Future of AI

We've released our latest "This Week in AI" recording, back on Fridays (except taking next week off). Hope you enjoy! AI summary provide by summarize.tech: https://www.summarize.tech/www.youtube.com/watch?v=35xrNF4xzlA

00:00:00 - 00:30:00

In the July 26, 2024 episode of "This Week in AI," hosts Reed Hepler and Steve Hargadon discuss the disconnect between experts' predictions about the future of AI and practical preparations of businesses and individuals, emphasizing the importance of focusing on practical applications and avoiding unrealistic expectations. They also touch on the challenges of privacy concerns and the need for clear implementation of AI technologies. Hepler shares a personal experience of being stranded due to a computer system error, highlighting the unreliability of technology and potential consequences. The conversation then shifts to the use of custom GPUs in AI and the Human Intelligence for Artificial Intelligence movement. The hosts discuss the latest developments in AI technology, including the integration of search engine capabilities into large language models and the potential implications for productivity and personal relationships. They also explore the possibility of using AI to simulate conversations with deceased individuals or geniuses, raising ethical concerns. The episode concludes with a discussion about the impact of AI on the photo industry and the importance of human creativity and expertise.

00:00:00 In this section of the "This Week in AI" YouTube video, hosts Reed Hepler and Steve Hargadon discuss the implications of Ethan Monic's blog post "Confronting Impossible Futures" for businesses and individuals. The post highlights the disconnect between experts' predictions about the future of AI and the practical preparations of businesses and individuals. Hepler and Hargadon emphasize the importance of focusing on practical applications of AI and avoiding overpromising and unrealistic expectations. They also touch on the topic of scenario planning and the need for businesses to find specific, productive uses for AI. Additionally, they mention the challenges of privacy concerns and the need for clear, effective implementation of AI technologies. The conversation also includes a personal anecdote from Hepler about his experience with a biotech error that prevented him from traveling.
00:05:00 In this section of the "This Week in AI" YouTube video, Reed Hepler shares his personal experience of being stranded at the airport due to a computer system update causing flight cancellations and delays. Hepler highlights the unreliability of technology and the potential cascading implications of simple errors. Steve Hargadon connects this incident to the current rush to profitability in AI, with companies making promises of magical solutions to save time and labor. However, these promises may not always be productive or worth the investment, as seen in the case of Microsoft's search summaries and other visible mistakes. The conversation also touches upon the potential of custom GPUs in AI and their significant capabilities.
00:10:00 In this section of the "This Week in AI" YouTube video, Reed Hepler and Steve Hargadon discuss the various applications and considerations of using custom Gpt models, as well as the importance of human responsibility in the age of AI. Hepler also introduces the Human Intelligence for Artificial Intelligence movement, which aims to prepare students for the workplace and AI-driven world by emphasizing human qualities and abilities. The conversation then shifts to OpenAI's recent announcement of an AI-powered search engine, Search Gpt, which is intended to rival Google and Complexity. The hosts express their thoughts on the implications of this development and the potential impact on the industry.
00:15:00 In this section of the "This Week in AI" podcast with Reed Hepler and Steve Hargadon, they discuss the latest developments in AI technology, specifically the integration of search engine capabilities into large language models like ChatGPT and Claude. Hepler expresses excitement about this advancement as it represents a significant step towards AGI. However, Hargadon raises concerns about the potential shaping of responses by developers and the legal standards that may be imposed on such technology. He also emphasizes the importance of transparency and truthfulness in AI responses. The conversation then shifts to the issue of trust and cognitive shortcuts for decision-making, with Hargadon preferring a plain voice and footnotes for AI responses to avoid building a relationship based on trust. Hepler mentions a blog post he has written on skepticism and AI, inspired by Carl Sagan.
00:20:00 In this section of the "This Week in AI" video, hosts Reed Hepler and Steve Hargadon discuss the potential of using AI to simulate conversations with deceased individuals or geniuses. Hepler brings up Carl Sagan as an example and suggests creating a custom GPT model using Sagan's written material and transcripts to mimic his voice and thinking style. Hargadon shares his experience with creating a similar model using Ivan Illich's material and expresses excitement about the possibility of having conversations with deceased relatives for therapeutic purposes or developing a closer relationship with the AI version. They also acknowledge the ethical concerns and potential for scams in this area.
00:25:00 In this section of the "This Week in AI" video, Reed Hepler and Steve Hargadon discuss the potential implications of advanced AI technology in various aspects of life, including personal relationships and productivity. Steve shares his experience of attending an AI training session with a visual avatar narrator and the productivity boost he gained by using Otter to summarize the sessions. They also touch upon studies suggesting that AI can both promote creativity and lessen productivity, depending on how effectively it's used. Reed introduces the concept of merging AI and human intelligence to enhance existing processes and increase productivity. Steve emphasizes the importance of communication and idea generation in the creative process and how AI can facilitate these aspects by acting as a conversational partner.
00:30:00 In this section of the "This Week in AI" YouTube video, hosts Reed Hepler and Steve Hargadon discuss the impact of AI on the photo industry. Steve argues that understanding how humans work is essential to effectively utilizing AI, and Reed shares an article about Mid Journey 6, a new AI model that is expected to significantly affect the industry. They agree that while AI may replace stock photography, it won't replace human photographers for events like weddings. The conversation also touches on the evolution of photography and its impact on the expertise of photographers over the years. Despite the advancements in AI, the hosts believe that human creativity and expertise will continue to be valuable. The episode concludes with a discussion about skipping the deep dives for the time being and looking forward to future topics.