AI is not The Big Bad Wolf
Article published in Northampton Living
(March 2024)
In an era where technology continuously reshapes our lives, artificial intelligence (AI) stands at the forefront of this transformation. At the end of November 2022, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT to the public, spurring an AI boom. AI has now become an accessible tool for everyone, and companies across industries are rushing to release their own AI-powered tools, software and experiences. I get many questions about AI. Some people have shared concerns, and others have expressed optimism. For the curious and the weary among you, here are the basics to help you better understand modern AI.
First of all, let me address something upfront. When people talk about the average use of AI, they are usually referring to “Generative AI”, and most commonly Large Language Models (LLMs). Modern-day AI is not The Terminator, or some master intelligence out to subjugate humanity. It’s not, as the title mentions, the Big Bad Wolf.
Imagine an LLM as a vast library combined with a highly intelligent and helpful librarian. This library contains a massive collection of books, articles, websites and various other wri en materials from all over the world, covering almost every topic you can think of. Now, the librarian (which is the AI) is exceptionally skilled at reading, understanding and summarizing this enormous amount of information.
When you ask a question or make a request, the AI librarian quickly sifts through this vast repository of knowledge. It understands your question, searches for relevant information, and then responds in a way that's easy to understand, much like a human would. This response is based on the pa erns, languages, facts and ideas it has learned from its extensive reading.
However, this AI doesn't just recall exact information from a specific book; it creates new sentences and ideas based on everything it's learned. It's like having a conversation with someone who has read almost everything there is to read and can creatively combine that knowledge to help you out.
Perhaps one of the most exciting applications of AI is as a writing tool. If you’ve ever been stuck staring at the dreaded blinking line on a blank word document, an AI tool can help you grease the wheels and get to writing – whether it's social media posts for businesses, essays for school, or a speech that you have to give. However, it’s important to remember that it should be used as a tool to help get you started, and that you should always edit, adjust, improve, expand or reduce what the AI tool gives you. When it comes to schooling, it’s especially important to develop strong language skills, and to not rely on these tools to do the work for you
Some of the most amazing uses of AI I’ve seen is its use in accessibility, education and editing. Non-native English speakers can use it to edit their articles, and AI will make suggestions to improve grammar and word choice. These tools also excel in explaining complex concepts. They can become personal tutors and give people step-by-step advice to problem solve, not just by giving answers, but by asking conversational questions and helping the student get to the correct answer on their own.
Although the advent of AI has happened very quickly, I think we should be open-minded about it. The risks in AI are less existential, and more about data privacy, copyright, labor force replacement and educational misuse. I’ll be writing about this in future articles, while discussing how it can be incorporated into your business or personal life in more depth. I’d love to hear about your own AI-related experiences at nate@thefriendlyitguy.com.