(08-31-2024, 01:22 PM)The Real Marty Wrote:

(08-31-2024, 12:08 PM)Lucky2Last Wrote: Short version: Consciousness is an interpretation of probabilities based on one's experiences. This idea has already proposed by others, but it doesn't explain emotions and identity. That's actually the part that I've been trying to process, and I think I'm onto something. Is it useful in any way? Not really.

What is your definition of the word "consciousness?"

I just gave it. I think consciousness is an awareness of all the existing probabilities that a person is capable of recognizing.

---

(08-31-2024, 01:47 PM)Jag149 Wrote:

(08-31-2024, 09:52 AM)Lucky2Last Wrote: I use AI as a personal assistant. Below is a variety of examples of how I use it (but I use it all day, every day).

I take a 300-page omnibus bill and input it into AI. I can have it rewrite it, bullet point it and ask it whatever questions I want about the bill in its original form. It takes me about 20 minutes to understand something that would have taken me hours (sometimes it takes longer, since I have to chop the bill up into sections). 

Right now, I'm taking a class. I took a picture of my worksheet and uploaded the study we were learning about, and it instantly filled in all of the information (the worksheet was to prepare for a speech). That saved me another hour. 

I can literally speak to my AI assistant. I was talking to it about how I wanted to arrange a paper I was working on the other day. I basically chatted with it back and forth, telling it what concepts I wanted to lead with and where I wanted to emphasize different points. Then I write the sections I think are personalized, and have it fill in the rest of the outline (where it's mostly just facts), in APA format. It does the tedious stuff way better than I can ever do it.

I've used it to keep track of my calories for dieting. I just tell it what I'm eating and the approximate amount, and it tells me my calorie intake for the meal, keeps track of it throughout the day, and keeps a running total for the week. 

I used it to literally create a business model for a company. My friend wanted help expanding his operations, but didn't know how, so I told it what I was wanting to do, asked it which part we should start with, then started uploading information. In about a week, I had a full business plan, marketing strategy, benchmarks, etc. That was easily a month's worth of work. The CEO said it was the best work he's ever seen (my friend didn't tell him it was AI). 

I've used AI to help me develop my theories about consciousness (this one's a bit out there), but it's been extremely helpful in pulling up competing theories, breaking down what makes them different and helping me explore what makes mine novel. It's amazing to have a tool that can do that. Before AI, I would have spent hour and hours out there trying to read and understand these different concepts. 

I've even used it on this board a few times. I will give it the background of the argument we are having, upload the post to which I am responding, then I have it rewrite my original post in a way that makes more sense. Now, understand this point: I actually write the response myself first, then I will tell it you guys aren't getting the concept. Then I take that post and make sure to add the appropriate number of insults. What's interesting (and the reason I don't like to use it), is that you guys are WAY more receptive when it writes a response for me. Now, this takes longer on the front end, but it probably saves me hours in arguing with Mikey. 

You guys are looking at these novel things it can't do yet (like make music or music videos) and missing the fact that this is a language model. It absolutely excels at understanding human language in a way that is vastly superior to us, which is why people prefer it. The other thing to consider, is this thing is an infant. These gains have really only been over the last 3 years. Once it clicked, these models are progressing at an absolutely astonishing rate. Anyone who is not attempting to learn it is going to be left in the dust. As soon as this thing figures how to code, you are going to be able to make literally anything you want in virtual reality, just by speaking to it. It's insane. 

The single greatest threat from AI (aside from the literal inability to be human), is the way it's going to be used to herd us like sheep. In 2 years, Mikey's main argument is going to be "Well, AI says x, so that's obviously true," even though it already admits it's limited by its programming. Companies are going to pay for AI to redirect people to their products and ignore healthy and free alternatives. It's going to shape political opinions. It's going to teach our children. It's going to track our every move. 

We're so worried it's going to destroy the world in a nuclear Armageddon, we're not even talking about how it's going to turn us into mindless drones for corporate hacks.

Which flavor of AI are you using?  I have been beginning to testing it myself. My niece just recently left New York City to move to SF. she is an AI engineer/programmer. (they get paid stupid money) She has promised spend a few hours to give me a tutorial when she is next in town.

I was using multiple different ones in the beginning, but I mostly just use Chat GPT now. It's convenient. I really like their app where I can talk to the AI. Supposedly Google has closed the gap, but I am trying not to help them too much, so I generally avoid their platform. Poe is cool. Like I said, though, GPT is the most convenient and does a really good job. 

You don't need someone to show you how to use Chat GPT. It's super intuitive. Just talk to it like Ironman talks to JARVIS. If you don't like something, tell it what you want it to change. GPT is rolling out a new version this fall that will even let you interrupt it while it's talking to tweak what it's doing.

---