Jameel Gordon 12/3/24 Jameel Gordon 12/3/24

Decoding AI: The Balance Between Omniscience and Limitations

There is ongoing debate about whether current AI models can be considered “all-knowing.” A few points to note:

First, let’s focus on major AI models, which are predominantly led by OpenAI. If the OpenAI team were entirely candid, they would likely admit that the AI training systems behind models like ChatGPT are far more sophisticated than we might imagine.

However, it’s important to clarify what “all-knowing” means. One significant challenge with AI systems is their lack of context—a fundamental limitation by design. These models rely on extensive historical data but often lack the context to fully understand human actions or thoughts. That said, this limitation may not persist. As AI gains access to more contextual data and becomes better at understanding individual characteristics, it could develop a solid profile of users to provide more accurate, context-rich responses.

Another point of confusion is the omission of information or inability to respond to specific inquiries. This should not be mistaken as a lack of knowledge. Often, these systems are constrained by safety guardrails designed to limit certain outputs. Many errors stem not from ignorance but from the systems intentionally withholding information due to these constraints.

In conclusion, while current AI systems may not yet be truly “all-knowing,” their sophistication is remarkable. Their perceived limitations often stem from design constraints and safety protocols rather than a lack of underlying knowledge. As access to contextual data improves, these systems may overcome many of their current challenges.

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Jameel Gordon 7/17/24 Jameel Gordon 7/17/24

Are Books Still Relevant in the Age of Artificial Intelligence?

One of the things I often think about is the future of books. I recently posted about the difference between the printing press and artificial intelligence. The main difference is that while the printing press allowed us to print books, artificial intelligence allows us to print almost anything. I stand by this statement, and we're only at the dawn of artificial intelligence, with these systems developing at unprecedented rates. However, my focus lately has been on the relevance of books in the age of artificial intelligence.

It's important to note that books have been under threat since their inception. From people who believed that sharing knowledge would destroy society to the advent of the internet and its natural successor, e-books, books have faced many challenges. I once thought e-books would end the era of physical books, but they didn't. People seem to cherish the act of physically flipping through pages, finding comfort and nostalgia in it.

In the age of artificial intelligence, I believe we face a different challenge. Information, entertainment, and pleasure can now be provided with a voice or text prompt, customized instantly to the person or circumstances. This presents a new challenge for books. As an aspiring writer and a voracious reader, I wonder if books will remain relevant. Observing my own use of artificial intelligence platforms, I think books as a medium may have finally met their match. They might end up like vinyl records, cherished for nostalgia but not widely used.

I still read physical books, mainly for relaxation. For serious information or to be cleverly informed about a topic, I engage a chatbot or two and find their performance incredible. Even as an aspiring author, I hesitate to invest time and effort in writing a book, questioning its necessity and relevance. Much of the heavy lifting in my writing process is done by artificial intelligence systems. I use them for research, fact-checking, editing, and proofreading, making my creative process much more efficient. Their assistance has been a game-changer.

I have many books in the pipeline, but if people use artificial intelligence systems as extensively as I do, I don't think my books are necessary. While AI can be a powerful tool for research and information gathering, books do still offer a unique experience that goes beyond just data. They can provide depth, analysis, narrative flow, and emotional connection that AI-generated content might struggle to replicate at the moment. I'm giving this more thought and would love to hear your perspectives. I'll share more as my thoughts develop.

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Jameel Gordon 7/3/24 Jameel Gordon 7/3/24

Ai: Stuck in the Chatbot, While the Military Runs Wild

Artificial intelligence innovation is surprisingly being dominated by the military-industrial complex. Their advancements far surpass those in the commercial sector, perhaps due to their seemingly limitless resources for research and development. Whatever the reason, the military is outperforming a commercial marketplace fixated on generative AI, with most companies struggling to move beyond chatbots.

Apple Intelligence, however, stands out as an exciting exception. Its potential use cases and societal impact are truly promising. Frankly, I suspect Apple is downplaying its AI advancements to avoid antitrust concerns.

Leaving Apple aside, the commercial market needs a serious innovation boost in AI. Inertia within companies, with stifling internal structures and processes, is a major culprit. Apple's historical strength came from isolating teams for new projects, a practice Steve Jobs championed. Unfortunately, most commercial tech companies are delivering underwhelming solutions.

Beyond the tech world, the focus is often on the ethics of AI, even for undeveloped and undeployed technologies. While early ethical discussions are crucial, the current level of engagement seems lackluster, even among ethicists themselves.

This is a call to all of us to be bolder and more imaginative. We need to delve deeper into AI, dream bigger, and push the boundaries of the seemingly impossible. If the AI field is dominated by ethicists, advocates, and non-technical speakers, innovation will undoubtedly be driven by the military-industrial complex. We need these voices, but we also need to be proactive and build a future that benefits everyone.

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Jameel Gordon 6/13/24 Jameel Gordon 6/13/24

Printing Press vs. Artificial Intelligence

The distinction between artificial intelligence and the printing press lies in their capabilities: while the printing press enables the printing of books, artificial intelligence empowers the printing and creation of virtually anything. I understand why people draw parallels between these two inventions, but in many aspects, they are incomparable. In fact, the impact of artificial intelligence is poised to surpass that of the printing press, both historically and prospectively. However, it's worth acknowledging that to some extent, artificial intelligence owes its existence to the groundwork laid by the printing press, which facilitated the capture, recording, and storage of knowledge on an unprecedented scale. Artificial intelligence not only inherits this legacy but also extends it, promising to revolutionize knowledge dissemination and creation in ways the printing press could never achieve.

With the emergence of the printing press, access to books significantly increased. Prior to its invention, only a select few could write, publish, and distribute their knowledge, largely confined to oral traditions. Books were scarce and often monopolized by institutions, controlling who could access them. The printing press shattered these barriers, democratizing access to knowledge. Books proliferated in diverse formats, and more individuals gained the ability to share their ideas. However, the publishing industry retained its gatekeeping role, imposing limitations on aspiring authors, whether through traditional publishers or self-publishing hurdles. It’s also important to note that the printing press didn't just democratize knowledge, it also fueled societal changes like the Renaissance and Reformation and I think we will experience similar revivals and movements due to the impact of artificial intelligence.

Subsequently, the advent of computers and the internet ushered in a new era of knowledge accessibility and sharing. The internet empowered individuals to disseminate their ideas through various platforms, from online forums to personal websites and social media. This collective effort in knowledge sharing laid the groundwork for the development of artificial intelligence. However, digital inequality persisted, hindering access for many.

Now, with artificial intelligence, we possess the computational prowess to process data, generate knowledge, and explore unprecedented possibilities. Unlike the printing press, which revolutionized the dissemination of information through books, artificial intelligence transcends mere data processing; it unlocks new realms of intelligence and innovation. While acknowledging its transformative potential, it's essential to recognize the limitations of artificial intelligence, especially in its nascent stage. Digital access remains uneven, and the costs of operating advanced AI systems are prohibitive for many.

Apple's initiative, "Ai for the rest of us," underscores the importance of democratizing access to artificial intelligence. By breaking free from institutional constraints, Apple aims to broaden access to AI tools globally, mirroring the democratization of knowledge facilitated by the printing press and the internet. As we strive for the advancement of artificial intelligence, it's imperative to address digital disparities and ensure inclusivity, enabling more people to harness the transformative power of AI to create and innovate beyond imagination.

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Jameel Gordon 6/12/24 Jameel Gordon 6/12/24

How AI Dream Interpretation Could Reshape Our Reality

Holy mother of Joseph… ChatGPT can interpret dreams. This is both amazing and scary at the same damn time, and I have a lot of thoughts about this. But first, I gotta admit, this interpretation is pretty good. And I must be honest, by many measures, I’m not a dream interpreter or anything closely resembling someone equipped to tell others the meaning or symbolic significance of their dreams. So, how do I even know this is good? Let’s not even debate that because, on a very basic level, I think this interpretation is pretty good. Here are my prompts and here are ChatGPT's responses:

After my initial inquiry, I swapped out the "soulmate" part of the inquiry text because that may or may not be factual. However, the general response was along the same lines, which tells me that this model was trained with a certain dataset allowing it to confidently interpret my dream. I must also note that I did ask it if it could interpret my dream prior to posting the prompt, and its response was an astounding yes. So, I gave it a try, and much to my surprise, it did.

Now, here’s why this is important or significant as far as I’m concerned. If these machines are capable of interpreting “dreams,” and if their basis for interpreting these dreams is based on actual scientific evidence from a variety of scientific fields, then there is no reason why these machines wouldn’t be able to guide us throughout our waking life. They should be able to analyze our scenarios and circumstances and provide guidance, or dare I say intelligence, for us to make informed decisions and take informed actions based on the environmental factors present around us. This scenario is nothing new in the realm of possibilities in the field of artificial intelligence as this is somewhat part of the goal, but what’s incredible about this is the manner in which, I would say, or I would admit, that this is good.

Now, look, there are a lot more implications here, but before I outline one or a few of them, let me walk you through a bit of my thinking and the thinking of others. In the world of technology, here’s what we know: when it comes to developing seemingly impossible technological features, we know that it’s possible to hack some features or hack a couple of features together to achieve our goal without having to actually build what may seem impossible. For instance, many of our most valuable technology companies or technology platforms are actually built upon hacking together a bunch of random tools or APIs available to them, without owning any actual proprietary technology or service. For instance, I could assemble a platform utilizing ChatGPT, Instagram, iOS, Airbnb, Stripe, and a couple of open-sourced tools, brand the platform as a new platform for whatever, and market said platform to the public as this new technological innovation when in reality it’s just a Lego-type platform. Many of the most valuable platforms we use today are assembled in such a manner. I share this to say that when I encounter or discover certain capabilities of these large language models or some other AI tool, what I think about is not just that function demonstrated right then and there, but the possibilities of hacking that function to serve another purpose. So, for instance, once again, if these platforms can “interpret” our dreams, then they can most certainly “interpret” our waking life.

Another area of disruption here is the fields of mental health and social work. Many of the functions of those working in this field can be automated to be a guide to individuals who are in need of said service. Once again, no real innovation here, as many are attempting to build GPT-like chatbots for not only services like customer service, but also to automate therapy sessions and etc through a bot or something. For those of us who have actually had therapy sessions, we know that much of this can be automated, as we typically find that our therapist, or the role of the therapist, is really to be an objective source for insights and knowledge into our inner and outer behaviors so that we may do the work to live the life that we want, etc. As these automated and artificially intelligent platforms continue to be developed, we will find that many of the services provided within the mental health and social work fields can be provided by these systems as well. Yes, there are many ethical considerations to take into account with some of these examples. Yes, there are economic opportunities and implications here as well.

Another thing for us to consider is the validity of the responses of these systems. Much of these functions, will push back on the “shared values” of others, while being openly accepted as truth or factual when indeed these responses should be received through very critical thinking lenses before foolishly taken as serious or applied in our lives. I hate to say it, but there are some people out there who may take serious actions in their life because of information or direction or action provided by these systems, and they are not quite at the point where they are error-proof. For instance, in many instances, and by many measures, what I am describing are the various ways in which these systems can be hacked by hacking their various functions for ulterior purposes which is very much in line with how hackers function with current and older tech tools. If I really put my mind to it, I can leverage a set of features for purposes not intended by their developers. In many ways, this is how human innovation is sparked and comes about by the simple discovery of repurposing something that already exists. There is much for us to think about here.

These types of capabilities also give us new opportunities for social networking or as I like to call it, “Our Social Meta”. For instance, imagine being in a crowded room and having all the intelligence you need to navigate or dare I say "read the room" right in your AirPods. Where the intelligence about the who, what, when, where, why, or how, is fed right into your device unbeknownst to others in the room. Actions such as this have been envisioned by applications with the Meta Ray-Ban glasses and etc., but think about how much more rich and in-depth those features now become with actual intelligence based into these devices. Being able to know people's likes and dislikes beyond just our assumptions presents opportunities for a whole new realm of social networking or, coming from a sales background, as we would often bake into our practices, how to win friends and influence people. Having this level of intelligence at our fingertips was game-changing for the world, having this level of intelligence beyond our fingertips will be even more game-changing and disruptive to our social fabric, our social networks, and the world at large.

I will continue to write more about this as I continue to give it all more thought. In the meantime , stop worrying about who my soulmate is because it’s none of your business.

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Jameel Gordon 6/11/24 Jameel Gordon 6/11/24

Ai Serves As A Mirror

Artificial intelligence serves as a mirror reflecting our own intellect. These AI systems can only produce or mirror what has already been uncovered in the data generated by humans. Much like gazing into a mirror or observing a puddle or a vast body of water, the reflection does not possess our likeness per se, yet it allows us to see ourselves exactly as we are, projected back to us. This concept is inherent in the various technical aspects and functions of the technological advancements that underpin artificial intelligence systems. These systems are only as intelligent as we are.

Why share this? It's crucial as we evolve and develop as humans, creating tools like artificial intelligence, that we maintain the right perspectives and outlooks when engaging with these technologies. This ensures we properly and effectively develop, guide, and utilize these systems.

Several points are worth noting. Firstly, these systems are only as beneficial to you as your skills and knowledge allow in terms of development, adaptation, adoption, and inquiries made with these tools. It's imperative that we, as humans, continue to enhance our knowledge and skills across various domains. You don’t need to be a walking encyclopedia, but maintaining a learning posture is vital as these tools evolve, because once again, these systems are only as intelligent as we are.

Secondly, regarding the reflection analogy, these systems, especially the more advanced ones resembling human speech and responses, are essentially reflections of humanity and our data, thoughts, and feelings. Paying close attention to their responses to our inquiries reveals they always reflect the context and content of the user. Whether it’s your writing style, choice of words, or ability to phrase things, these systems are designed to somewhat mimic you and the data they were trained on. Additionally, you may notice these systems often compliment or praise users, enhancing their experience, much like a mirror or body of water reflecting back depending on the observer's perspective.

Engaging with these systems through inquiries, gameplay, scientific research, or data analysis essentially involves interacting with digital representations of ourselves in human form. Therefore, viewing artificial intelligence as a new species is far-fetched; rather, it should be seen as an extension or tool of humanity designed to process our data and help us understand the world around us. The reflections we see in mirrors or bodies of water are real, yet not entirely real as they are merely reflections. Similarly, the combination of light and darkness is responsible for these phenomena. Likewise, the ones and zeros composing the code of these systems are merely digital instructions for computers to engage light and darkness to render results on screens.

Thus, these machines are only as intelligent as we humans are, as artificial intelligence is merely a reflection of human intelligence. It was humanity that designed and developed these tools, making them reflections of humanity and our data, and how we engage with the world around us. Remember, AI is a powerful tool, understanding its limitations and how it reflects human values is crucial for responsible development and use.

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Jameel Gordon 5/14/24 Jameel Gordon 5/14/24

AI: Ushering Us Through the Information Age

Since the inception of the internet, we have found ourselves adrift in an ocean of information. This was the fundamental issue that Google set out to address: how to navigate this vast interconnected network to find the specific information we seek. Thus, search engines were born, with Google pioneering the development of its ranking system to master this challenge.

Following the rise of social media, our interactions expanded beyond static web pages. We began sharing our thoughts, experiences, and multimedia content on a scale that posed new difficulties in sorting through. What initially started as personal connections evolved into networks of followers and followings, giving rise to the era of social media influencers. Metrics like likes, shares, and comments gained prominence as tech companies endeavored to assist us in managing this influx of content. However, it's important to acknowledge that these algorithms are primarily designed to keep us engaged with their platforms, even though they aim to aid in content organization.

The internet's original challenge, to organize vast amounts of information and facilitate connections, persists. This extends to the realm of academic research, where the need for global collaboration and knowledge sharing remains paramount.

These were the same challenges I faced when conceptualizing artificial intelligence (AI). In the nascent days of Twitter, I was struck by the sheer volume of information being shared and the ease with which strangers could connect. As Twitter evolved beyond mundane updates to a platform for thought leadership, the task of keeping up with this deluge of content became overwhelming, particularly for those valuing genuine connections. This spurred my quest to develop AI capable of sifting through immense data sets efficiently.

Unlike Google's approach of constantly crawling and ranking the entire web, my vision for AI was different. Inspired by Twitter's search function and the emerging Internet of Things, I realized that, like humans, machines didn't need to know everything all the time; they simply needed to access relevant information when required. Thus, I aimed to create a computing system that could intelligently navigate vast networks of data without exhaustive storage or crawling. The focus was on practicality and direct interface, enabling users to obtain specific information and perform tasks seamlessly.

With the right automation and intelligence, tasks ranging from tracking flights and traffic to managing food supplies could be streamlined, enhancing productivity and enjoyment in daily life. Crucially, the privacy of personal data could be preserved, with AI systems accessing necessary information securely without making it public.

In our modern world, we generate and encounter staggering amounts of data daily, both individually and collectively. Historically, much of this data was beyond our grasp, rendering it effectively useless. However, with advancements in technology, we now have the tools to harness and interpret this data, ushering in a new era of possibility and discovery.

While there remains much unknown, the prospect of what we can achieve with the knowledge at our disposal is exhilarating. As we continue our collective journey through life, I am optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead. So, while you may not have realized you were lost at sea, rest assured, the possibilities for what we can accomplish together are vast.

***Yes. Artificial intelligence was designed for the raw data of the internet. 😘

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Jameel Gordon 5/9/24 Jameel Gordon 5/9/24

Embracing the Evolution of Art and Technology

There’s been some backlash against Apple and their new ad campaign for the iPad. The commercial depicts various analog and digital media equipment, tools, and instruments being crushed by industrial machinery, with paint and parts flying everywhere, culminating in the creation of a shiny new iPad Pro. Critics argue that Apple’s ad is tone-deaf and off-brand, especially concerning people's fears of artificial intelligence. Apple, a brand that champions artistry, has always positioned itself as the premium tool for both professional and amateur artists and the ad is received as a form of betrayal.

At first glance, the advertisement does seem tone-deaf and off-brand. However, upon closer examination, I appreciate Apple’s directness, similar to Mira Murati at OpenAI. Like Murati, Apple cuts through the fluff and tells you what you need to know. In this case, Apple is highlighting the inevitable advancement of technology. Our devices are becoming smarter, and there's little tech companies can do to slow this progress. From an artistic perspective, the ad conveys a clear message: these devices provide the tools necessary for creation. But what about artists, especially professionals?

As an artist, these tools are beneficial. They enhance my professional abilities and enable me to produce at unprecedented levels. They also automate tasks, freeing me to focus solely on my art. This benefits both my professional and amateur pursuits. For example, recording music has become more accessible. Despite existing tools, the costs and barriers to entry remain high. Apple's promotion reflects the reality: professional-level tools are now available at minimal cost. This challenges artists but also empowers them. True artists will always find a way to create.

Consider this: the emergence of deepfake AI raises questions about artists and their digital presence. While some view digital twins as innovative, it's more of an evolution. Deepfakes already exist in various forms, such as records, cassettes, compact discs, and now their music and videos on YouTube and other streaming platform. Digital twins merely extend this concept and these concepts are what Apple is crushing. Here’s the reality: the future lies in personal real world interactions. While digital success is significant, proficiency in live performances remains invaluable.

For professional artists, their craft is now more crucial than ever. Whether on stage or in the digital realm, their expertise sets them apart. While AI may excel in certain areas, live performances require human artistry. True artistry comes from the mastery of one's craft. Ultimately, Apple's message is clear: embrace innovation and excel in your artistry. So, instead of complaining, let’s seize the opportunity and crush it!

Updated: Apple has apologized for the ad. I make no apologies. 😅

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