Connection, AI and Chat GPT
I was raised reading science fiction. Robert Heinlein, Ann McCaffrey, Issac Asimov, Arthur C Clarke, Jody Lynn Nye, Douglas Adams, Orson Scott Card…. the future they foretold is here or at least on the way. People are getting away from reading the written word on a printed page and I think that is really sad. You can always pick a book up where you left off, the battery never needs charging and you can slap offensive creatures (bugs, pets, kids or spouses) with them without causing real harm. It also helps with your developing brain or maintains neuroplasticity of an aging one. Most of these authors predicted AI and Issc Asimov actually created the 3 laws that he felt should govern robotics. (The core principles, as outlined by Isaac Asimov's Laws of Robotics, require that robots cannot harm humans, must obey human orders (unless violating the first law), and must protect themselves (unless violating the first or second laws)
There is a bit of controversy about Chat GPT and the AI algorithm that runs it. From what I understand, AI learns from what is put into it. Have you ever looked up something on Wikipedia? At the bottom of all those pages, there is a listing of edits. Anyone can edit the page and they don’t actually need to put in accurate information. AI gathers information from everywhere on the internet and creates an answer based on all of the information that has been uploaded by anyone, anywhere in the world. They don’t have to be scholars (although many research papers are accessed), it just gathers everything it can access. I looked it up and this is what AI told me: AI gets its information from massive training datasets collected via web scraping, licensed third-party partnerships, and real-time internet searches. Systems process billions of public web pages, books, articles, and user interactions to learn language patterns and facts. The basic controversy comes from the issue that people who are looking for connection, are turning to Chat GPT and not all of the conversations in the long run are coming out with happy endings, especially for teenagers.
Because of the controversy, Chat GPT is now advertising itself as a free assistant to the elderly. A benevolent, friendly and chatty person that is at their beck and call who will answer all sorts of questions. It is selling itself as a social connection. I don’t know how many of you actually know me, but I am moving past middle age and have many friends and mentors who are beyond it and I have seen several who are looking for that connection. I became President of a local art organization that is about getting creative retirees together. One of the main things that I see it accomplishing is that social connection.
When I moved to Spokane in 2018 I became depressed because I was lonely so I actively sought out ways to find social connections. In our world of computer networking, finding online connections is becoming easier and easier but getting out and finding real one on one connection can be a daunting task. As the cost of living keeps going up, it seems to get harder and harder to find things you can get out to do and afford. If you live in rural areas, the cost of gas becomes even more prohibitive. It is important to reach out to family members who live out in the sticks and make sure they know you are interested in their lives and them. Being in a city, it is cheap to find thing for me to do where I can connect with people. All it takes is a bit of bravery, a quick search on line and a bus pass. I have found so many amazing activities near my area that are safe, different and engaging.
What can you find where you live? Where would you go to look? Facebook may not be the place anymore for all of the young people but it is a place that people list events. Libraries post events as well, as do coffee shops, book shops, cities have listings as well like Kawanis organizations. You never know what you will find. If you have an interest, go where you can find the supplies for it and ask there, you might find something interesting out that way. Scared to meet strangers, we all are but we are just as afraid of you as you are afraid of us. It’s ok, you can bribe us with candy and sweets. Good luck.