CategoryLarge Language Models (LLMs)
Large Language Models: A Lack-of-Progress Report
They will not be as powerful as either hoped or feared
Machine Learning Algos Often Fail: They Focus on Data, Ignore Theory
Without a theory, a pattern is just a pattern
Analysts: AIs Are Often Wrong But Never Uncertain
Gary Marcus and Ernest Davis note that getting AIs to admit uncertainty is "one of the most important *unsolved* challenges" in the field
AI Peer Review Called “Inevitable” by Some, “Disaster” by Others
The whole debate raises a question: How much original thought goes into peer review anyway? And what purpose does it ultimately serve?
Yes, the AI Stock Bubble Is a Bubble
It's unfolding the way a financial bubble typically does
Chatbots Alone Together: “Let’s Skip the Small Talk …”
Did you know that humans empower AI bots to confer with each other in Gibberlink code? Nothing could go wrong with that, right?...
Why LLMs Are Not Boosting Productivity
If LLMs were as reliably useful as economist Tyler Cowen alleges, businesses would be using them to generate profits faster than LLMs generate text. They aren’t.
Intelligence Requires More Than Following Instructions
Post-training improves the accuracy and usefulness of LLMs but does not make them intelligent in any meaningful sense — as the Monty Hall problem shows
How the Father of Information Theory Invented Modern AI
In 1948 Claude Shannon used Andrey Markov’s 1906 process to formulate an appproach that enabled the development of chatbots (large language models)
The Large Language Model (LLM) “Superpower” Illusion Dies Hard
Historic confirmation bias around ESP and spirit cabinets makes for an interesting comparison with the current need to believe in the abilities of LLMs
Why LLMs (chatbots) Won’t Lead to Artificial General Intelligence
The biggest obstacle is seldom discussed: Most consequential real-world decisions involve uncertainty
Unequal Profits: Why AI Needs Successful Applications
Readers may be surprised to learn that these widely touted AI advances are not making their developers much money
DeepSeek: Honing In on the Challenges It Presents
Although the program is admirably streamlined, censorship, data breaches, copyright violation, and lack of guardrails are among the most prominent challenges
Gen AI: A Neutral Tool? Let’s Look More Closely
All technologies change us. Some technologies change us in ways where the harms far outweigh any benefits.
Joe McDonald: How AI Can Complement Human Capabilities
Despite its limitations, AI excels in areas where humans struggle, such as analyzing large datasets, identifying patterns, and automating repetitive tasks
Did China’s DeepSeek Violate OpenAI’s Legal Rights?
“Distillation” technology may have allowed DeepSeek to piggy-back on ChatGPT to capture market share
Why We Must Not Use AI In Ministry: Response to Jay Owen
An open letter to Jay Owen, a popular proponent of AI in ministry
Some Lessons From DeepSeek, Compared With Other Chatbots
I tested OpenAI o1, Copilot, and Gemini Flash, along with DeepSeek, on a question about Tic-Tac-Toe