Confessions of an AI Fanboy: How artificial intelligence amazes and dazes, dazzles and frazzles

Category: Word stuff

  • I may not be the best online writer, but I’m a darn good commenter

    I may not be the best online writer, but I’m a darn good commenter

    For several years, I dealt with the worst of trolls in an online comment system. You know the type, full of bile and hate, just trying to ruin everyone’s day.

    Then a third-party was brought in to handle things, and I was freed! What a blessing.

    As a life-long writer, especially online, I often yearned for wonderful comment exchanges, with the authors or each other, where more light was shed, support offered, enlightenment given freely – sometimes better than the original article itself, which can spark one’s imagination and bring new ideas and feelings to light.

    This all came to my mind as I’ve had wonderful exchanges of late with one of the best (IMHO) writers on Medium, Muhammad Mudassar Saeed.

    I love his writing, his way of thinking and … he just seems like a really neat guy. So I tell him so, and the add-on thoughts he inspires in me.

    And in return, he’s wonderfully appreciative (claps all around, Medium-style).

    I usually just offer my own perspectives on the things he writes about, always mixed with supportive compliments.

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  • Even a Fanboy wonders: Is ‘Artificial Intelligence’ the worst tech name of all time?

    Even a Fanboy wonders: Is ‘Artificial Intelligence’ the worst tech name of all time?

    I’d say I have something to get off my chest, but the analogy amid my recent heart-health issues is way too close to the mark (prayers gladly accepted).

    So instead, I’ll just dive right into what this Word Guy thinks is so obvious, maybe others have dived (or tripped and fallen) into this particular rabbit hole. So I’ll either pave the way or join the crowd, if so.

    Tell the truth: What do you first think when you hear the word “artificial”? (And no, not in a trendy AI sense, but a before-AI nonsense sense;-)

    It’s not really much of a positive word these days, is it?

    I think the number one analogy that pops to mind is … “fake.” As in “not real,” “not natural,” not worth eating (artificial colors, flavors, etc.), watching, listening to, reading or thinking any positive thoughts about.

    OK, now hook it to the word “intelligence.” Pretend just for a moment you don’t know all you’ve learned or yearn to learn about the amazing world of AI.

    I bet most people hear the word “intelligence” in context as something we all yearn to exemplify, but feel we fall short of way more often most days than our dumb ol’ brains care to admit.

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