My Intrigue with AI

Spoiler alert…I didn’t write last week’s Thursday Thought…an AI bot did.

The entire blog last week was written by an AI chatbot. Very few of you noticed! I first gave the AI bot a sample of my blog to review (the one on Polarizing Positions—four weeks ago). The bot then generated an analysis of my voice from that blog* (see below). Then I asked it to write a blog concerning the danger of comparison within social media and to include references by Seth Godin, Dallas Willard, and the New Testament.  What you saw in last week’s blog was entirely the creation of the chatbot at chat.openai.com! 

Let me first apologize to those of you who said it was one of my best! No, that didn’t happen, but several found it very helpful. Ai is becoming disconcerting for me…that is good and bad.

Initially, some of the challenges of AI is that it would make an 8^th grader sound like a graduate student. However, now all one must do is send the bot a copy of something they wrote, or better yet, multiple samples of something you wrote (in your “voice”). Once that is done, the ai bot will mimic the voice of the author and is capable of accounting for the individual’s style of speaking and/or writing. More or less. If you go back and read last week’s blog, you will notice things that are not like my writing style. For instance, I never say, “In conclusion” in my closing argument…I am just not that organized!

By the way, the scary aspect of the blog it wrote for me last week was that it wrote that blog instantaneously! Yes, it had perfect grammar, organization, and content in less than a second. I sometimes labor hours over how to say something and have multiple people read it for errors.

This is where it does get a little disconcerting. For instance, can I give it the 95 scales that I use in many of my assessments? Yes, I can give it the manuals that explain each of these scales, and it will summarize the scales well. However, as of now, AI is unable to synthesize the scales in a way that paints a composite of how one scale flavors another scale. This has taken me years of learning, and there are no current manuals to explain these interactions. Will there be someday? Yes.

I have learned a lot these past 30 years of doing assessments on how one scale from one instrument informs the scales of other instruments. I have learned this by talking, observing, reading, risking, asking for feedback, and changing my perspective. The AI bot can also do this with time if it is given the opportunity to learn with feedback. The algorithms cannot be black and white but must be nuanced. With time AI bots will get there.

This is where it really becomes intriguing. What will be left for us to do? As I have spoken with some who are deeply engaged in the development of AI, they don’t paint a rosy picture for many of us humans. I realize when automobiles came along, the horse population plummeted. Today, there are half the number of horses there were in 1900 in the United States (see the article the AI wrote for me on this topic at the end of this blog).

So what will we be needed for? What work will honor our Creator?

What is uniquely human about our existence and reasoning? As I think about this, we do have the ability to create, associate, integrate, interpolate, and extrapolate. These are all different ways we process experience, the context, and our values to make decisions. I anticipate in not too long, AI bots will be able to approximate these ways of processing.

Hopefully, we learn as we make decisions, live lives, and experience consequences.  AI bots cannot experience, but they can learn. Is there a difference? I think so. Neither do AI bots have emotions that are supra-rational. In other words, often, our emotions are not logical, and they can cause us to feel or act, or even think in ways that don’t make sense. And that, too, is an aspect of being human. Sensing the Spirit’s insight in our lives is an entirely different issue we will discuss later. God has given us a soul which integrates all aspects of ourselves. According to Dallas Willard, this is uniquely human. I hope so.

*Here’s my analysis of your writing style:

1. Tone: Your writing style is thoughtful and introspective. You approach the topic of polarizing positions with a measured tone, acknowledging that there are valid arguments on both sides of the issue.
2. Sentence Structure: You use a variety of sentence structures, including simple and complex sentences, to convey your ideas. This adds interest and variety to your writing.
3. Vocabulary: Your vocabulary is varied and sophisticated, which helps to keep your writing engaging and informative. You use precise language to convey your thoughts clearly and effectively.
4. Organization: Your blog post is well-organized and structured, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. This makes it easy for readers to follow along and understand your argument.
5. Use of Quotes: You use quotes effectively to support your argument and add credibility to your writing. You also use quotes sparingly, which helps to keep the focus on your own ideas and analysis.

Overall, your writing style is engaging and informative, and you have a clear grasp of the topic you are discussing. Keep up the good work!

**The early 1900s was a time when horses were an integral part of daily life, serving as transportation, labor, and even companionship. However, with the rise of modern technology, the use of horses has dwindled significantly. So, how many horses were there in 1900 compared to today?

In the early 1900s, there were an estimated 20 million horses in the United States alone. These horses were used for everything from plowing fields to pulling carriages and wagons. Horses were also used in the military for transportation and in the cavalry for battle. The horse industry was thriving, and many people made their living as horse trainers, breeders, and caretakers.

Today, the number of horses in the United States has significantly decreased. According to the American Horse Council, there were an estimated 9.2 million horses in the United States in 2021. This represents a decrease of over 50% from the number of horses in 1900.

The decline in the horse population can be attributed to several factors. The rise of the automobile and other forms of transportation led to a decreased demand for horses for transportation. Advances in farming technology, such as tractors and other machinery, also reduced the need for horses in agriculture. Additionally, the shift in lifestyle and leisure activities has led to a decrease in the popularity of horseback riding and equestrian sports.

Despite the decrease in the overall number of horses, certain breeds have experienced a resurgence in popularity. For example, the Quarter Horse and the Thoroughbred are two breeds that have seen an increase in demand in recent years. The popularity of horse racing and rodeo events has also kept some breeds in demand.

In conclusion, while there were an estimated 20 million horses in the United States in 1900, today, there are only an estimated 9.2 million horses. The decline in the horse population can be attributed to a number of factors, including advances in technology and changes in lifestyle. However, certain breeds continue to thrive, and the horse industry remains an important part of American culture and history.