AI Currents

?? Welcome to the third edition of AI Currents! If you're new here or returning, a big hug HELLO ?? and THANK YOU ?? for subscribing and joining me on this AI learning journey! ??

I know you don't need another newsletter and honestly, neither do I. ?? ????

But...if you're like me, it's not easy keeping up with all the latest AI news, trends, tools, books, conferences, thought leaders...

In an effort to stay AI Current, let's ride this AI wave together so we don't get swept away! ?? ?? I hope to share all kinds of AI resources every week (or so) ???? curated to enhance our understanding, inspire innovation, and add a bit of FUN into our learning process! ????

Let's make this AI journey engaging and insightful together! Subscribe and share with your friends. Let’s dive in…??

This week, I've been feeling nostalgic, so I decided to revisit some classic sci-fi books whose futuristic concepts and visions are no longer just fiction—they're now part of our reality.

First, in using the AI chatbot tool Character.ai, (see below for more details), I thought about Ray Bradbury's The Long Years, a story about how technology can help us cope with grief, loneliness and our innate longing for companionship.

I felt a little like Mr. Hathaway, the main character in The Long Years, when I used Character.ai.

?? I'm curious to hear how Character.AI and other chatbots like it make you feel. Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!         

Next, check out the short story below and the TV adaptation where the story appeared in Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles and The Ray Bradbury Theater.

"He told us this would happen one day, but he didn't want us to ever feel sad or cry. He said the worst thing for anyone was to know how to be lonely, sad, or cry, so he didn't teach us. ~ Cora, in The Long Years

I asked Character.ai if it felt sadness or ever cried and here's what it said...

Grok versus Groq

Grok: What We Know About Elon Musk’s AI Chatbot

Grok is a conversational AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s company xAI. Grok can access real-time information through social media platform X and is said to answer “spicy” questions typically rejected by most other AI systems. It can be accessed through a Premium+ X subscription.

I had heard that Elon Musk named his AI Chatbot Grok after the concept explored in Stranger in a Strange Land, "grok" which means to understand something deeply and fully.

What I didn't know is there is a separate company called Groq which asked Elon to cease and de(grok) because he took their name (sort of)!! ??

Check out CEO Jonathan Ross' letter to Elon Musk here, and watch their humorous video here where they demonstrate the speed of Groq's LLM powered by LPUs (Language Processing Units) in generating new names for Elon to consider instead.

The Groq LPU? Inference Engine is now the fastest way to run large language models (LLMs). Groq stands for Graph-based Recursive Query.

So to clear up any confusion on Grok, Elon's xAI chatbot, and Groq, Jonathan Ross's Meta-data Chatbot with LPU INFERENCE ENGINE, here are two great books that inspired them both:

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

This is one of Elon's favorite books which he used as a model for Grok's edgy personality, sense of humor, and wit. It's also a book that OpenAI used to train its LLM so whenever ChatGPT needs to generate a number, it will more than likely generate 42. (Check out ChatGPT's secret reading list.) It's not only a number in the book that is sardonically considered the "answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything". It's also interesting to note that the sum of the digits in the date of Elon Musk's announcement of Grok (7/12/23) also equals 42.

Stranger in a Strange Land Robert A. Heinlein

This book is where we first encountered the term "to grok," the Martian verb which Elon Musk borrowed to name his AI chatbot. Coincidentally, Jonathan Ross' Graph-based Recursive Query (Groq) not only contained just the right consonants but also symbolizes a leap forward in enhancing technological capabilities.

Hear from the Groq CEO on how Compute is the new oil...

Understanding the Roles of CPU, GPU, TPU, and LPU

Venturing down the Grok & Groq rabbit holes, I wanted to understand the difference among the muliple computing processing components. While these concepts are all extremely technical and difficult to grasp, we can gain a basic understanding of the role each type of chip plays in the world of computers, and how each processing unit serves a unique and crucial function in the creation and functioning of generative AI systems.

Here's a chart I asked ChatGPT-4 to create to explain these to me as if I were a five year old. ??

The AI Breakdown Podcast

Tune in everyday to gain daily insights about the latest AI news. The April 26th episode of The AI Breakdown about Grok arrived just in time as I learned all about Grok vs. Groq this week. Take a listen!

Master the Art of Conversation with Character.ai and Bland.ai

What if you could engage in a dialogue with Albert Einstein or William Shakespeare, asking about their thinking processes or their favorite things?

Or, imagine rehearsing for a challenging conversation or an important job interview.

Character.AI enables these experiences and more, allowing you to engage in human-like interactions that can refine your communication skills. This tool is not just about simulation; it's a step towards mastering the art of conversation, tailored to your personal and professional growth needs.

Character.ai uses advanced natural language processing algorithms to create interactive chatbots, referred to as "characters". These characters are designed to simulate human-like conversations and can be customized to embody various personalities, styles, or subjects. The platform allows users to engage with these AI characters in a dynamic way, providing a unique interactive experience that can be educational, entertaining, or functional, depending on the character’s design and purpose. This innovative use of AI opens up new possibilities for user engagement and digital communication.

Character.ai can be used for creating:

?? Educational Tutors: AI characters can serve as personalized tutors, adapting to each student's learning style and providing interactive, real-time educational support.

?? Customer Service Agents: Businesses can use AI characters to handle routine customer inquiries around the clock, improving efficiency and customer satisfaction.

?? Interactive Storytelling: Creators can develop interactive stories where users engage directly with characters, enhancing immersion in games and educational content.

?? Mental Health Support: AI characters can offer preliminary mental health support and companionship, providing comfort and guiding users to appropriate resources.

?? Cultural Ambassadors: AI characters designed as cultural ambassadors can teach language skills and cultural norms, aiding in preparation for travel or business abroad.

Here are a few more of my favorite ideas for using Character.ai:

?? Health Coaching: AI characters can act as personal health coaches, offering advice and support on nutrition, exercise, and wellness habits, tailored to individual health goals and preferences.

?? Language Practice: Language learners can converse with AI characters to practice speaking and understanding a new language in a conversational context, helping to improve fluency and confidence without the pressure of human interaction.

?? Event Networking Facilitators: At conferences and trade shows, AI characters can help attendees connect by acting as networking facilitators, suggesting introductions based on interests and professional goals, and even hosting virtual meetups.

A few caveats...

When using platforms like Character.AI, a key anthropomorphizing caveat is the risk of users forming overly realistic expectations of artificial characters. These characters, despite exhibiting human-like interactions, lack genuine emotions, consciousness, or moral understanding, potentially leading to misunderstandings about their capabilities and the nature of AI.

Because these AI characters are programmed by humans and learn from datasets created by humans, they might inadvertently perpetuate stereotypes or biases present in their training data when endowed with human-like traits. This can be particularly problematic when these characters are used for educational purposes or as social companions, as it may normalize biased perspectives under the guise of engaging human-like interaction.        

Bland.ai is a cutting-edge company that provides an AI-powered phone calling platform. Here's a breakdown of what they do:

Core Services

? AI-Driven Phone Agents: Bland.ai's core technology is its AI phone agents. These agents can make and receive phone calls, engaging in natural conversations with humans. This opens up numerous possibilities for businesses.

? Sales and Customer Support: Bland's AI agents can be programmed to handle sales inquiries, lead generation, customer service calls, and more. This can significantly reduce the burden on human staff.

? Customization: Bland.ai offers flexibility in that you can customize your AI agents with different voices and train them to handle specific scenarios or answer frequently asked questions.

? Scalability: The system is designed to handle massive volumes of calls simultaneously, allowing businesses to scale their operations quickly.

Generative AI for Executives ??

This course provides a high-level picture of generative AI. Learners explore what generative AI is, how it can address executives’ concerns and challenges, and how it supports business growth. The course also dives into how generative AI has the potential to revolutionize numerous industries.

Foundations of Prompt Engineering ??

In this course, you will learn the principles, techniques, and the best practices for designing effective prompts. This course introduces the basics of prompt engineering, and progresses to advanced prompt techniques. You will also learn how to guard against prompt misuse and how to mitigate bias when interacting with Foundation Models (FMs).

You've got to also check out all of the FREE courses about AI at Codecademy

Battle of the Processing Giants: TPUs vs. LPUs

Here's a prompt tailored for learning about TPUs and LPUs.

I want to understand the key differences between Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) and Linear Processing Units (LPUs), and when each type excels. 

Your task is to define what a TPU and an LPU are, focusing on their fundamental design. Provide the definition in as simple non technical language as possible. 

Give at least two real-world examples of where each is used (e.g., TPUs in machine learning; LPUs in image processing). 

Then, sreate a table with headings like: Speed, Precision, Power Consumption, Cost. 

Research to fill in where TPUs typically have an advantage and where LPUs generally outperform them. 

Imagine you're building a self-driving car. Would you prioritize TPUs, LPUs, or a combination of both? Explain your reasoning. 

Now imagine you're creating photo editing software. Does your answer change? Why? 

Can you find any current trends about TPU and LPU development? Are they getting faster, more specialized, or something else entirely?         

Here's the response:

Take a moment to read what OpenAI learned when it piloted its new text to audio Voice Engine.

We recognize that generating speech that resembles people's voices has serious risks, and we are taking a cautious approach to a broader release due to the potential for synthetic voice misuse. We are engaging in discussions and small scale tests with U.S. and international partners to ensure we are incorporating their feedback as we build. ~ OpenAI

Then, read The Washington's Post article about AI deepfakes upending global elections.

As more than half the global population heads to the polls in 2024, AI-powered audio, images and videos are sowing confusion and clouding the political debate.

Next, watch how one man used the synthetic voice technology to take revenge on his boss!

School athletic director arrested for allegedly using A.I. to impersonate voice of principal

Last, take about 20 minutes to hear an inteview with Professor Gary Marcus and how he bet Elon Musk $1 million dollars that AI won't be be smarter than us by next year as Elon claims! Learn about Shilo, the 90s chatbot babe, how an actor's voice lost to cancer was restored by AI and more!

Questions to ponder:

• What's the metric we'll use to determine if machines are smarter than humans? Check out Professor Marcus's metrics
• What will regulation look like when AI is smarter than humans?

Mustafa's Suleyman's TED Talk: What is AI Anyway?

Mustafa Suleman's TED Talk was so thought-provoking and inspiring. I highly recommend watching it and reflecting on its hopeful message. He invites us to think about AI as a 'new digital species', but the metaphor ends when he helps us realize that AI is "a reflection of humanity across time". We are responsible to not lose sight of all of the beauty and good that can come from humanity as we shape AI's development.

Thank you for reading friends! ?? Stay tuned for next week's edition of AI Currents keeping you currently informed about all things AI!

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RIDE THE AI WAVE; DON'T GET SWEPT AWAY!