Checking in on AI

Dawgbite

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Nov 1, 2011
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I can barely use an iPad, how do they expect me to figure out one of these new fangled AI machines?
 

TrueMaroonGrind

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Jan 6, 2017
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As I’ve said in other threads I use it every day to help me do my job. It’s a great helper, but it is by no means foolproof. Its strength is collecting data and giving context on that data. AI will make us more efficient not replace us… yet.
 

mstateglfr

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Feb 24, 2008
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I can barely use an iPad, how do they expect me to figure out one of these new fangled AI machines?
Thats the thing- you dont need to since the AI will figure out how to use you.
 
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dorndawg

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Sep 10, 2012
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As I’ve said in other threads I use it every day to help me do my job. It’s a great helper, but it is by no means foolproof. Its strength is collecting data and giving context on that data. AI will make us more efficient not replace us… yet.
I'm gonna be real honest - I'm currently about as efficient as I'm looking to get.
 

HRMSU

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Apr 26, 2022
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That's mostly my sense of it. It's a programming tool. A skilled programmer can use it to do some amazing stuff. But it takes a skilled programmer to tell it what to do for every job, and a human team to keep fine tuning it to keep the results as desired, and humans to use the outputs correctly. It has niche uses but has no way to determine between useful outputs and absolute garbage, so it's usefulness is limited.
I wish I was as supremely confident as you regarding how AI will impact us. In my very humble opinion making a call right now on its limitations is beyond premature. If you think all this public info on AI is all that's going on you may be in for a surprise. Im subscribing to a more open minded approach to it. In fact, as much as I hate guvment red tape I'd like to see an AI department like the FDA. Ouch that hurt*****
 

dorndawg

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Sep 10, 2012
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I'm not terribly concerned with AI as long as we are in charge and can simply unplug it. If that changes...
 

ckDOG

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Dec 11, 2007
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Like others have said AI has its place. It’s good at combing through data to come to a conclusion….or making weird *** pictures of people with 12 fingers.

It’s not made to make your order at McDonalds.
Sort of AI...what's your take on robotics in farming? I've seen some cool videos of bots doing very targeted fertilizing / pest control. Seems like something that could finance itself with reduced fertilizer and chemical use, but who knows? Same deal? Useful in a limited/perfect setup but ultimately expensive and/or not practical on large fields or many types of crops?
 

TrueMaroonGrind

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Jan 6, 2017
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I'm gonna be real honest - I'm currently about as efficient as I'm looking to get.
If I were closer to the end of my career I would agree with you. Unfortunately those of us who have 20+ years of work left have to roll with the punches.
 

DesotoCountyDawg

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Nov 16, 2005
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Sort of AI...what's your take on robotics in farming? I've seen some cool videos of bots doing very targeted fertilizing / pest control. Seems like something that could finance itself with reduced fertilizer and chemical use, but who knows? Same deal? Useful in a limited/perfect setup but ultimately expensive and/or not practical on large fields or many types of crops?
The issue with that technology is in all the sensors. It’s great when it’s new but dirt and the elements wreak havoc on all the sensors needed. The autonomous tractor is kinda ridiculous too. I could write ten paragraphs on why it’s not feasible but the biggest thing is you still need a human eye for a multitude of things when you’re in the field that a computer can’t do on its own.
 
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ckDOG

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The issue with that technology is in all the sensors. It’s great when it’s new but dirt and the elements wreak havoc on all the sensors needed. The autonomous tractor is kinda ridiculous too. I could write ten paragraphs on why it’s not feasible but the biggest thing is you still need a human eye for a multitude of things when you’re in the field that a computer can’t do on its own.
That's what I figured. A lot of all of this is very well intended but so many people in the AI / robotics world live in a vacuum or a clean ideal environment. They build it for perfect conditions but the real world is vastly imperfect.
 

Boom Boom

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Sep 29, 2022
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It only works when humans are carefully controlling what data is used to "train" it. That's a pretty severe limitation that there is no sign of it overcoming. That's because it's NOT "AI", it's not intelligent, it's just programming. We are feeding it data and telling it to copy it. That's all it is. If it was any sort of "AI" it would know a human should have 10 fingers.
 

DesotoCountyDawg

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That's what I figured. A lot of all of this is very well intended but so many people in the AI / robotics world live in a vacuum or a clean ideal environment. They build it for perfect conditions but the real world is vastly imperfect.
Oh I see that every day with this newer equipment. These guys that design and engineer these machines have never step foot on a farm or seen one in action. Theres things they do that just aren’t practical but they do it because it fit.
 

HRMSU

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Apr 26, 2022
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It only works when humans are carefully controlling what data is used to "train" it. That's a pretty severe limitation that there is no sign of it overcoming. That's because it's NOT "AI", it's not intelligent, it's just programming. We are feeding it data and telling it to copy it. That's all it is. If it was any sort of "AI" it would know a human should have 10 fingers.
Basics are meta learning, algorithmic self improvement and algorithmic governance. Yes, we can control all of that until we can't. It can learn on its own how to improve the task it's given. It can also identify quickly what may be keeping it from achieving its task in the most efficient way possible. In some cases that may be the governance that is programmed into it. Point is to think what we have known to us today is what AI will be in the future is a little arrogant, ignorant and dangerous. Im sure Nuclear technology has advanced a little since the 40s.
 

Boom Boom

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Sep 29, 2022
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Basics are meta learning, algorithmic self improvement and algorithmic governance. Yes, we can control all of that until we can't.
ok
It can learn on its own how to improve the task it's given. It can also identify quickly what may be keeping it from achieving its task in the most efficient way possible.
Only in a very limited and directed way. More hype than actual results on that front.
In some cases that may be the governance that is programmed into it. Point is to think what we have known to us today is what AI will be in the future is a little arrogant, ignorant and dangerous.
Oh, I agree that decades from now it very well may work like the hype of today.
Im sure Nuclear technology has advanced a little since the 40s.
Yeah, but not fundamentally changed from the first power plants, and the hype was never achieved.
 

TXDawg.sixpack

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Apr 10, 2009
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The dean of Bagley mentioned it during Honor’s Orientation a couple of weeks ago. He said that it was primarily born out of demand (prospective students asking for it) and in response to the quickly changing landscape in computer technology. He said that the two existing degree paths (Computer Science & Computer Engineering) both touched on AI, but don‘t have the focus that the new degree program will have.

When he asked the room (200+ incoming Freshmen) how many were interested in AI, at least 30 raised their hands. His suggestion to them was to start in CS or CE, then transfer into AI once it was up and running if they felt they needed more.
 
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