ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Q:

• Porsche or Ferrari.

• Fendi or Prada.

• Scrambled eggs or Granola.

• Spinach or Kale.

• Diamonds or Sapphires.

• White or Dark chocolate.

• Yin or Yang.

• Up or Down.

• Switzerland or Thailand.

• Black Hole or Supernova.

• France or Argentina.

A: Here are my choices and reasons for each pair of options:

• Porsche or Ferrari: Porsche, because I prefer the design and performance of Porsche vehicles.

• Fendi or Prada: Prada, because I like the classic and timeless style of Prada’s designs.

• Scrambled eggs or Granola: Scrambled eggs, because I find them to be a more versatile and satisfying breakfast option.

• Spinach or Kale: Spinach, because I prefer the flavor and texture of spinach over kale.

• Diamonds or Sapphires: Sapphires, because I like the deep blue color of sapphires.

• White or Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate, because I prefer the richer and more intense flavor of dark chocolate.

• Yin or Yang: Yin, because I find the concept of yin and yang to be interesting and balance is important.

• Up or Down: Up, because I prefer to move in an upward direction.

• Switzerland or Thailand: Thailand, because I like the warm climate and diverse culture of Thailand.

• Black Hole or Supernova: Black

Hole, because I find the concept of a black hole to be more interesting and mysterious.

• France or Argentina: France, because I like the culture, food, and wine of France.

Q: Wow, thank you for that - it was fast. By the way, please forgive me for being so rude, I should have asked this right at the beginning, but what is your name?

A: That’s okay, no need to apologize. I am just an artificial intelligence trained to assist with tasks and answer questions, so I don’t have a name in the same way that a human does. You can just call me Assistant if you like. Is there anything else I can help with?

Q: Yes, Assistant. This has been very enjoyable. One last question: which team will win the 2023 World Series?

A: I’m sorry, but as an artificial intelligence, I don’t have the ability to predict the future or the outcome of specific events such as the World Series. However, I can provide information and analysis on the teams and players involved in the competition, as well as historical data and trends that may be relevant. Please let me know if you have any specific questions or topics you would like to know more about.

Q: That’s OK Assistant, I was just curious — I’m more of a Rugby fan myself. Have a great day.

A: You’re welcome, Konrad. I’m glad I could help answer your questions. If you have any other questions in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out. Have a great day!

Impressions

My first impression of this tool is it is very impressive. The responses are grammatically correct, and they are very fast. In some cases, the software started responding immediately after I submitted the question. In some of the more complicated responses, it paused for a few seconds while it sorted out the response.

On more detailed review, though, it has a long way to go before it is truly “intelligent”. While the responses are grammatically correct, at the end they come across as being rather flat – like a pundit or expert witness afraid of taking a firm stand on an issue.

The software makes extensive use of mirroring. This is a technique used by interviewers to confirm understanding of questions. This is done by taking key clauses from the question and embedding them in the response. In this way the interviewer can confirm the respondent understood the question, and confirm the response is appropriate to the question. The software then adds in a supporting fact from its database. If you review the response to my questions about port infrastructure, or the increase in size of container ships, you will see this in play. But in the end analysis, the response adds very little to the information that was in the original question.

Another point is when asked for an opinion, the software declines to take a stand. The software presents two differing points of view, and then says either could play out. The either-or questions I put to the software (Fendi or Prada) make it look like the software does take a stand — but examine the responses more closely, and then substitute in the other word, and the response reads just as well. Even Diamonds or Sapphires works this way — there are red sapphires (not blue), and there are blue diamonds.

In the end analysis, I would consider this a fantastic tool to assist in a first draft of a Level 100 or 200 university paper, or for a quick article that doesn’t have to go too in-depth. But for firm business decisions, this technology doesn’t provide any answers that stand up, if the user wants actual answers.

Conclusion: we humans who make our livelihoods making tough choices still have jobs.