Geek Stuff category archive
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Impartial and unbiased? Just as impartial and unbiased as the internet it scrapes to fill its database: As Phil Reed warns us at the Psychology Today website, “AI in healthcare amplifies existing gender and cultural stereotypes, worsening inequality.”
Follow the link for his evidence.
(Slightly edited for clarity.)
Signs of the Singularity 0
From El Reg:
Renenberm, robots are programmed by fallible human beings. Therefore, robots are fallib–no, never mind. Noone is listening and and everyone’s buying the hype.
It’s All about the Algorithm 0
At the Psychology Today website, Rosanna E. Guadagno argues that “social” media is by design, er, antisocial.
She makes three main points:
- Outrage drives engagement, so social media platforms amplify it by design.
- Reordering social media feeds alone shifted partisan warmth by more than 2 points in a 2025 field study.
- Disagreement is healthy, but contempt is what social media algorithms actually produce and reward.
Follow the link for some hints to avoid the artificially augmented algorithmic anger.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Seeing stuff that isn’t there? It’s, like, tripped out, dude.
It’s All about the Algorithm 0
Via The Charlotte Observer, Northwestern University professors William J. Brady and Eli J. Finkel remind us that artificial “intelligence” is not intelligent. It’s engineered, and it’s engineered by humans to benefit the companies that they work for.
After looking at the damage that “social” media algorithms have done to dis coarse discourse (and that section alone makes their article worth reading), they explain why they fear that AI will have similar effects, especially now that AI designers are turning to advertising as a source of revenue. Here’s a tiny bit:
We are not opposed to AI – far from it. The evidence we’ve cited suggests it can be a powerful tool for improving reasoning and reducing prejudice. But those benefits depend on what the chatbots are optimized for.
The argument that AI is fundamentally different from social media, that it will elevate expertise rather than amplify outrage and moderate views rather than entrench them, is seductive precisely because we want it to be true. But that argument deserves scrutiny, not credulity. If anything, the case for skepticism is stronger here than it was for social media.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
A competent legal researcher? Maybe you should check with these lawyers.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much 0
A competent ER doctor? You may be headed for a quack-up.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Dressing up superficial slop in Sunday go-to-meeting clothes? Yes, argues John Nosta who warns us that (empasis added)
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
In touch with the spirit world? At the Psychology Today website, Lisa Marchiano notes that “(n)ew research finds that people are turning to AI for tarot and astrology readings” and warns that
More about AI swamis at the link.
Afterthought:
Honest to Betsy, you can’t make this stuff up.
And that bridge in Brooklyn is still on the market.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Subtly subversice? At the Psychology Today website, John Nosta warns (emphasis added) that “AI subtly erodes our cognitive strength by making delegation seem like self-generated thought.”
Follow the link for his reasoning.
And, while we’re on the subject . . . .
Phishing for Voters 0
El Reg reports that
Details at the link. And remember, just because you may see it on a computer screen, it ain’t necessarily os.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
A tool for tyrants? El Reg reports
Much more at the link.
Phoning It In 0
Apparently, reviewers are finding that the much-vaunted Trump phones don’t actually live up to their billing . . .
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. (Updated) 0
Ethical? Fuggedaboutit.
At the Psychology Today website, Cami Rosso reports on a study by researchers at Brown University. Here’s a bit from her article:
Addendum:
SFgate’s Drew Magary is less than thrilled about Google’s decision to force AI on users in its search results.
“Smile! You’re on Covert Camera” 0
The EFF reports a disturbing trend (emphasis added):
Our findings suggest that the absence of a warrant requirement has fostered a culture of unrestricted access to sensitive location data, allowing agencies to leverage that data beyond the scope of specific criminal investigations.
Much more at the link.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Sucking you down the rabbit hole? Per El Reg, to Google’s Hotel California of AI.
Afterthought:
For you whippersnappers who don’t ken the reference to “Hotel California,” well, just Yahoo! it.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
A panderer to prurience? Why, it panders to prurience with picture-perfect perfection.