It is rare to see opinions on AI as well-informed as Dr. Tufekci’s. This article sweeps away the hype and captures the reality of today’s LLMs exceptionally well:
bleepingcomputer.com
The Python Software Foundation (PSF) has withdrawn its $1.5 million grant proposal to the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) due to funding terms forcing a compromise on its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
I am very happy to see the Python Software Foundation standing up for its principles. Please consider donating to support them if you are able.
Some have co-opted the term “woke” and distorted its meaning beyond recognition. Perhaps some new terminology is in order at this time.
Woke is thoughtful. Anti-woke is thoughtless.
Woke is listening. Anti-woke is yelling.
Woke is patient. Anti-woke is rushed.
Woke is savoring. Anti-woke is despising.
Woke is fearless. Anti-woke is afraid.
Woke is balanced. Anti-woke is tilted.
Woke is hope. Anti-woke is despair.
Woke is morning. Anti-woke is darkness.
Woke is truth. Anti-woke is lies.
Woke is seeking. Anti-woke is aimless.
Woke is knowledge. Anti-woke is ignorance.
Woke is seeing. Anti-woke is turning away.
Woke is a pronoun. Anti-woke is a rude interjection.
Woke is feeling. Anti-woke is numb.
Woke is warm. Anti-woke is ICE.
Woke is alive. Anti-woke is dead.
Stay alive, America.
Patrick Rhone writes with timely thoughts about trust:
a loss of trust in society — trust in government, trust in institutions, trust in each other — is the cause of a break down and, if left uncorrected, end to that society.
Well put.
What would you call a curriculum that combines math and science topics to play off of and enhance each other rather than separating them along traditional boundaries? Would it be scmathience class? Or mascienthce?
When LLMs are used in ways that are a poor match for their pattern-finding skills they produce results that many have labeled “hallucinations.” These models are not so good with facts.
What if we turned those hallucinations into a benefit? That’s the idea behind this approach:
New battery material that uses less lithium found in AI-powered search
This is the right way to use AI.

cooking up a little something
Lake Champlain, Burlington, VT, 7:29pm today

Lake Champlain, Burlington, VT, 3:28pm today

The days of treating the opposition as well-meaning and thoughtful peers are over for Democrats. It’s hard to believe, but if the Washington Post is right that much of the GOP is on-board with the Taylor Swift conspiracy theories, I must conclude that the GOP are just gullible oafs and patsys.