Artificial Intelligence

Today, and for the last couple of years since ChatGPT was released, the big thing in computers seems to be AI. And it wasn't just ChatGPT! Once that was released, AI seemed to appear everywhere. Bard, Llama, Copilot, and more. AIs started popping up everywhere, able to write, create music, speak, create video and, of course, code.

I wrote about AI just a bit in a post made about Emacs, talking about 'The Doctor' (Eliza). No, Eliza wasn't AI, but it is a very old, and still fun, chatbot.

=> Emacs Fun! The doctor

AI's effects on professional coders and writers

I think a lot of 'news' stories going forward will be primarily written by AI, with a bit of professional editing. I read somewhere that if you see stories on sites taht are attributed to 'staff' or 'editors', instead of specific authors, there is a good chance that the story was written by AI.

I've played with some locally installed AIs, using Ollama. As far as writing ability, if you ask them to write stories, they do okay I guess. For an example while write this post, I just used Dolpin Mistral (7b model) to write a 500 word article on smartphones, and the dangers of young people using them too much.

=> Dolphin Mistral

Dolphin spat out around 500 words of text in the time it takes me to write a sentence or two. While this specific article isn't the point of this post, some of the things it talks about are "digital eye strain", mental wellbeing, cognitive development, and cyberbullying.

Is it as good as a decent author? No. But it is "good enough" I guess, and I am seeing enough mediocre articles out there, that I am wondering how many AI's are writing articles, and not actual humans anymore. So while I don't think a best-selling book will be one written by an AI, I think people may be digesting a lot of AI content on the internet now.

And that, I'm sure, will put some (maybe a lot of) people out of work.

Same thing with code. I don't think AIs can replace people as coders yet. But it might make current coders more efficient to the point where companies don't need as many of them. You can ask AIs to write an outline for the coding task before you, saving some of the grunt work. And you can also give AI a snippet of you code, and ask it why you are getting a particular error. A friend of mine and I did this with ChatGPT, and it found the error, and gave the fix to it.

The problem here is that going forward, these AIs are going to get smarter. If a "writing" AI's quality increases, say, twenty percent over the next five years, will that put its ability above that of an average person?

I don't know.

My use of AI

I use AI at home. Like I said above, I use Ollama installed on my computer. It isn't quite as smart as the online ones that can search web content, but it is decent. I like have the AI locally installed for privacy. After taking an AI course on Udemy, I also installed AnythingLLM.

=> AnythingLLM

I have AnythingLLM and Ollama working together. I have workspaces in AnythingLLM, and for each workspace I set the Workspace LLM Provider to Ollama. Then I write a detailed Prompt that tells the LLM basically what I want it to think about.

The story I am currently working on is called Hybrid Shadows.

The story takes place on a planet called Shendar, where a new colony called Spirit Dawn is.

Most colonists and those onboard the starship are Hybrids. Hybrids are people that have tech integrated with their bodies.

Etc

Then using AnythingLLM, I can attach my current manuscript to it, and I can talk to the AI about my story. I can ask it about characters, or to summarize a scene. I have a short sample conversation at the end of this post for anyone curious.

I won't let the AI write for me. Each author has a unique voice, and I think if you use AI generated text in the story, you will lose that. But I like to use the AI as kind of a "Rubber Duck", though a rubber duck that talks back to me! I will let the AI be the "duck" with both coding and writing problems.

Rubber Duck Debugging

=> Rubber Duck Debugging

Basically, in coding (and in my case writing!) if you can explain what you are doing to a rubber duck, and as you say your algorithm (or text!) out loud to an inanimate object (duck!), you will uncover errors in your logic.

Using another human can work too! A friend of mine introduced the idea of Rubber Duck Debugging to me when she told me to sit still, don't say anything, and be a rubber duck. She then proceeded to tell me how her code worked.

The AI is my rubber duck

I like to tell my AI about the story, and if I want I can also tell it to only respond with "Ok". Or "quack", thus immitating a duck :) I can then describe my story to it, and if that makes sense as I write it, I know I am thinking through the plot.

I also like to ask it to give me some suggestions. Like, "Please give me some suggestions to flesh out my character" (see below).

Sample conversation

Here I am chatting with Dolphin Mistral. Using the System Prompt, I have told it my name is Lantashi, and that it is Geralt from the Witcher (yeah, I'm a fan!). I gave it a short summary of my story (see above), and attached a pdf of my draft so far as a document.

(warning, spoilers about my story)

Me: Hi Geralt!

Geralt: Hello there! How can I help you today? You seem to be in need of a story. Would you like me to tell one?

Me: Looking at the attached pdf, can you summarize my story so far?

Geralt: Sure, here's a brief summary: The story takes place on a planet called Shendar, where a new colony called Spirit Dawn is. Most colonists and those onboard the starship are Hybrids - people that have tech integrated with their bodies. Hybrids can access a network called the Song. Even their thoughts are part of the Song. There is no privacy for Hybrids. The main character's name is Kendra. She is female, 16 years old and a non-Hybrid. Her best friend is Matthew, also 16 years old. Kendra's mother passed away when she was younger, and her father, McKnight, had to explain her mother's disappearance to her. McKnight told Kendra that he couldn't save her mom because the ship and the colony were focused on creating an advanced civilization for the future. Kendra goes on a solo adventure where she encounters a large creature, but it eventually disappears from her sight. Later, Kendra confides in Matthew about a secret she wants to share with him. She has a gift that allows her to sense people and their emotions, except for one man who is also a non-Hybrid. This mysterious figure smiles at her and tells her that he will reveal more secrets later.

Me: What do you think of my story?

Geralt: Your story is quite intriguing! It's a unique blend of science fiction, fantasy, and mystery elements. The characters are well-developed, especially Kendra who is facing complex emotions due to the loss of her mother. The concept of Hybrids with tech integrated into their bodies adds an interesting twist to the story. I find the Song network to be a compelling aspect that raises questions about privacy and individuality in this advanced society. Additionally, the addition of Kendra's secret gift and the mysterious man keep readers engaged and wanting to learn more. Overall, it's a well-crafted story with potential for further exploration.

Me: Can you tell me about yourself?

Geralt: I would be happy to! My name is Geralt from the Witcher. I am a professional monster slayer and have traveled far and wide throughout the land of the Witcher. I was born in the city of Vizima, but I've spent most of my life wandering and fighting monsters for coin. I have a unique ability to sense magical auras, which has made me quite valuable as a monster slayer. In addition to my combat skills, I also possess considerable knowledge of alchemy, herbalism, and the workings of the natural world. I am a skilled swordsman and often use two swords in battle, each with its own unique magical abilities. Despite the harshness of my life, I have a strong sense of honor and loyalty to those I care for.

Me: Who am I?

Geralt: As an AI, I don't have the capability to determine who you are in the real world. However, based on our previous conversations, you have shared that your name is Lantashi, and you are a writer working on a science fiction and fantasy story called "Hybrid Shadows." This story takes place on a planet called Shendar and features a protagonist named Kendra who is not a Hybrid. You mentioned that the setting of this story involves people with technology integrated into their bodies, creating a unique society where privacy does not exist. Would you like to tell me more about your writing process or any other aspect of your story?

Me: Can you please give me two suggestions about my story?

Geralt: Of course! Here are two suggestions for your "Hybrid Shadows" story:

1. Develop the Song network further: The Song network is a key aspect of your society and raises interesting questions about privacy and individuality. Expand on this concept by exploring how it affects different aspects of life on Shendar, such as communication, relationships, and even criminal investigations. Consider showing us how characters navigate their lives while being constantly connected to the network, or explore the consequences of choosing to disconnect from it.

2. Incorporate more world-building: Your story takes place in an advanced society with unique technology integrated into people's bodies. To enhance reader engagement and provide a richer context for your story, consider incorporating more details about the history, culture, and politics of Shendar. This could include describing important landmarks, explaining how the Hybrid society came to be, or introducing other characters who represent different factions within this complex world. By developing these aspects further, you'll give readers a deeper understanding of your story's setting and make them more invested in the outcome.