My mojo is beginning to reappear and after Easter it will be back in full glowing hex colours … who put the hex on colour? … is one rabbit hole – I'll leave you to look.
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| Who Put the Hex in Colour Streamline Publishing |
Another rabbit hole I came across is a news broadcast on BBC Radio4, the Briefing Room – Election specials, discussing big issues of the day in different parts of the world. My hook was about the South African elections to be held at the end of May, which makes it interesting to me … but I may well listen to the others …
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| Southern Africa |
… continuing with friends there and here who visit or live in other local southern African countries – Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia … Africa - a country where a lot of change has happened in the last thirty plus years – historical happenings …
Tristan Harris, who used to work for Google as a design ethicist, and Aza Raskin, but who now along with others question the design of social media and its effect on 'us' …
… via the Centre for Humane Technology … its ongoing and future effect on humanity's interests … they envision a world that respects attention, improves well-being, and strengthens communities.
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| First global AI Safety Summit held in 2023 in the UK |
However to bring us back to earth … I was out for supper with a friend who when I mentioned AI to her laughed, as to her she went her midwife way of Artificial Insemination … which set a slightly different tone to my thought process …?!
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| Sprouting Purple Broccoli |
Thanks for reading … more about Artificial Intelligence to follow …
Centre for Humane Technology ...
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
23 comments:
After high school ended and before university started, I had 12 months to spend abroad at a programme for youth leaders. Of the 120 teens, the most fun were from South Africans going through a difficult time in their national history.
Even now, 57 years later, I still keep in touch with some of those South African friends.
Hari Om
Lots to keep us distracted in life, and social media is but one of the ways; albeit quite prominent! Good to read the return of the mojo 😁 YAM xx
Hi Hilary,
Lots of interesting thoughts here. I'm happy your mojo is returning, and just in time for Easter.
I'm hopeful AI will not be a curse - it's a worry if it falls into hands that shape it into a weapon versus a helpful tool. Yet to be seen.
I look back on my 66 years and think those early days were the best - hardships made us stronger, the simple joys really swelled the heart, and things seemed manageable - then came technology. hahaha
Sending smiles, Jenny @ PEARSON REPORT
I like that color graphic. It's interesting how computers deal with color.
Artificial Intelligence has been around a very long time. My husband was doing research into AI back in the early 70s.
Good to see that your energy levels are rising, Hilary.:-)
Let's hear it for mojo return. Yay.
Have a grand weekend, Hils.
@ Hels - yes 1965 was a very difficult year for outward looking South Africans ... I was in awe of Helen Suzman - her book was inspiring. I've just heard a talk from a journalist in Jhb back in 1978 ... it was a reminder of those years and how very challenging the apartheid era turned out to be. I'm so glad you still keep in touch with a few of your youth leaders.
@ Yam - oh yes so much to keep us distracted ... I'm glad I don't do social media per se ... but yes my mojo is back ...
@ Jenny - just having my mojo back is the best - I'm quietly purring! The link I provided is very informative - but I'll draft something up for my next post.
Life was different 70 - 60 and on years ago ... so much change, and so much development for us all. I hope you'll look at the link ... my perspective of AI has changed.
However all those years ago - we could cope with most things, I'm not so sure about many of the youngsters today - but / so ... I hope I'm wrong. Common sense seems to have been 'lost' and acquiring useful knowledge similarly ...
@ Liz - thanks re the graphic ... I just thought it was worth putting in ...
@ Janice - exactly ... I don't think we realise how much is linked into AI already and we're totally 'sunk' in it. Interesting that Barrie was researching AI so long ago ...
Yes - I'm happy my energy levels have returned - makes me feel so much better!
@ Sandra - thanks ... exactly here's to my Mojo!
Thanks to you all - have happy weekends ... look like we're in for chilly weather here - but apparently elsewhere too ... and very sadly horrors developing in places further afield. Cheers Hilary
I have a severe case of FOMO on AI, so I like to read about and hear lectures on the latest ideas and advancements. AI's moving so quickly that I can't keep up, but then I don't think I'm alone.
Yes, the two meanings of AI could lead to some very crossed wires indeed!
I have lately read a few books set in African countries and the problems there are complicated and the history horrible. It put me of from going there. Thanks for the tip about the social dilemma. I saw in the comments on you tube that people totally stopped with social media after seeing this.
AI is interesting in many ways. The bad thing is that many jobs will disappear and AI also uses a huge amount of energy. It's not a good time for that either.
We will see what happens.
I'm rooting for South Africa with their elections. Tough times. Love the job title--"a design ethicist"
Glad that your mojo up is revving back up into high gear, Hilary. As for South Africa, I am afraid that it is not doing exceptionally well, and the light that seemed so bright in the days after Mandela came to power has dimmed measurably. A friend recently was there and said the volume of garbage littering the country, even in remote areas is staggering. Artificial Insemination seems much much more agreeable that Artificial Intelligence; perhaps in some ways it’s the same thing! All the best - David
Elections, oh, yes! Some 60 nations, including India and the UK, are going to the polls this year. The dates for the polls here have been announced. They will happen in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, with the counting on June 4.
It definitely sounds like your joie de vivre is coming back, Hilary! ☺ I didn't know there was such a thing as a "design ethicist". The idea of AI is intriguing, but also a bit frightening, knowing that criminals are already using it to their advantage to scam people.
@ Lee - I can understand your FOMO - I just didn't/don't want to get into a vortex of uncertain information ... hence I was so pleased to find this youtube presentation from The Social Dilemma - finally I could get to grips with the understanding of AI - yet realise I just needed not to study any more, but be very aware - the important aspect.
@ Anabel - ah ... great you noted the two AIs ... fun thoughts ...
@ Marja - I can understand your understanding about Africa - it's such an extraordinary place to visit ... I'm glad you're reading up a little though to learn some aspects ...
Yes - social media just adds more layers to the knowledge that's spreading ... including our key strokes ... we can't stop it - I guess we can curtail it somewhat.
AI will offer opportunities as well as challenges - we're making good use of it now - but also there are the 'baddies' out there ... we will/might see what happens ... it is happening quickly ...
@ Jacqui - I do hope we can have peaceful elections in SA ... and the country can get back on track ... Yes - Tristan Harris' job description as a 'design ethicist' - I wonder if that was a Google choice or Tristan's choice ...
@ David - thank goodness my mojo is back ... makes a mental change. South Africa - a friend is out there at the moment ... so I'll be interested to hear what she says on her return - while another blogger is out in Namibia and notes how clean it all is out there - the way we're going, sadly. Unfortunately people didn't follow Mandela's example - and realise governing is on behalf of others, not for oneself.
Artificial Insemination does seem more hopeful than AI with the baddies having a head start ... as Marja says 'we'll see' - perhaps ... depending on our time left here ...
@ Pradeep - yes the elections are really hovering everywhere in 2024 - the Beeb's first programme was on your Indian ones finishing in June ... I hope to get to listen ... seven phases - crumbs!!!!
@ Debbie - thank goodness I can enjoy getting involved in something educational again - and as you say Debbie learning ... except it's horrifying how fast AI is developing - with the baddies being one step ahead. 'Design Ethicist' is a great job title isn't it - rather wish I had the grey cells to go with it!
Thanks to you all - life goes on doesn't it ... happy week ahead - cheers Hilary
Glad your mojo is returning. AI concerns me for a lot of different reasons. Someone will have to do a lot of work to convince me it's a good thing!
Yay for mojo's return!
AI is absolutely fascinating to me. I've been following its growth closely!
Hilary, I love that your mojo is returning! AI (the intelligence kind! :) ) is pretty scary. The tech part is fascinating, but is the collective humanity ready (and able) to deal with it responsibly? I can report from the ground that the weather is currently fantastic and in the pre-election warm-up we're having fairly reasonable load shedding outages! We're enjoying that while we can! :)
Have a wonderful Easter break!
@ Annalisa - yes ... thank-goodness for the return of my mojo. AI is interesting - and we'll all have different takes on it ... I guess it'll turn out to be like social media - the good and the ugly sides ... difficult for the likes of citizens ...
@ Elizabeth - yes I'm so pleased I feel more with it! Good for you for following AI - your research is always fascinating to read about ...
@ Judy - lovely to see you again. I hope the mojo is of the intelligent/ common sense kind! You're right to query whether humanity is ready to deal with it - especially as it seems to have been around for 40+ years already ...
Thanks for the weather update ... I'm always interested and the election warm up, and those outages - I feel for you. A friend is in CT - so I'll hear from her on her return in two weeks.
Thanks to the three of you - you all have lovely Easter breaks ... cheers for now - Hilary
greetings. Appropriate to go down rabbit holes at Easter time. I hope you have a good week. In regards to AI and all of these tech gurus - I do think at times they are stuffing the genie back in the bottle and it's going to refuse. "Safety" is questionable. Common sense has to prevail (cue loud laughter).
Tech can offer so much good, but evil lurks.
That said, I'm hopping down the bunny trail of spring, flowers, and chocolate. Enjoy friends and a cuppa!
@ Joanne - yes greetings to one and all of us - bloggers and commenters. I'm starting off with a good week - and just must finishing on a winning note!
AI is going to puzzle us all - and worry many, I suspect. While as you suggest we may laugh - but that evil does lurk ..
Enjoy your bunny trail, Spring, flowers and chocolates and family fun for us all - as well as that cuppa of good strong English tea ...
Cheers to you and happy Easter - Hilary
Yay for your mojo returning! Color is fascinating- the way it impacts us and the way it used in technology really makes me think. Hope you have a lovely week! :)
Hi Jess - good to see you ... and thank goodness for my mojo's return. Colour is fascinating isn't it - and changes popularity in different eras ... eg pastels, v bands of colours - I've more to write about colour anon. Thanks for your Easter wishes - same to you ... cheers Hilary
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