Humans output ~10 bits/s of deliberate choice, Oxford philosopher notes in AI art debate
tobyordoxford · x · 2026-09-07
Oxford's Toby Ord suggests information theory could upper-bound the amount of deliberate choice in a creative work, citing a standard order-of-magnitude estimate that humans output only about 10 bits per second of deliberate choice (based on typing and other tasks).
He cautions the relevant time may exceed performance time: a dancer may practice for hours to nail motions, and spend even longer developing a unique style — that hidden choice should count too.
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