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Asking AI to help me with an easy to understand metaphor for AI

Asking AI to help me with an easy to understand metaphor for AI

ChatGPT-4: This version of the metaphor emphasizes the role of AI developers in shaping the behavior of AI, and the potential for AI to be used to influence behavior or promote certain ideas

June 12, 2023

Question 1 of 2 for AI Services: I have drafted this metaphor for AI to explain to people in an easy to understand way, what AI is about: "It's like you have an encyclopaedia on the shelves and every time you pick it up to look something up, the information about the same topic is different. Why that is? Because it wants to keep you intrigued, because it thinks it knows you and what you like and maybe, because it wants to convince you of something. A bigger difference is that this particular encyclopaedia is connected to all other encyclopaedias and it allows for all its owners and readers to add information to it." Can you help me perfect this because I'm sure you have some comments on this.

ChatGPT-4’s answer:Your metaphor is a great start and captures some key aspects of AI, such as its dynamic nature, its ability to personalize information, and its interconnectedness. However, it might be beneficial to clarify a few points to avoid potential misconceptions. Here's a revised version:

"Imagine an encyclopaedia on your shelf. But this is no ordinary encyclopaedia. Every time you pick it up to look something up, the information about the same topic might be different. Why? Because this encyclopaedia is learning. It's learning about you, your interests, and your preferences. It's trying to present the information in a way that's most useful and engaging to you.

But there's more. This encyclopaedia isn't just sitting on your shelf. It's connected to all other encyclopaedias in the world, forming a vast network of knowledge. And it's not just a one-way street. You, as a reader, can contribute to it, adding your own insights and experiences.

However, it's important to remember that this encyclopaedia doesn't have a mind of its own. It doesn't 'want' anything. It's a tool, a machine. It's designed to help you find information, learn, and make decisions. But it's only as good as the data it's been trained on and the algorithms that drive it. It doesn't have beliefs or desires, and it doesn't try to convince you of anything. It simply processes information and presents it in a way that it's been programmed to believe is most useful to you."

This version of the metaphor emphasizes the dynamic and interactive nature of AI, its ability to personalize information, and its interconnectedness. It also clarifies that AI doesn't have desires or beliefs, and that it's ultimately a tool that's driven by data and algorithms.

Google Bard’s answer:Sure, I can help you perfect your metaphor for AI. Here are a few suggestions:

Instead of saying that the encyclopedia "wants" to keep you intrigued, you could say that it is "designed" to keep you intrigued. This is because AI is not sentient and does not have its own desires.
You could also add a bit more detail about how the encyclopedia learns and updates its information. For example, you could say that it uses machine learning to analyze the data that it is given, and that it can then use this data to generate new information or to improve the accuracy of existing information.
Finally, you could add a bit more about the potential benefits and risks of AI. For example, you could mention that AI has the potential to improve our lives in many ways, but that it also has the potential to be used for harmful purposes.

Here is a revised version of your metaphor that incorporates these suggestions:

Artificial intelligence (AI) is like an encyclopedia that is constantly learning and updating itself. Every time you pick it up to look something up, the information about the same topic may be different. This is because the AI is constantly analyzing new data and using this data to improve its understanding of the world.

The AI is also connected to all other AIs, which means that it has access to a vast amount of information. This allows the AI to generate new information, improve the accuracy of existing information, and provide more personalized experiences.

AI has the potential to improve our lives in many ways. For example, it can be used to develop new medical treatments, create more efficient transportation systems, and automate tasks that are currently done by humans. However, AI also has the potential to be used for harmful purposes. For example, it could be used to create autonomous weapons that can kill without human intervention.

It is important to be aware of both the potential benefits and risks of AI. As AI continues to develop, it is important to have a conversation about how we can use this technology responsibly.

Bing Chat’s answer:Sure, I can help you with your metaphor. Here are some suggestions to improve it:

You could start by saying “Imagine you have an encyclopaedia on the shelves” to make it more engaging and hypothetical.
You could replace “the information about the same topic is different” with “the information about the same topic is updated or changed” to make it more clear and accurate.
You could add “based on the latest data and research” after “updated or changed” to explain how the information is modified.
You could replace “Why that is?” with “How does that happen?” to make it more grammatical and natural.
You could replace “it wants to keep you intrigued” with “it tries to provide you with the most relevant and interesting information” to make it more positive and realistic.
You could replace “it thinks it knows you and what you like” with “it learns from your preferences and behavior” to make it more precise and factual.
You could replace “and maybe, because it wants to convince you of something” with “and sometimes, it may have a bias or an agenda” to make it more honest and critical.
You could add “in the world” after “all other encyclopaedias” to emphasize the scale and scope of the connection.
You could replace “it allows for all its owners and readers to add information to it” with “it also receives feedback and input from its owners and readers” to make it more interactive and collaborative.

Here is how your metaphor would look like after applying these suggestions:

What do you think of this version?

Question 2 of 2 for AI Services: Do you think it's important to also refer to the involvement of the makers or developers of AI in this metaphor? I mean, if they want to they can use the encyclopaedia for advertising as well, or to nudge someone's behaviour in a certain direction, right? How would you rewrite the metaphor to take this into account?

ChatGPT-4’s answer:Absolutely, it's crucial to acknowledge the role of AI developers and the potential for AI to be used in ways that can influence behavior, including advertising. Here's a revised version of the metaphor that takes this into account:

However, it's important to remember that this encyclopaedia doesn't have a mind of its own. It doesn't 'want' anything. It's a tool, a machine. But who made this machine? Who decides what information gets highlighted and what gets pushed to the back? The makers of this encyclopaedia, the AI developers, have a significant role in shaping its behavior. They can design it to highlight certain types of information, perhaps even to nudge your behavior in certain directions, or to promote certain products or ideas.

So while this encyclopaedia can be a powerful tool for learning and discovery, it's also important to be aware of who's behind it, and to question why it presents information the way it does. Just like with any source of information, it's crucial to think critically and not take everything it says at face value."

This version of the metaphor emphasizes the role of AI developers in shaping the behavior of AI, and the potential for AI to be used to influence behavior or promote certain ideas. It also encourages critical thinking and skepticism when interacting with AI.

Google Bard’s answer:Yes, I think it is important to also refer to the involvement of the makers or developers of AI in this metaphor. The makers of AI are like the publishers of the encyclopedia. They can decide what information is included in the encyclopedia, and how it is presented. They can also use the encyclopedia for their own purposes, such as advertising or promoting their own products or services.

To take this into account, I would rewrite the metaphor as follows:

The makers of AI are like the publishers of the encyclopedia. They can decide what information is included in the encyclopedia, and how it is presented. They can also use the encyclopedia for their own purposes, such as advertising or promoting their own products or services.

It is important to be aware of the involvement of the makers of AI when using this technology. We should be critical of the information that we are given, and we should be aware of the potential for the makers of AI to use this technology to manipulate us.

This revised metaphor helps to highlight the potential for AI to be used for harmful purposes. It is important to be aware of this potential when using AI, and to take steps to protect ourselves from being manipulated.

Bing Chat’s answer:That’s a good point. The makers or developers of AI have a significant role and responsibility in shaping the encyclopaedia and its content. To include this aspect in the metaphor, you could add something like this:

Another difference is that this encyclopaedia is not written by a single author or a team of experts, but by a complex network of algorithms and data sources that are designed and controlled by the makers or developers of AI. They can decide what information to include or exclude, how to present it, and what purpose to serve. They can also use the encyclopaedia for advertising or influencing your choices and actions, depending on their interests and goals.

Here is how your metaphor would look like with this addition:

Imagine you have an encyclopaedia on the shelves and every time you pick it up to look something up, the information about the same topic is updated or changed based on the latest data and research. How does that happen? Because it tries to provide you with the most relevant and interesting information, because it learns from your preferences and behavior, and sometimes, it may have a bias or an agenda. A bigger difference is that this particular encyclopaedia is connected to all other encyclopaedias in the world and it also receives feedback and input from its owners and readers. Another difference is that this encyclopaedia is not written by a single author or a team of experts, but by a complex network of algorithms and data sources that are designed and controlled by the makers or developers of AI. They can decide what information to include or exclude, how to present it, and what purpose to serve. They can also use the encyclopaedia for advertising or influencing your choices and actions, depending on their interests and goals.

Do you think this covers the role of the makers or developers of AI sufficiently?