Ok, a little favor....AI (artificial intelligence)

self | 4/25/25 | self

[ma_che62]

I confess to being a troglodyte or cave man or idiot or whatever metaphor you'd like to use but I'm very skeptical of AI...

[no-to-illegals]

AI is making and writing the judgements in many courts.

[no-to-illegals]

Will the final decision be made by a software program ?

[Cronos]

I work in the AI/ML business - and have been a data guy (first datawarehousing, then business intelligence and reporting, then AI/ML).

So here’s my OPINION about AI

Firstly - it isn’t yet “intelligence” - it is massive pattern-recognition, categorization and classification. But that’s for now.

Secondly - it will bring benefits to all societies, but also a lot of bad - a LOT of bad.

The negative sides of AI are:
1. We will stop thinking
2. We need to still be sceptical - AI is only regurgitating the data it is fed - if it is fed nonsense, it will spout nonsense. you still should cross-check
3. It can be manipulated - again, based on Data inputs
4. It is overwhelmingly BAD for under 18 year olds - they will not develop critical thinking or the habit of researching.

My teenage kids do not have smartphones - and access to a desktop only for an hour a day to do schoolwork (schools have gone crazy putting everything on messenger etc.)

[ma_che62]

So it seems that no one has seen any scholarly, thoughtful, articles on the subject.

[wafflehouse]

AI is an incredibly powerful helpful tool, but is double edged. while it can help you do things you couldnt do on your own, it will also spoon feed you information so you have to make no effort to learn it on your own. which leads to ignorance and dependence on this tool. interesting quandry

[wafflehouse]

sometimes a lot screwy depending on how arcane the information is that you are looking for. you have to have a good BS filter

[sonova]

AI is a fraud.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

AI will be the end of humanity. Look at cell phones. Once a wonderful technology, now a ruler of lives. Scale that by a large and growing factor, and...

[TheDon]

“It’s basically a search tool for the internet.”

I think of and use it for this purpose as well. It can save a lot of time.

[no-to-illegals]

So it seems that no one has seen any scholarly, thoughtful, articles on the subject

As was before is never as was or is as before, thus mankind grows in knowledge but seldom learns. Many changes are coming with the software program dubbed AI. Regrettably the outcome for mankind will be in doubt once AI determines mankind is no longer needed.

[Heartlander]

AI and the Dilemma of Technology

[TheDon]

I didn’t realize AI could do comedy ! 😆

[TheDon]

“My apologies, officer, I was hallucinating that I was actually doing the speed limit. I’ll learn from this incident, add it to my database and I promise this will never happen again.”

LOL! Sounds familiar.

[no-to-illegals]

Will AI be worse than congresscritters, judges, etc ? Probably …..

[GingisK]

AI is a fraud.

No, it is a search engine with very well mannered filtering combined with an algorithm-driven document compiler. It has been very helpful whenever I have used it.

Just go to Grok or Chat GPT and type in a question to something you are working on. You'd be surprised at the results. For example,

I typed: "Is spindle oil suitable for lubricating a .45 ACP?" Format the results for copy into HTML document.

The response:

Sure! Here's a clean HTML-formatted version of the explanation you can paste directly into a webpage: ```html

Is Spindle Oil Suitable for Lubricating a .45 ACP?

Short answer: No, spindle oil is not suitable for lubricating a .45 ACP firearm.

What is Spindle Oil?

Spindle oil is a low-viscosity, non-detergent lubricant designed for high-speed machinery, such as industrial spindles. It's formulated for low-load, high-RPM environments— very different from the high-stress conditions inside a firearm.

Why It’s Not Recommended for Firearms

• Lacks protective additives: It doesn’t contain anti-wear or corrosion inhibitors needed for firearms.
• Too thin: The oil is often too light to stay in place on moving parts during firing.
• Poor performance under heat and fouling: Firearms generate heat, pressure, and carbon buildup—conditions spindle oil is not designed for.

Recommended Alternatives

Instead, use lubricants specifically formulated for firearms, such as:

• CLP products (e.g., Break-Free CLP)
• Dedicated gun oils (e.g., Hoppe’s No. 9, Ballistol, Slip 2000)
• Firearm grease for high-friction areas (e.g., slide rails)

These products offer better performance, protection, and longevity for your firearm. ``` Let me know if you want it styled with CSS or tailored for a specific kind of website or blog platform!

So, you see, it can be used as a smart search engine.

[PeterPrinciple]

So, you see, it can be used as a smart search engine.

---

Everything has good AND bad. When computers first came out they were liberating with spreadsheets and looking at decisions. THEN the computers were used to enslave us.

But I will admit, Grok reminds me of the first search engines where we got useful information.

[GingisK]

Next, I asked: "Gun oils are expensive. Can I formulate my own using available fluids? Format the reply so that can be pasted into the Free Republic forum."

The reply:

Absolutely! Here’s the same post, reformatted in **HTML** so you can paste it into a forum that supports HTML (like in a blog post or Free Republic's HTML-enabled areas): ```html DIY Gun Oil – Cheap Alternatives That Work

Tired of dropping $$$ on name-brand gun oils? You're not alone. Good news is, yes — you can make your own gun oil using common fluids. Here's a rundown that’s worked for a lot of us in the shooting and prepping communities:

1. ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid):
One of the best base oils for firearms. It’s got detergents, anti-rust additives, and it handles heat well. Dexron III is commonly used.

2. Synthetic Motor Oil (5W-30 or 0W-20):
Great lubricity and stability. Mix it 50/50 with ATF and you've got a long-lasting lube.

3. Diesel Fuel (Optional for Cleaning):
A very small amount of diesel can help dissolve carbon and grime — don’t use it as a main lubricant, just a cleaning pre-treatment. ALWAYS wipe clean afterward.

4. Kerosene or Mineral Spirits (Cleaner Only):
For deep cleaning, not lubrication. Combine with ATF for a basic homemade CLP (Clean, Lube, Protect).

Popular DIY Mix: “Ed’s Red” Formula
This one’s old school and still effective:

• 1 part ATF
• 1 part Kerosene
• 1 part Mineral Spirits
• 1 part Acetone (optional – improves cleaning but evaporates quickly)

Add lanolin (1 tablespoon per quart) if you want rust protection.

Warnings:

• Don’t use WD-40 as a lubricant — it evaporates and leaves residue.
• Store your mix in clearly labeled bottles, away from kids/pets.
• Test on a junk gun first if you're unsure — some old finishes don’t like strong solvents.

Bottom line: You don’t need to pay $10 for 2 oz of lube. The DIY route works, especially if you shoot a lot or maintain multiple firearms.

Let me know if you want a “premium” mix that mimics stuff like Slip 2000 or Militec-1. ``` Let me know if you want a printable version or a PDF too.

[William Tell]

"So, you see, it can be used as a smart search engine."

More than that. It was way faster than you would have been without the summary it provided. You saved time in doing the search. You also saved time extracting and distilling the information provided.

Grok, for example, appears to be very good at this.

Grok has fallen down in two major areas.

I was interested in doing simulations of craps, the dice-based gambling game.

Grok initially analyzed the probabilities of various outcomes incorrectly. That would provide incorrect answers. I had to correct Grok and my corrections were immediately confirmed and integrated into the solution. However, the correct result was entirely dependent upon my knowledge of how to apply the laws of probability to the task at hand.

Further, Grok initially took the extra step of confirming that the probabilities calculated all added up to "1", an important step in verifying the reasonableness of a solution.

The problem was that a later change in the parameters I provided resulted in a modification to the probabilities and, at that time, Grok did not verify that the probabilities added to one. Since the error was five percent, I spotted the error immediately. Had the error been half a percent, I would not have spotted the error without doing the calculation myself.

The other error involved actually coding the result. Grok wanted to provide Python code, with which I am not familiar. Instead, I opted for Turbo Pascal.

It required little work to get the code to compile (a job that Grok is not capable of). But the logical flow was difficult to follow and thus difficult to troubleshoot, modify, or prove validity.

In future I plan to lead Grok by the hand by specifying specific software procedures needed and asking Grok to implement code around the procedure to test its validity. In that way I would end up with code structured as I would do it and would not be faced with code that was difficult to follow.

Until Grok can handle the two areas I have mentioned, the term "artificial stupidity" applies just as much as "artificial intelligence".

Grok is good at summarizing available information. A bolt failed in my log splitter. Grok confirmed the details of the bolt's specifications and offered several avenues for obtaining a replacement. The replacement parts are arriving today and I eliminated the need to contact the manufacturer.

[GingisK]

Way cool, Will. These really are important tools.

[cymbeline]

” I don’t care how it does it. Faster than what I could do .”

I’m with you. I’m claiming the electronic abilities categorized as AI are the result of those three things I mentioned.

I further claim that the advances aren’t due so much to new software as it is to the running of that software in more and more hardware.

[Strict9]

oh sure and sometimes you get canned phrases and dei nonsense. Grain of salt