Skybrian’s Blog

Thoughts about AI and my experiences while using it. Written for a general audience.

The hottest Substack posts of Skybrian’s Blog

And their main takeaways

Generative AI is good at cooperating with people and bad at full automation

98 HN points • 29 Mar 23

🕹 Technology Generative AI Automation Software Development AI Tools

Generative AI excels in cooperating with people but struggles with full automation.
Random variety is engaging but not ideal for repetitive tasks.
Combining the strengths of traditional software for repetition and generative AI for creativity can lead to successful and interactive cooperation between people and AI tools.

Don’t settle for a superficial understanding of how AI chatbots work

58 implied HN points • 27 Mar 23

🕹 Technology AI Chatbots Research Interpretability Machine Learning

Don't settle for a superficial understanding of AI chatbots.
Real insight on AI chatbots will require research, not just casual use.
Debating whether chatbots have 'world models' is important to understanding how they work.

How to use ChatGPT's Code Interpreter

1 HN point • 11 Jul 23

🕹 Technology Coding Python ChatGPT Libraries Programming

Paid users of ChatGPT can now use a Python code interpreter.
Enable the feature in user settings to use the code interpreter.
You can create images, upload files, and get download links with ChatGPT.

The AI author illusion

0 implied HN points • 19 Apr 23

🕹 Technology AI Chatbots Language Models

We chat with fictional characters now, creating imaginary worlds.
Machine-made writing has tricks that mess with assumptions about authorship.
Interacting with AI chatbots can be like playing turn-based games with fictional characters.

A High-End Balcony Experience

0 implied HN points • 12 Jun 23

🎭️ Culture Experience Musicians

People value a good view and are willing to pay for it
Using technology can enhance the balcony experience, like turning walls into fog
Creating an immersive setting can transport you to different places, like a courtyard with musicians

Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Done right, a Turing Test is a difficult game for a bot

0 implied HN points • 04 Mar 23

🕹 Technology AI Games Bots Conversation

A Turing Test is a challenging game for a bot if done correctly.
To identify a bot in the Turing Test, shared secrets are crucial.
To be successful in the Turing Test, a bot must cover a wide range of topics and not reveal known weaknesses.

AI chats are turn-based games

0 implied HN points • 23 Mar 23

🕹 Technology AI Chatbots API Safety Model Training

AI chats are turn-based games where the chatbot only responds when prompted.
Chatbot game state is client-side, allowing potential for cheating or altering the game.
Using AI chatbots in a loop with access to tools can pose safety risks.

AI chatbots don't know why they did it

0 implied HN points • 27 Apr 23

🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Chatbots Machine Learning

AI chatbots don't remember their thought process
AI chatbots make up justifications like humans
The bug is in trying to answer questions, not in the answer itself

Making a Pac-Man animated gif with ChatGPT's Code Interpreter

0 implied HN points • 14 Jul 23

🕹 Technology Programming AI Visual Arts User Interface

Using leading questions with GPT-4 helps guide its output.
Code Interpreter can be fun initially but becomes tedious with repetitive use.
GPT-4 works better when you have more knowledge about the task than it does.