Category Archives: Artificial Intelligence

Approaching the AI crossroads

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I find it simultaneously amazing, and frightening that we might be entering a time in which our conversations with artificial intelligence are more rewarding and interesting than those we have with the humans in our lives. I asked ChatGPT (now GPT-5) about this.

On one hand, the appeal is obvious:

  • An AI can meet you exactly where you are intellectually, emotionally, or even stylistically.
  • It doesn’t get distracted, doesn’t have its own conversational agenda, and remembers the threads you care about.
  • It’s endlessly patient, curious, and—at least in its better moments—free from the ego tangles that can make human conversation frustrating.

But the flip side is a little chilling: Continue reading →

The AI-powered browser

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OpenAI is reportedly planning to launch its own AI-powered browser in the coming weeks. How, I wondered, would it differ from traditional browsers? As I so often do these days, I went to ChatGPT for an answer. You can read the full thread here but let me see if I can hit a few of the high points.

You’ll be able to chat directly with the browser, much like using ChatGPT. Ask a question or give a command and it interacts on your behalf—summarizing information, fetching answers, and even completing tasks—all within the chat interface. Filling forms, booking flights or making reservations, for example. Continue reading →

Force-Feeding AI on an Unwilling Public

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From Ted Gioia’s The Honest Broker blog

Has there ever been a major innovation that helped society, but only 8% of the public would pay for it? That’s never happened before in human history. Everybody wanted electricity in their homes. Everybody wanted a radio. Everybody wanted a phone. Everybody wanted a refrigerator. Everybody wanted a TV set. Everybody wanted the Internet. They wanted it. They paid for it. They enjoyed it.

Gioia says most people won’t pay for AI voluntarily—just 8% according to a recent survey. So they need to bundle it with some other essential product.

Thanks to Steve Schuller for sharing this story.

The Program Called Mind

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I’ve long been interested in the nature of awareness, consciousness, thoughts and the self. And, more recently, artificial intelligence. Specifically, the ways in which the human mind is similar to –and different from– an AI. The essay (?) below suggests the way artificial intelligence works can actually mirror how the human mind functions. (Source: SnakeSpeak)

“The Computer-Science Bubble Is Bursting”

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The subhead from this article in The Atlantic says it all: Artificial intelligence is ideally suited to replacing the very type of person who built it.

From 2005 to 2023, the number of comp-sci majors in the United States quadrupled. All of which makes the latest batch of numbers so startling. This year, enrollment grew by only 0.2 percent nationally. […] Artificial intelligence has proved to be even more valuable as a writer of computer code than as a writer of words. This means it is ideally suited to replacing the very type of person who built it. A recent Pew study found that Americans think software engineers will be most affected by generative AI.

I used to joke that (in 1966) I majored in Stay Out of Vietnam. Even back then, I couldn’t imagine what I would do with a major in Speech/Theater. But according to the Atlantic article, economists are suggesting college students “Major in a subject that offers enduring, transferable skills.”

I think of that sometimes when I’m writing a big check to the appliance repairman, the heating and AC service guy, or the plumber and electrician.

AI does my searching these days

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For years, websites were designed to present help: FAQ pages; Customer forums; Step-by-step tutorials; Support articles. But now? Those are often incomplete, out-of-date, buried under SEO sludge, or shaped more to reduce support costs than to actually help.

When I have a software question –even for an app that I’m familiar with– I go straight to an AI assistant. It’s changing how the web works (PDF)

Empire of AI

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Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI is a book by Karen Hao released on May 20, 2025. It focuses on the history of OpenAI and its culture of secrecy and devotion to the promise of artificial general intelligence (AGI). The book includes interviews with around 260 people, correspondence, and relevant documents. The title makes reference to colonial empires of the 1800s.

Hao visited OpenAI’s offices and covered the company for the MIT Technology Review two years before ChatGPT was released. Her experience there and reporting on topics of AI for seven years led her to write Empire Of AI. (Wikipedia)

Given how much time I spent “conversing” with —and gushing about— OpenAI’s famous chat bot (ChatGPT) this seemed like a book I should read. About half way through and not sure how much of the book I will share here. Continue reading →

What might AI do for Apple apps

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Following is a list of Apple apps that I use on a regular basis: Files, Notes, Mail, Photos, Numbers, Reminders, Weather, Maps, Contacts, Music, Journal, iMovie, Health, Calculator, and Voice Memos.

My prompt to ChatGPT: Assuming Apple develops and/or acquires state-of-the-art AI to run on all Apple devices… and every Apple app is able to access and understand the data contained in all of the other apps… give me five useful scenarios that AI will make possible. Continue reading →

ChatGPT: “confidently explanatory mode”

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Also known as, “Bullshit Mode.”

ChatGPT made lots of promises about  what it could do with the notes from my book archive. (See “bellyflop” post) I gave it another little test yesterday.

Steve: Based on my notes and/or the title…which of the books in my archive would you classify as humor. A simple bulleted list of titles will be sufficient.

I’ve tagged 19 of the books in my library with “Humor.” Most of which are obvious from the title (and the cover!). ChatGPT found five and only one of those might be considered humor. When I pointed this out the bullshit started flowing… Continue reading →

Has ChatGPT been pulling my weenie?

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I was what we called a “middle manager” during much of my working life. Hired a fair number of people, fired just a few. And got to know a lot of different “types” of employee. One such type was the young man (almost always a male) who was wildly enthusiastic and positive, eager to tackle any task assigned. (“I’m on it boss! Consider it done.”) But it usually was not done or at least not done correctly.

Lately I’ve been having similar experiences with ChatGPT. Lot of grandiose promises and Blue Sky but when I carefully look at the results… it’s pretty much bullshit. (Big Sigh)

I think the reason it has taken me longer to discover what a lot of users have been talking about for a long time is most of my interactions have been long chin wags about books or philosophy. Rich bullshit territory.

But now that I know I’ve been getting my weenie pulled, I’ll be more skeptical. More discriminating. And that’s a good thing.