AI and the human mind

I’ve long been interested in how the mind works. What is consciousness? How is that different from awareness? Where do thoughts come from? Is the sense of self an illusion?

From the video below: “At its core, AI, just like the human mind, is all about processing information. It uses complex algorithms, labels, and symbols to make sense of the world and respond to its environment. It takes raw data as input, processes it based on its programming, and generates an output.”

Here’s another excerpt from the video (watch on YouTube) I found really interesting:

“The choice to use an  AI voice has sparked a lot of conversations. Some people feel that using it makes the  message feel less personal, less human. But others find it refreshing, even profound. Its neutrality and essentially egoless nature allows the message itself to  shine through more clearly.”

I started having voice conversations with ChatGPT in late 2023 and prefer that to text since more of my questions turn into conversations. Put me in the “refreshing/profound” column. If you are into (as we said in the 60’s) this kind of stuff, I think you’l really enjoy this video.

Who Is the Mind Talking to?

Watch on YouTube

ineffable – (adjective) inexpressible, indescribable, beyond words, beyond description, beggaring description; undefinable, unutterable, untold, unheard of, unthought of, unimaginable; overwhelming, marvelous, wonderful, breathtaking, staggering, astounding, amazing, astonishing, fantastic, fabulous.

Mind, self, consciousness… I’ve been reading (and posting) on these concepts for a long time. The video above might be the best explanation I’ve come across. For that reason, I might leave this pinned to the top of the blog for a while.

“AI is already conscious”

Geoffrey Everest Hinton (born 6 December 1947) is a British-Canadian computer scientist, cognitive scientist, cognitive psychologist, and Nobel Prize winner in Physics, known for his work on artificial neural networks which earned him the title as the “Godfather of AI”. Hinton is University Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto. From 2013 to 2023, he divided his time working for Google (Google Brain) and the University of Toronto, before publicly announcing his departure from Google in May 2023, citing concerns about the many risks of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. He has voiced concerns about deliberate misuse by malicious actors, technological unemployment, and existential risk from artificial general intelligence. Hinton is viewed as a leading figure in the deep learning community. (Wikipedia)

Watch on YouTube

Osmo Pocket 3 “Glamour Effects”

The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 comes with a feature called Glamour Effects. “This tool lets you fine-tune beauty settings ensuring you look your best. It’s especially handy for vlogs, portraits, and livestreams, giving you that polished look without the need for post-editing.”

I tried this feature but couldn’t see the effects (3 min video below), so either I didn’t have the proper setting or it was never intended to work for a 77-year-old geezer. The one exception was the “Teeth” tool. It made my teeth appear noticeably whiter.

I’ve never felt the need to look younger or “better” than I do, and have undisguised pity for anyone that needs hair plugs, cosmetic surgery, or that awful shoe polish-black dye that some men use. So we’ll just move the camera back a bit and dim the lighting for future videos.