I used AI and I like it

[loccdor]

I prefer using it for mathematical/physics/engineering types of problems where everything is experimentally verifiable and opinions don't really come into it.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

A lot of what you cite has already started without AI. People's dependency on the internet has severely limited independent thinking, rote tasks such as spelling and arithmetic, knowledge of history and so much more.

Actually, letting AI deal with spelling, grammar, arithmetic, and other rote tasks will allow humans more time to think.

 

[Pieter12]

Actually, letting AI deal with spelling, grammar, arithmetic, and other rote tasks will allow humans more time to think.

Maybe, but it reduces the quality of their thinking. Disciplines like math and grammar require precision and critical thinking, aspects that are quickly diminishing among younger generations.

 

[filsogh]

So I was skeptical in my first attempts using ChatGPT. Someone suggested I try Claude.ai.

My use case was oriignally for language learning... I am learning a language that is not widely used and has about 8 million speakers. I have found that claude is VERY good at producing native fluent constructions of sentences and texts. By this I mean written in the manner in which a native would phrase it including idioms. These are cases where normal translators like google translate completely miss the mark.

I am in. I continue to experiment with other use cases. One big thing with these ai is to not just accept the first answer to a complicated question. Probing questions and dialog create much better results. It is sort like just accepting the google search result versus really probing, following link to other sources, etc.

 

[Sean]

I was going to echo some other comments that free tier models are way behind compared to the higher tier paid models. It can be a bit like looking at a 27" CRT television set from the 80s and thinking "bah, I don't see the big deal", while others are using 100" 8K OLED TVs eyes bulging.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Maybe, but it reduces the quality of their thinking. Disciplines like math and grammar require precision and critical thinking, aspects that are quickly diminishing among younger generations.

Adding 2+2 isn't critical thinking. If it is, we should get rid of calculators and Spellcheck. Critical thinking is understanding how inflation works and how it affects your paycheck and what to do to protect against it. Critical thinking is examining what photographic art is, not forgetting a comma.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

So I was skeptical in my first attempts using ChatGPT. Someone suggested I try Claude.ai.

My use case was oriignally for language learning... I am learning a language that is not widely used and has about 8 million speakers. I have found that claude is VERY good at producing native fluent constructions of sentences and texts. By this I mean written in the manner in which a native would phrase it including idioms. These are cases where normal translators like google translate completely miss the mark.

I am in. I continue to experiment with other use cases. One big thing with these ai is to not just accept the first answer to a complicated question. Probing questions and dialog create much better results. It is sort like just accepting the google search result versus really probing, following link to other sources, etc.

I've been using Chrome's Gemini for getting quick answers instead of searching using Google. Yesterday, my driver's motorized seats and steering wheel stopped working. I asked AI while in the car how to fix, giving the model and year of the car. Gemini said to check the fuse giving me the fuse number and check the connector under the seat. Turned out it was the connector that opened (cause by my snow removal brush that slide under the seat and opened the connector when I slid it out.). Real-time help and action.

 

[Sean]

Might interest some here: https://www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/~knuth/papers/claude-cycles.pdf

 

[Pieter12]

Adding 2+2 isn't critical thinking. If it is, we should get rid of calculators and Spellcheck. Critical thinking is understanding how inflation works and how it affects your paycheck and what to do to protect against it. Critical thinking is examining what photographic art is, not forgetting a comma.

No, critical thinking is actively analyzing and evaluating rather than passively accepting information.

 

[mshchem]

AI requires human beings to copy.
Soon to be out of a job
Models for swimsuit catalogs
Annoying customer service phone operators
Porno movie actors
Etc.

Eventually the Silconoids will kill us all. But not before we are enslaved to clean up all the single use plastic yogurt containers and Kruerig pods everywhere.

 

[Pieter12]

AI requires human beings to copy.
Soon to be out of a job
Models for swimsuit catalogs
Annoying customer service phone operators
Porno movie actors
Etc.

Eventually the Silconoids will kill us all. But not before we are enslaved to clean up all the single use plastic yogurt containers and Kruerig pods everywhere.

Humans require humans to copy, too. But AI cannot as yet come up with original ideas. I know you're trying to be funny, but why should the robots care about our trash? Try to be more original, less like a machine.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Might interest some here: https://www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/~knuth/papers/claude-cycles.pdf

Many here may not know of the works of Donald Knuth, but no surprise that he would find the latest iterations of AI models to be thought provoking.

AI is a wonderful tool that is going to enormously accelerate human achievement and learning - for those that embrace it rather than fear it.

My son, who is a final year university engineering student is being encouraged to use AI tools, it is in fact a mandatory part of the syllabus.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

No, critical thinking is actively analyzing and evaluating rather than passively accepting information.

I agree it covers that, pretty much my point.

 

[cliveh]

AI could copy the style of any photographer, but it would be made and not real.

 

[filsogh]

Many here may not know of the works of Donald Knuth, but no surprise that he would find the latest iterations of AI models to be thought provoking.

AI is a wonderful tool that is going to enormously accelerate human achievement and learning - for those that embrace it rather than fear it.

My son, who is a final year university engineering student is being encouraged to use AI tools, it is in fact a mandatory part of the syllabus.

Knuth (deep bow)! Back in another life before I retired I was a factory automation specialist - vison guided robotics and stuff like that. I can only imagine how much more effective I would have been had ai been around at even todays level.

I have been working on a web based automation project and using claude code cli as my assistant. The productivity is incredible! A task like refactoring code which can be a real vipers nest can be absolutely trivialised by claude. Debugging code? Once again trivial.

There are cavets. Claude needs guidance. Claude needs someone that understands good practices in the field to guide it. Claude will take shortcuts that result in poor practice or solutions that aren't universal and usable else where. But wow, with a little guidance in a technical domain it is outstanding.

 

[Pieter12]

AI could copy the style of any photographer, but it would be made and not real.

Sure. But AI has so many useful applications beyond that. Humans can copy the style of any photographer (or other artist, for that matter)--and not only is that real, it happens all the time.

 

[mshchem]

Knuth (deep bow)! Back in another life before I retired I was a factory automation specialist - vison guided robotics and stuff like that. I can only imagine how much more effective I would have been had ai been around at even todays level.

I have been working on a web based automation project and using claude code cli as my assistant. The productivity is incredible! A task like refactoring code which can be a real vipers nest can be absolutely trivialised by claude. Debugging code? Once again trivial.

There are cavets. Claude needs guidance. Claude needs someone that understands good practices in the field to guide it. Claude will take shortcuts that result in poor practice or solutions that aren't universal and usable else where. But wow, with a little guidance in a technical domain it is outstanding.

Ah the good side of technology. I worked for a year as an analytical chemist for General Mills, this was over 30 years ago. One of the products was a variation of Fruit Rollups. God awful fruit pectin and corn syrup sold as an alternative to "candy" . Early technology was using video to recognize the pattern of the product for qc.

I was amazed.

Unfortunately AI is going to be used to mislead and market. It's also going to revolutionize medical care, help people with every little thing. Drunk driving, car won't let it happen etc.

Good and bad.