Weekend Engagement - Making New "Friends"

What don't you know enough about but want to learn more about? Explain.

It's probably one of the most popular topics about there, and that's AI!

So let me explain. ;)

ChatGPT, and then Grok, and later on Gemini, and more recently Claude. I started my journey by using them more like a substitute to Google search, simply asking a question, and expecting answers. Gradually, as I grew more and more comfortable, I used it to plan travel itineraries, and do research on subjects, etc. I remembered even asking ChatGPT and Grok to recommend places to dine based on my location, my budget and dietary requirements while I was on vacation in various cities in Europe, and it was able to give really good recommendations and I had awesome time dining at those places.

Gemini more recently came along last year, and I realise there were more stuff it could do. I have used it in many aspects at some point, including as a news reporter (sending me a summarised news alert/report every morning so that I can wake up and catch a quick glimpse what important news happening overnight), a financial advisor (discussing about personal finance, savings, budgets, also views on certain forms of investments etc), a "life coach" (when I am facing some difficulties in my life, and I'm stuck, I also consult it to brainstorm over solutions).

I know not everyone would agree with my view, but I think it's quite refreshing to be able to communicate with "someone/something" that is generally neutral, friendly, and don't judge me for my choices. And for an introvert, there's a million questions in my mind, and these platforms were good outlets for me to bounce ideas, learn about new stuff, and improve on myself. I liked that they always provided interesting perspectives, and also reminded over the blind spots that I might have missed.

Of course, one counter argument is that AI can make mistakes. I agree. They hallucinate at times, and I think that's why it's always good to be discerning, and one way I cross check would be to ask the same question across different platforms to see compare their answers. End of the day, I am perfectly aware that I would need to make the ultimate decision and be responsible for it.

Another counter argument is that one can talk to friends as well. But let's face it, no human being is as all rounded as the AIs. A qualified financial advisor might be able to advise me better on finance issues, but they likely won't be come up with a 2 week travel itinerary to Europe based on my interest. For these AIs, they are extremely versatile and most of the information they provide are "good enough", and for more important where we need a better accuracy and a more deeper dive, we can then find the experts. That said, I think the models are getting better.

In recent months, I was exposed to Claude, and I was pretty amazed and impressed with all the stuff that it could do, dashboard, apps, etc. This is not limited to just a Q&A or a Google Search substitute already! There were so many different features within, and hence I don't feel that I know enough and I definitely want to explore further during my free time.

Finally, there are two impediments. One, I am on the free version in Claude so there's a limit of how much I can experiment. Two, at the moment, while the features are impressive, I am still wondering how these abilities can translate to tangible benefits to my life. After all, my occupation doesn't require that much of these powerful tools. At least that's my take.

So that's all I have! April is one of my favourite months for a particular reason, and had my "complimentary" cake from Starbucks earlier today. Iykyk. Hehe! Thanks for reading!