Is AI going to be the demise of human intelligence?

[DeSotoSky]

I messaged a seller about the model of a Buck knife misidentified in a listing. The seller thanked me saying AI was used to identify the knife and sometimes gets it wrong.

 

[edgelion]

Nah, just the internet.

 

[TheFishman]

I disagree. AI is not going to be the demise of human intelligence. Relying on AI to do everything for you is going to be the demise of human intelligence.

I used ChatGPT at work a few weeks ago to create an image we were going to use on a fishery management profile. I asked it to create an image of a black drum feeding over an oyster reef with Spartina marsh on the right of the image. It created the first very detailed, very lifelike image. I then told it to create an image of a black drum feeding over an oyster reef with Spartina marsh on the right of the image and to make sure the fish was in the water. Even though AI did the work, the human still needs to know enough to provide proper guidance and articulate exactly what they want. Unfortunately I do think human intelligence is declining at a very rapid pace.

 

[bertl]

I asked it to create an image of a black drum feeding over an oyster reef with Spartina marsh on the right of the image.

TheFishman, your example reminded me of what might be the most important thing I learned in school, "What is the question? What do you want to know?" ChatGPT answered your first question correctly. It's just that your question left out details—it was the wrong question—but you had the knowledge to recognize the mistake. We need both intelligence and knowledge.

My answer to Roger's question is that we don't have evidence that AI is leading to the demise of intelligence, but I do think that AI encourages people to stop thinking and accept what AI says. That is a problem.

Bert

 

[DrMegabyte]

I asked AI to "Write a soliloquy for an actor in a Shakespearean play in which the actor celebrates the Buck 110 Folding Hunter knife."
This is what it spat out:

O wondrous steel, thou art no common tool,
But nature’s edge made perfect in man’s hand.
The Buck, the Hunter’s pride, the Folding lord,
Whose sharpen’d tooth doth cleave both hide and wood,
And sings through rope as falcon through the air.

How keen thy bite! A whisper’s touch sufficeth,
And fibers yield as kingdoms fall to fate.
No dull companion art thou, but steadfast knight,
Whose brass-bound frame and ebony scales endure,
The tempests, trials, and the march of years.

Utility, thy second name is writ,
For thou dost serve in feast, in hunt, in toil.
A loyal blade that folds to rest with grace,
Yet springs awake when duty calls it forth
A sentinel concealed, yet ever near.

O quality unmatched!
Thy lineage proud Hath stood the test of time,
and still proclaims:
That craftsmanship, when wedded unto care,
Doth fashion more than steel—it fashions trust.

Thus I, thy bearer, sing eternal praise,
To thee, Buck 110, my faithful edge.

 

[bertl]

DrMegabyte​

I think Shakespear is safe.

 

[FranklinG]

DrMegabyte​

I think Shakespear is safe.

I thought he died over 70 years ago.

 

[hunterjrg]

I recently reached out to a company and had an AI response for a warranty issue. IMO that’s not customer service. Needless to say I’ll take my business elsewhere in the future. Maybe I’m old school and like the person to person contact. Thankfully when I reached out to Buck knives I spoke with a very polite lady and had parts sent out to me. That is customer service

 

[bertl]

I asked AI to "Write a soliloquy for an actor in a Shakespearean play

I've been wondering how AI would do writing something in the style of Eliot's "The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock".

 

[edgelion]

What i need is AI that shovels snow.

 

[pjsjr]

I recently reached out to a company and had an AI response for a warranty issue. IMO that’s not customer service. Needless to say I’ll take my business elsewhere in the future. Maybe I’m old school and like the person to person contact. Thankfully when I reached out to Buck knives I spoke with a very polite lady and had parts sent out to me. That is customer service

Let's hope Buck doesn't change that personal contact philosophy.

 

[Generalist]

TheFishman, your example reminded me of what might be the most important thing I learned in school, "What is the question? What do you want to know?" ChatGPT answered your first question correctly. It's just that your question left out details—it was the wrong question—but you had the knowledge to recognize the mistake. We need both intelligence and knowledge.

My answer to Roger's question is that we don't have evidence that AI is leading to the demise of intelligence, but I do think that AI encourages people to stop thinking and accept what AI says. That is a problem.

Bert

I wonder whether "prompt engineering", designing questions that efficiently get the needed AI output, will become a formal engineering field at some point.

 

[Drop bear]

How high was the bar to start with?

 

[Happy Hippo]

I messaged a seller about the model of a Buck knife misidentified in a listing. The seller thanked me saying AI was used to identify the knife and sometimes gets it wrong.

The internet has been a boon to the intelligent. All this info at your disposal. I used to have to crawl around libraries. But the internet has given the unintelligent too a voice they probably shouldn't have. They can spout their nonsense and gain a following from the gullible. Conspiracy theories like flat earth shouldn't be given a second of anyone's time because it is just blatantly false. One flat earth scammer tried to use AI to justify his viewpoint - AI says the earth isn't flat. For my knife queries, AI doesn't have a good success rate in my opinion. But sometimes it is ok. I just worry about our population getting even dumber by its use.

 

[Happy Hippo]

I messaged a seller about the model of a Buck knife misidentified in a listing. The seller thanked me saying AI was used to identify the knife and sometimes gets it wrong.

So if AI identifies a jigged buffalo handle limited edition Buck as a knife with a brown handle worth $30, I am OK with it (although I do have a conscience).

 

[bertl]

The internet has been a boon to the intelligent. All this info at your disposal. I used to have to crawl around libraries.

When you were crawling around libraries, how often did you run across something interesting, although not what you were searching for? How often when using a paper bound dictionary did you run across an interesting word, although not what you were searching for? For the most part, searches on the internet don't allow that inefficient luxury.

Bert

 

[Happy Hippo]

When you were crawling around libraries, how often did you run across something interesting, although not what you were searching for? How often when using a paper bound dictionary did you run across an interesting word, although not what you were searching for? For the most part, searches on the internet don't allow that inefficient luxury.

Bert

Yup, that would happen often. When I was a kid, I used to look at my parents encyclopedias and make list of things that are animals, minerals, cities, countries, food, fruit, vegetables, birds, and famous people. My brother thought I was nuts. Maybe he was right. I did it often but I think after a few months, I was only at the letter D or something like that and stopped. But there wasn't an easy way to learn anything back then other than reading.

 

[Happy Hippo]

Yup, that would happen often. When I was a kid, I used to look at my parents encyclopedias and make list of things that are animals, minerals, plants, cities, countries, food, fruit, vegetables, birds, and famous people. My brother thought I was nuts. Maybe he was right. I did it often but I think after a few months, I was only at the letter D or something like that and stopped. But there wasn't an easy way to learn anything back then other than reading.