How much has AI affected you personally so far?

[Robin GrahamParticipant @robingraham42208]

Being in my 70’s I’m well over the age when, according to Douglas Adams,  new technologies are “against the natural order of things”:

“I’ve come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies:
1. Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.
2. Anything that’s invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
3. Anything invented after you’re thirty-five is against the natural order of things.”

― Douglas Adams, The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time

I have been (and probably still am) agin this AI business partly because of personal experience and partly for what might be called ‘political’ reasons. I shan’t dwell on the ‘political’ because it would be inappropriate on this forum, but so far as personal experience of the technology goes it has mainly been woeful .  Pretty much every every service, from purchasing to banking to healthcare , seems to have a ‘bot’ to talk to if you have a problem.  These things can form meaningful sentences and come out with social  niceties but often seem to be willfully obtuse when it comes to the nitty-gritty of the question.   It can be frustrating.  Not actually a bot but I had cause to ring the NHS 111 helpline recently and the first question was ‘is the patient [me] conscious’. She did apologise (after asking if I was still breathing) saying she had to ask these questions because they were on her script. It’s the same sort of thing perhaps

On the other hand when I ask technical questions using my browser’s search bar (DuckDuckGo in my case) the AI feature which summarises results can be genuinely useful.  For example “Can a C #define macro redefine #define” yields “No” and a succinct   explanation of why not, rather than an impenetrable screed explaining the internal workings of the C preprocessor.

The purpose of this post is to ask about what actual changes forum members have  experienced personally  in their lives for good or for ill since the advent of AI – not to invite speculation about its future or its philosophical implications.

Robin

[renardiere7Participant @renardiere7]

My own experience is similar to your own. I find when you can tailor your question to ask specifically what you need to know AI can be incredibly useful. I have had success by asking AI to “find for me”, “what’s the difference between”. The more specific the question the better the quality the answer.

AI as a public facing telephone answering service is, currently, an exercise in frustration.

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Don’t get me started!

[IanTParticipant @iant]

I’ve used GROK to solve an issue with a PIO problem I was having with a Picomite application and it was very helpful. Other than that my ‘direct’ experience has not been very much to date.

However, even as a ‘hobbyist’ I am seeing others use AI to multiply their productivity. There are a few members of the Picomite community who are now using AI extensively in their software development. Most notably PeterM (who is the main developer of the Pico version of MMBasic – the Picomite). This year we have seen many new features and improvements to Picomite (now on version 6.03) – together with a new RP2350B board (Pico 3). This is a standalone system that can run MMB and has HDMI graphics, USB hub, I2C, WiFi, RTC etc.

This was very impressive. But within weeks Peter was announcing MicroPython on the Pico 3 computer too (e.g. a standalone MicroPython sytem!). Soon after, the board could run Fuzix (a PDP11 Unix) and anything supported by that system. The latest development is a ‘transpiler’ for MMBasic – that essentially let’s you complie your MMB code into C and run it.

The only problem really with all this – is that I can’t keep up with it. Fortunately, I don’t need to, the simpler versions of the Picomite are all I need and now run very well and are stable. But the speed of change, even in this small hobby ‘community’ is suprising/amazing/worrying – choose your own word.

Pico 3 running Fuzix

“Fuzix is Unix 7 as originally written for the PDP11. It has been ported to numerous processors and is currently maintained by Alan Cox. I have ported the code to the RP2350 with 8MB PSRAM, HDMI video, I2S sound, USB keyboard, and SPI sdcard. The code has been enhanced with 32-bit inode support allowing much larger disks and Alan’s C compiler has been enhanced to generate M33 compatible code. A transpiler is used to convert MMbasic source to C effectively creating a MMBasic compiler. The code and documentation is available on github.com/UKTailwind/FUZIX/releases/latest.”

Regards,

IanT

[Andrew EntwistleParticipant @andrewentwistle]

Hi Robin,

Through ChatGPT/Copilot I was able to obtain information to enable me to fix a problem with the inverter in our electric car, which otherwise would have involved many hours of browsing and watching YouTube videos. Conventional search engine results just didn’t provide the information. There were lots of time wasting bum steers along the way though, delivered with the usual misplaced authority. Several times when challenged, AI did a 180 degree turn and agreed with my opposite experience.

We are under pressure at work to find a closed (not disclosing company secrets to the wider training data set) version of AI useful, but so far I have not seen a benefit.

So overall in my experience there has been a benefit to using AI, but only slightly offsetting the irritating slop/hallucinations. I am seeing an alarming (admittedly anecdotal) trend of skilled personnel losing jobs and having trouble finding another in areas where AI uptake is strongest.

Andrew.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Very disappointed in the results of my queries. Mainly advanced physics / cosmology. Results have been little better than total rubbish. Others may have a totally different experience, if their queries simply rely on AI churning through lots of “trained” data searches. Useful maybe, but it certainly isn’t “intelligence”

Andrew.

[Adrian R2Participant @adrianr2]

It has caused me mild irritation while reading ebay listings, as I have to pick out actual facts about an item from auto generated guff. Product images are also a problem as they quite often show a mock-up of an item being used wrongly, one recent example being a threaded hosepipe adaptor fitted to the end of a kitchen tap.

Similarly Youtube thumbnails although I am starting to recognise the style and scroll past.

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

As someone who spends idle moments watching Y tube I tend now to see who posted it and then when it was posted. Some names I discount immediately and if posted in the last six month it may only get seconds of my time to convince me it is NOT AI. The use of 1000 words to say what needs only 100, completely irrelevant pictures along with incorrect facts. I think the term click bait is used. There’s so much of this AI generated content that I’m starting to tire of Ytube.

That it can do in seconds what a man might take a year to do is clever. It may give a perfect answer but it may require the perfect question and since the questioner doesn’t know this it may require some time to find the question and then the answer.

I’m not a Luddite, I’ve stopped rubbing sticks together in favour of matches to light the candle ! Noel.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

I find it very useful for technical questions, particularly how to do something in e.g Fusion or Mach 3.

Questions of opinion though (who is the best prime minister?), the less said the better.

Rod

[egaParticipant @ega]

One obvious change is the current heatwave, apparently contributed to by the enormous demands of AI for electricity and the consequent heat.

[noel shelley]

On noel shelley Said:

<i>Cut</i>

I’m not a Luddite, I’ve stopped rubbing sticks together in favour of matches to light the candle ! Noel.

Hi Noel, I like your comment, although I found a pair of these cheapish Candle Lighters in one of the major supermarkets for about 3£ the pair, and they are refillable, saves you getting your fingers burnt, and No AI needed. 😃

I’ve not really had any need to use AI directly, that is. Seen some samples of AI and realised that many have obvious mistakes, and I think there are too many people jumping on the bandwagon,  of which there might be some of those out to scam others.

Regards Nick.

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Thanks for the reply Nick, having had several of this type of device, all of which failed for one reason or another I felt I had had my fingers burnt !  I reverted to the matches, kept dry there is little to go wrong ?

The more AI gets clever the more I feel we should be getting worried, or is it already too late ? Noel.

[Graham MeekParticipant @grahammeek88282]

Hi Robin,

At first I hated AI, it was forever getting in my way for finding things out. However of late (P)AL, (P is silent), as he/she has become to be known has proved very handy, but just another tool.

The other morning the car would not start. I deduced the battery was flat, (8 years old), but what I could not make out was the ticking noise I could hear. It sounded like the injectors firing. Not having had the car for very long I conversed with AL. Being one of these push button Start/Stop jobs. AL told me the starter motor was still trying to start the car because the ignition was still on. The ticking was the solenoid going back and forth. Turning off the ignition used to be easy with a key, but not so with this car, but AL sorted me out.

AL has also helped me understand the two illnesses I have better. While I know it is unwise to rely on AI for such things. The links AL has given me have improved my health by contacting them. Something 40 years of suffering with these illnesses the NHS has failed to do.

As regards AI and the NHS, having worked for them for 10 years before I retired. I know the NHS is never going give up it’s box ticking culture. Although I do understand AI is going to be rolled out as regards route planning the patients needs with different illnesses. Something I have my reservations about.

Regards

Gray,

 

[JAParticipant @ja]

I don’t think I have used AI. Therein is the problem with AI. It is everywhere and one does no have a clue where!

My nephew, who works in media, tells me that most adverts are now made with AI and he can tell but I don’t have a clue!

Rod, how does it help you with Fusion 360?

JA

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I’m having a rough day, so please excuse me for not really participating in the discussion.

I will just throw-in this suggestion:

Ask ChatGPT the following question, and study the response at your leisure.

what is your assessment of the AI “CLAUDE”

MichaelG.

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

I’ve noticed of late there are many videos out there on YouTube that sound realy interesting, and  purporting to be historical documentaries.  Things like, the Industrial Revolution, the Bessemer process, etc.  But they’re riddled with inaccuracies and images that don’t relate to the narrative.  While as Engineers we notice these things, it’s likely to mislead those that are not so familiar.  It also seems that in many cases the commentary is AI generated, presumably from written text, with more than a few mispronunciations.  Although I have to say, some of the images, whether generated by AI, CGI or whatever, can be quite convincing.

[Bo’sun]

On Bo’sun Said:

I’ve noticed of late there are many videos out there on YouTube that sound realy interesting, and  purporting to be historical documentaries.  Things like, the Industrial Revolution, the Bessemer process, etc.  But they’re riddled with inaccuracies and images that don’t relate to the narrative.  While as Engineers we notice these things, it’s likely to mislead those that are not so familiar.  It also seems that in many cases the commentary is AI generated, presumably from written text, with more than a few mispronunciations.  Although I have to say, some of the images, whether generated by AI, CGI or whatever, can be quite convincing.

As a member of the Newcomen Society I receive a magazine about 4 times a year. One earlier in the year had an article on the development axial compressor. It solely described pre-war German work and nothing the Swiss, Britain or America did. All this came from one source elsewhere. At the time I put it down to a very bad author but now realise it could have been AI generated. Reading it you would have believed that the Germans developed the axial compressed. Theirs, as used in their jet engines, only just worked because of a very basic design fault.

Most people get by with no knowledge, a few with a little……. AI is not a replacement for a lack of knowledge.

JA

[JA]

On JA Said:

On Bo’sun Said:

I’ve noticed of late there are many videos out there on YouTube that sound realy interesting, and  purporting to be historical documentaries.  Things like, the Industrial Revolution, the Bessemer process, etc.  But they’re riddled with inaccuracies and images that don’t relate to the narrative.  While as Engineers we notice these things, it’s likely to mislead those that are not so familiar.  It also seems that in many cases the commentary is AI generated, presumably from written text, with more than a few mispronunciations.  Although I have to say, some of the images, whether generated by AI, CGI or whatever, can be quite convincing.

Most people get by with no knowledge, a few with a little……. AI is not a replacement for a lack of knowledge.

JA

Yes, and with AI now becoming extremely convincing, especially to the uninitiated, I fear misinformation is now exponentially on the rise.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

How do AI generated youtube machining videos provide the seemingly obligatory 15 minutes of a fat bellied blob droning to camera at the start? I guess they have already learned from making clickbait adverts how to expand 30 seconds of content into an hour.

[DellParticipant @dell]

I have just got new Phonak hearing aids & they have a dedicated speech in noise AI chip.

[Bill PhinnParticipant @billphinn90025]

My local authority uses Microsoft Copilot 365. It used this recently to respond to a complaint I made regarding more than one serious failing by their Adult Social Services teams.

Co-pilot summarised my complaint, produced a response to it, and then quite touchingly included a link to a local authority web page that cautions the public against the use of AI to write complaints to the local authority, possibly on the “assumption” that my complaint was itself largely or partly the product of AI, when in fact it was neither.

The summary wasn’t atrocious, but it saw no hierarchy of emphasis in the different strands to my complaint when an intelligent human reader would have identified this hierarchy instantly. Identifying it was crucial to a sound understanding of my complaint and the rectification I was seeking.

If human beings employed in language processing roles are no longer required to process language using their own brains, then after a while their ability to do so without the aid of AI will almost certainly be less good than it was to begin with.

One of the beauties of AI in my view is that, counterintuitively perhaps, far from levelling the playing field between people with different levels of intelligence, it creates even greater disparity, inasmuch as an intelligent person using AI intelligently can arguably outsmart a less intelligent person using AI even more easily than if AI was not part of the mix.

Ultimately, at every level of its existence, AI is only as good as the humans behind it.

[HollowpointParticipant @hollowpoint]

After trying to ignore it for the longest time, I finally let curiosity get the better of me. I’ve been using it for about 12 months now and I have to say I use it a lot now! It’s particularly good at finding answers to obscure questions which would otherwise take probably hours of googling. It’s also great for engineering related calculations.

[JA]

On JA Said:

 

Rod, how does it help you with Fusion 360?

JA

For example, in Google type “How do I draw an S shaped tube in Fusion”  Click the AI Mode button and a sequence of instructions are provided together with links to a Youtube video (from which I presume AI has derived the instructions)

Rod

[Roderick Jenkins]

On Roderick Jenkins Said:

On JA Said:

 

Rod, how does it help you with Fusion 360?

JA

For example, in Google type “How do I draw an S shaped tube in Fusion”  Click the AI Mode button and a sequence of instructions are provided together with links to a Youtube video (from which I presume AI has derived the instructions)

Rod

Thanks Rod

I shall try it on a tapered boiler later today.

JA

[Hugh Stewart-Smith 1Participant @hughstewart-smith1]

I make use of AI on an  occasional basis as it aids  in the running of business,

However, I also make use of AI for personal reasons, one of which I hope you won’t find a bit far-fetched!

I wonder if any of you good people have heard of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. In case not, it took place in the 1st World War and I have been researching this and here is a clip from it for which I must give credit to reddit

“At exactly 5:30 a.m. on Easter Monday, April 9 1917, all 1,000+ guns fired simultaneously to open the attack. It was described by soldiers as a deafening, blinding wall of fire that lit up the entire sky. Your father stood in the midst of a military operation that changed the nature of artillery warfare forever.”

It was my father who was there and was awarded a Military Medal as a consequence. I inherited the medal, which of course I treasure, and which AI has been instrumental in directing me to various sources of his records in this and the 2nd WW also, where he was engaged in the defence of London operating projectors.

Many war time records from the 1st World War were destroyed in the subsequent War but I’ve been put in touch with a variety sources of my father’s wartime record – which I intend to follow up when I get a day off work! Well, I’m only 80!

Hugh

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