OpenAI will “revolutionize” this. Google will “transform” that. Dozens of claims were published in the last two days, but my take is simple–this tech will change how we learn.
Before the rise of online courses, tutorials, and guides, we had limited options for learning: attending school, pursuing an apprenticeship, or reading physical books.
Then, the world wide web was born.
Now, instead of “asking” guidance from institutions and mentors, we can simply “search” for answers online.
This technology has become so deeply ingrained in our daily lives that it has even influenced our language. Instead of asking someone to “search” for something, we now say “Google” it.
This shift illustrates the significant impact technology has had on our learning and our desire to learn more.
With the recent announcements from OpenAI and Google, I believe we’re on the cusp of another significant shift. We’re no longer just chatting with AI tools; we can now interact with them in a more conversational manner.
We’ll return to “asking” questions instead of just “searching” for answers, but this time, we’re not asking a mentor or an expert; we’re asking a tool that’s been trained to store vast amounts of knowledge.
However, how will these advancements affect our real-world relationships now that AI tools are becoming more human-like? These tools are more intelligent, nicer, and user-centric. Will we eventually prefer interacting with these tools over humans?
After all, some humans can be challenging to converse with.
✶ The top news explained!
Today’s Equation
The concept of AI tools becoming more human-like is not new.
In fact, this is the founding principle of Inflection’s Pi and Anthropic’s Claude. These two models have become pioneers in human-level interaction between chatbots and users.
This principle is also reflected in Pi and Claude’s interfaces. Both use warm and inviting colors, unlike other chatbots’ vibrant, saturated, and high-contrast color palettes.
In contrast, OpenAI and Google seem to be playing catch-up. However, I don’t have a concrete answer as to why they are shifting gears. But I do recall a conversation between Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and Lex Fridman, a research scientist at MIT, in March 2023.
During the conversation, Sam Altman emphasized that “…it’s really important that we try to explain…to educate people that this is a tool and not a creature.”
He then added that “…it’s dangerous to project creatureness onto a tool.”
However, what really pique my interest is Fridman’s response to this idea, “Because, the more creature-like it is, the more it can manipulate you emotionally.”
True enough, this February 2024 study from Uppsala University titled “Exploring Empathy in Human – Chatbot interactions: Addressing, Verbal Abuse, and Gender Dynamics” supports this statement.
The study found that “…a tone-aware chatbot for customer care on social media claimed that empathetic tone significantly reduces users’ negative emotion(s), such as frustration and sadness.”
So, the more emotionally intelligent these chatbots become, the less friction it will encounter in terms of adoption. The more empathetic the AI tool is, the less friction.
Which has always been the mission of OpenAI, “Creating safe AGI that benefits all of humanity.”
And lastly, when the topic of romantic companionship AI’s were tapped, Altman only had one response “I personally don’t feel any interest in that.”
But…look how the turns have tabled.
ChatGPT-4o, OpenAI’s latest model, is more human-like than ever, with a more natural tone and understanding of sub-context. It even seems more emotionally intelligent than most humans, and even flirtatious.
If you’re interested in seeing ChatGPT-4o in action, you can check out this playlist.
On the topic of demos, I would like to point out how ingenious OpenAI’s demo day was.
It felt engaging, authentic, and most importantly, it felt effortlessly cool.
The use of warm tones from the light fixtures to the furniture made Mira Murita, Chief Technology Officer at OpenAI, appear cool, calm, and collected.
It’s so refreshing to see this art direction in tech. It shies away from your typical brightly lit demo day. For me, this signals that OpenAI is now trying to expand its market given it has already solidified its position amongst other tech titans.
On the other hand, the presentations at Google I/O were polarizing. While they were overwhelming due to the abundance of AI jargon, they also lacked a certain je ne sais quoi. I wish they had included more live demos and practical use cases to make the presentations more engaging.
With these pivots in play, it’ll be interesting to see how other tools built on top of OpenAI and Google’s APIs will adapt to these changes.
Frankly, I’m really enthusiastic to see how users will come up with unique ways in using this tool.
All I can say is that, the train has left the station, and it’s best if we stay on it.
Top news of the day!
Daily Additions
OpenAI Chief Scientist Who Quit is Rumored to Join xAI
Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI’s chief scientist, quit after a failed coup against CEO Sam Altman. Analyst Gene Munster believes there’s a 60% chance Sutskever will join Elon Musk’s xAI.
Scientists use generative AI to answer complex questions in physics
MIT and Swiss researchers developed a physics-informed machine-learning approach for phase diagrams. The generative AI model can answer complex questions about novel physical systems efficiently.
Lost in the AI Jargon: Google’s Big Event Was Clear as Mud
Google’s 2024 I/O keynote left even seasoned tech reporters puzzled with its AI jargon overload. The company mentioned “AI” 121 times but failed to clearly explain its new products to users.
Hollywood at a Crossroads: “Everyone Is Using AI, But They Are Scared to Admit It”
AI-generated images in films like Late Night With the Devil and Civil War sparked controversy. Despite fears of job loss, some see AI as an opportunity if proper guardrails are in place.
The new “hybrid work” is “AI + humans”
The new hybrid work combines remote employees with AI working alongside human colleagues. 30% of the U.S. workforce now works remotely, and 77% find ChatGPT useful, paving the way for AI.
Best of Reddit today!
Reddit-Wrapped
r/OpenAI • Gpt4o o-verhyped?
r/LocalLLaMA • Wowzer, Ilya is out!
r/aivideo • The Meowtrix – AI Matrix tribute
r/LocalLLaMA • We’re confirmed that “im-also-a-good-gpt2-chatbot” is OpenAI right?
r/singularity • OpenAI and Microsoft are reportedly developing plans for the world’s biggest supercomputer.
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