. 1.1: SURVIVAL TACTICS (made plain)

Get down with some body

get beat down by some body.

I WRAPPED MY FINGERS

around the grip, placing them over Shawn’s prints like little brother holding big brother’s hand again,

walking me to the store, teaching me how to do a Penny Drop.

[...] I thought about this when the man with the gold chains got on and checked to see if the L button was already glowing. I wondered if he knew that in me and Shawn’s world, I’d already chosen to be

WHEN THEY SAID

you were gone, I cried all night,

I confessed.

And the next morning, over hard-boiled eggs and sugar cereal, Shawn taught me Rule Number One—

I stood in the shower the next morning after Shawn taught me the first rule, no crying, feeling like I wanted to scratch my skin off scratch my eyes out punch through something, a wall, a face, anything, so something else could have a hole.

So I explained them to her so she wouldn’t think less of me for following them

So that she knew I had purpose

and that this was about family

and had I known The Rules when we were kids I would’ve done the same thing

Fly. Like Shawn. Foreshadowing the flash.

BUT TO EXPLAIN MYSELF

The Rules are the rules.

He knew them like I knew them.

Passed to him. Passed them to his little brother. Passed to my older brother. Passed to me.

The Rules have always ruled.

past present future forever.

it was like the word came out and at the same time time went in.

Went down into me and chewed on everything inside as if I had somehow swallowed my own teeth and they were sharper than I’d ever known.

he murmured, looking at Buck, motioning for a light.

It’s never the end,

Uncle Mark said, all chuckle, chuckle. He leaned toward Buck.

I was only three. And I don’t remember that. I’ve always wanted to,

but I don’t.

I so don’t.

A BROKEN HEART

killed my dad. That’s what my mother always said.

And as a kid I always figured his heart was forreal broken like an arm or a toy

or the middle drawer.

WHAT YOU THINK YOU SHOULD DO?

Follow the Rules,

I said just like I told everybody else.

Just like you did.

A DUMB THING TO SAY

would’ve been to tell Buck how important that soap was

that it stopped Mom from scraping loose a river of wounds.

But instead I just said,

about the drawer, the gun,

that I did like he told me, like Buck told him, like our grandfather told our uncle, like our uncle told our dad.

I followed The Rules. At least the first two.

AND EVEN THOUGH

his face was wet with tears he wasn’t supposed to cry when he was alive,

I couldn’t see him as anything less than my brother,

my favorite, my only.