076 | Griefbots

Happy Bitcoin Pizza Day!

Here is the short story on what this is all about.

Are there lessons from the Bitcoin Pizza moment that relate to our current GenAI era?

• Don't dismiss the potential of emerging technology too hastily.

• Pioneering inevitably comes with risks, but it might also lead to immortalization.

• Historic moments might seem like trivial nonsense at the time.

• Just as the financial world adapted around Bitcoin, leading to innovation and an influx of new talent into the financial markets ecosystem; the world, society, companies, and teams may need to adapt to GenAI.

👋 A special hello to NEW SUBSCRIBERS.
To reach previous posts, go here.

In this edition we will

1. use the Persona Principle to Change Your Mindset

2. introduce you to a key figure in AI

3. get spoofed

4. critique Google’s take on AI regulation

5. speak to the dead via AI & Griefbots

6. graduate while sharing our secret

The Persona Principle: A Path to New GenAI Use Cases

I am going to be writing about three personas, one on each of the next three days, that you can use to help you unlock new ideas and ways of using conversational AI tools like ChatGPT. These personas are for you to use as if the AI were one of these people - by adopting a persona, you will interact with the AI in a more natural way. 

I see and hear a lot of people still getting stuck with what to prompt or how to use these tools in high utility ways. In fact many of the people who are criticizing these tools are actually using them poorly or improperly. It is not their fault as most of these things do not come with instruction manuals or training.

Today I am talking about one persona you have heard me discuss before but I am taking it a bit further - so regardless of if you are a new or an intermediate user, you should get some value.

Unleashing Your ChatGPT's Potential: Exploring the Intern/Assistant Persona

As I’ve discussed, a common challenge among both new and experienced users of AI models is eliciting precise and meaningful responses. All too often, interactions revert to generic or non-specific queries, leading to broad, unsatisfactory responses.

However, this need not be your experience. Let's delve into an actionable framework designed to elevate your interactions with AI: The Persona Principle.

The essence of the Persona Principle lies not in prompting the AI to adopt a character or role but rather in altering your own approach to the AI. In essence, it's about reshaping your perception and communication style to interact more effectively with the AI. Change in thought leads to change in action.

This principle suggests attributing a specific persona to the AI model, enabling you to engage with it as you would with a person in a particular role. This change in mindset can refine your commands and prompts, fostering more valuable responses.

Let's start by considering the first persona: an Intern or Assistant. In this role, a conversational AI can perform various administrative tasks, such as summarizing documents, crafting content, researching, or collecting data on command. This persona can tackle a wide array of tasks ordinarily performed by human interns, but with the unique efficiency and indefatigability of AI.

Even if you don't currently have an intern, imagine you do and communicate with the AI as you would with them.

Key Tasks and Attributes of the ChatGPT Intern/Assistant

1. Data Gathering and Summarization: With a clear instruction like, "Please summarize the key points from the following document [paste document data]," ChatGPT can produce a succinct summary of a specific source.

2. Editing and Proofreading: By giving a task such as, "Below is my document. Please proofread and edit it for correct grammar, structure, and a professional but friendly tone. Use the second person. Also, fix any typos [paste document data]," you can get ChatGPT to assist with refining your texts.

3. Drafting Emails and Social Media Posts: Ask ChatGPT to draft an email or a social media post based on specific points. This could range from an email to clients about new product features to a catchy Twitter post announcing your latest blog post.

4. Analyzing and Summarizing Research Papers: You can instruct ChatGPT to summarize complex research papers, focusing on the methodology used and the results obtained.

5. Generating Ideas for Content or Projects: Leverage ChatGPT's idea generation capabilities to brainstorm for your next business development idea or other gather ideas from what others do.

6. Translating Text: With an instruction like, "Translate the following English text to French [paste English text]," ChatGPT can serve as a quick and efficient translation tool.

Interacting with the ChatGPT Intern/Assistant

The effectiveness of the Intern/Assistant persona largely depends on how you interact with it. Here are some strategies to improve your interaction:

1. Keep it Task-Focused: Provide clear, detailed, and task-oriented prompts. This guides the AI's responses to align more closely with your goals.

2. Think Out Loud: Explain your thinking and decision-making process as you give instructions. This provides the AI with a context, aiding its understanding and the precision of its responses.

3. Seek Clarity: Ask follow-up questions and seek clarification when needed. This iterative interaction enhances both your and the AI's understanding.

4. Be Patient and Consistent: Learning how to use an AI tool effectively is a process. Be patient and consistent in your interactions to gradually improve the outcome.

Overcoming Challenges

The ChatGPT Intern/Assistant is highly effective, but there may be instances where it does not meet expectations. It's essential to remember that, like any tool, its effectiveness is a function of how you use it. Here are some tips to overcome challenges:

1. Re-evaluate Your Instructions: If the AI's responses aren't up to par, reflect on your instructions. Were they precise, clear, and contextual enough?

2. Reframe the Task: Consider breaking down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. This helps the AI understand better and provide more targeted outputs.

3. Try Different Approaches: Experiment with different ways of phrasing your instructions. A slight tweak in wording can sometimes make a big difference in the response.

4. Keep Practicing: The more you interact with the AI, the more proficient you'll become in understanding its capabilities and limitations.

One Big Tip/Reminder

Remember that tools like ChatGPT will “remember” or revisit content, prompts, its previous replies on each chat session. If you switch gears, topics, or focus too much in one session, your replies will get muddied. Refresh and create a new session as a way to “clear the memory” and start from scratch.

Key AI Figures: Alan Turing

Alan Turing and the Turing Test: Unlocking the Secrets of Conversational AI

In the world of artificial intelligence, one name stands out as a pioneering force: Alan Turing. His remarkable contributions not only revolutionized computer science but also laid the foundation for modern conversational AI.

It is important to know some of the key figures that got us to where we are today with generative AI. Also, many of you have likely heard about the Turing Test - so here is a short intro to the man and the test.

Who is Alan Turing?

• Alan Turing (1912-1954) was a British mathematician, logician, and computer scientist.

• He is widely considered to be the father of modern computer science and artificial intelligence.

• Turing made groundbreaking contributions during World War II, breaking German encryption codes using the "Turing machine."

• He developed the concept of algorithms and formalized the notion of a general-purpose computing machine.

• Turing's visionary ideas continue to shape the field of computer science today.

The Turing Test (Imitation Game):

• The Turing Test, proposed by Alan Turing in 1950, is a test designed to evaluate a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior indistinguishable from that of a human.

• The test involves a human evaluator interacting with a machine and a human through text-based conversations.

• If the evaluator cannot consistently distinguish between the machine and the human based on their responses, the machine is considered to have passed the Turing Test and demonstrated human-level intelligence.

• The goal of the Turing Test is to assess a machine's capacity for natural language processing and conversational skills, reflecting a significant milestone in AI development.

If you want to read the Turing’s paper where he first describes the test, you can find it HERE.

News you can Use: 

This is how easy it is to get scammed with AI-voice generation and a spoofing tool.

Google Shares Its AI Policy Recommendation

Google has released a white paper that proposes a policy agenda aimed at fostering responsible AI development. The tech giant emphasizes that while AI presents unprecedented opportunities for societal advancement, it's also important to acknowledge the inherent risks and challenges.

But in reviewing this paper, there are several areas for critique.

1. Unclear Definition of 'Responsible AI': The paper repeatedly mentions responsible AI, but the parameters or guidelines that constitute 'responsible' AI remain ambiguous. Defining 'responsibility' clearly would significantly help to clarify the discussions.

2. Vague Recommendation on Workforce Transition: It emphasizes workforce transitions due to AI, but there are no concrete plans or strategies. While the recommendation for continuing education and upskilling is sound, the absence of specificity might leave workers without adequate preparation or support in the face of disruptive AI technologies.

3. Limited Inclusion of Ethical Considerations: The focus on economic growth and innovation may overlook ethical issues. AI is prone to algorithmic bias and discrimination; it requires thoughtful ethical guidelines and regulatory oversight to ensure fairness, transparency, and inclusivity.

4. Oversimplification of AI's Impact on Security: The paper does stress the implications of AI on global security, but the narrative seems simplistic, concentrating on 'guardrails' against malicious use without discussing the nuances of state-level cyber warfare or the broader implications of AI on geopolitical power dynamics.

5. Lack of Discussion on Data Privacy: While there's mention of privacy laws protecting personal information, the paper fails to explore the complexity of balancing data privacy and the data requirements for advanced AI models. Global standards for data privacy and how to navigate different countries' approaches to privacy are not sufficiently discussed.

6. Disregard for Negative Economic Impacts: While the document accentuates the positive economic effects of AI, it ignores potential negative impacts, like job loss due to automation or the widening wealth gap. A more balanced view on the economic consequences of AI would be more realistic and beneficial for policy-making.

For their article presenting the paper, click HERE.

For the paper itself, click HERE.

News you can Lose: AI Speaks to the Dead

Welcome to the brave (and honestly, creepy) new world of Seance AI, where we'll flirt with the fine line between grief tech and playing god with algorithms. Are we helping the grieving or opening Pandora's box?

Related: In China, Griefbots are Rising

Using a combination of emerging AI technologies, innovators in China have developed "griefbots" – chat programmes that embody the personalities and memories of the deceased – in an effort to reconnect with their loved ones.

In the Memtime:

DISCLAIMER: None of this is legal advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not legal advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any legal decisions. Please /be careful and do your own research.8