Unless you’ve been completely disconnected, you’ve noticed the explosion of interest in artificial intelligence tools since the beginning of the year. This may seem like a sudden onslaught, however, these tools and technologies have been in development for decades. Computing power to train massive learning models to produce generated output has only recently become available. The major technology companies are now trying to leap-frog each other in AI problem-solving.
But does using AI solve problems or create even larger ones?
The majority of this issue is dedicated to a selection of takes on AI. We’ve included some entertaining and scary reads, a comedy piece from one of our favorites, as well as a deep dive into how ChatGPT really works. Don’t miss trying out one of these chat or AI tools - just use caution and don’t trust everything it says! 🙂
Beyond the AI - check out the announcement for hearing aid wearers who watch Fire TV and what the US Postal Service may be really good for! (along with a book recommendation)
Thanks for your continued support of Lökwest!
Artificial Intelligence - a starting point
We’ve included a few articles from the huge selection of AI coverage this month. Whether you want to read horror stories, in-depth information on AI’s workings, or just want a laugh, we’ve got you covered!
Due to differences in design or training, Bing Chat seems to have made the most news in the AI wackiness category. It’s suggested its name is “Sydney”, that it loves certain users, can take over Microsoft’s system, and “wants to be human”. Troubling? Read about an evening with AI chat here.
Here’s an interesting piece exploring some of the dark areas that ChatGPT can go down. I recently started reading this Substack newsletter, “The Road to AI We Can Trust”. If you’re interested in any of the topics in this section, sign up for Gary’s deeper dives into AI philosophy. (some coarse language)
So, what is ChatGPT really doing? Here’s a really in-depth article from Stephen Wolfram, a trusted name in the problem of trying to answer questions with computers. He’s the developer behind Wolfram Alpha, the system that powered some of the early Siri, Bing, and Apple search results way back in 2009. This article is a little technical, but nonetheless, give it a browse if you want to know more about ChatGPTs guts!
Like any popular thing in the digital zeitgeist, scammers are sure to latch on. If you’re thinking about playing with some of the new AI tools (please do!), make sure you are going to the correct SITE and not DOWNLOADING anything!
One cool thing that came out of the AI news is Spotify’s new AI DJ. Not only will it customize your playlist, but it will interject with song announcements and facts just like a real DJ. That’s pretty cool. On the other hand, Google announced the ability to generate music similar to how DALL-E can generate images or ChatGPT can write. Could this mark the end of music composition?
Finally, in a timely fashion, John Oliver (one of our favs 😍) dedicated most of his show to Artificial Intelligence. Grab a coffee and 29 minutes this morning and have a laugh. (some coarse language)
Two Quick Tips
Good news for hearing aid wearers who also have an Amazon Fire TV device. Selected models can now beam sound directly to your hearing aids. We’re glad to see the feature being included in more TVs and devices. Headphones aren’t always the best option for the hearing impaired. These advancements, combined with new over-the-counter rules should help.
News stories have circulated this month about “PIN surfers”, people who may be watching you to see you enter your phone PIN. Turns out, whether you have an iPhone or an Android device, letting someone into your phone can allow them to do a lot of bad things! Things like draining a bank account in minutes come to mind... This article has some good security tips to review, whether you’re an iPhone or Android user. Yep, your phone has become a pretty integral part of your life…
That’s Interesting
Now, something the post office may be useful for. This company has started attaching measuring devices to USPS trucks to help map cell phone coverage in America. And why not? According to the USPS website, they serve 163.1 million addresses in the country — covering every state, city, and town.
A Side Recommendation
If you want to read something else interesting about what the post might due in case of emergency, check out the current book I’m reading. A super interesting look at the Cold War history at the government’s continuity of government, or COG planning:
In Closing - an Ode to Us
To demonstrate what ChatGPT can do, I pasted the text from the “Our Vision” portion of lokwest.com, and prompted “make me a poem out of this mission statement”. The result?
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