The Bluestocking: the one where AI finally learns what a blackbird is (we hope)

[Magpiecomplex]

Welcome all, New Year (nearly), new thread!

Hospitals usually are rather like mazes IME, but finding a beetle tucked inside an mri would be particularly challenging.

Glad it's done, Boily, hope your transport arrives ere long.

Hope your transport turns up at some point today, Boily

In the meantime, have you caught up with the, ahem, marital travails of a certain NS?

How are you doing Cher? Sorry to have worried you about bits of flaming tribbles in the small hours.

I'm Shocked! Shocked I tell you!

I'm already home, pjs on and cup of tea made!

I have received a fantastic service today!!!

Divorce? I'd bet she'd probably be able to get an annulment!

Unconsummated!

Glad you're safely home Beetle.

Good news, Boily! I was about to organise a Tunnocks food parcel to be dropped at the hospital for you by the gerbil rescue helicopter (which the AI had so much trouble with yesterday that I gave up).

I also had to stop trying to get the AI to make an image of Cher recuperating at home surrounded by bones: the AI threatened me with expulsion if I carried on! Sending you both good wishes.

Interesting article on proposals for AI in the UK:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jan/12/mainlined-into-uks-veins-labour-announces-huge-public-rollout-of-ai?CMP=share_btn_url

Apparently an annulment has to be within on year of the alleged marriage.

Excellent news on the service front. I do hope this means there's a note on your record saying "FGS DO NOT ANNOY THIS BEETLE!"

My reaction, and the time of day, may have been partly attributable to the inordinate amounts of medication the hospital staff forced on me.

I expect I'll settle down eventually.

Is there a bitching corner in the pub? One near one of the open fireplaces naturally with some comfy chairs but close enough to hear each other easily. If so I’ll take a coffee there and welcome discussing this ludicrous waste of time and money by Labour. Okay my opinion has been given away and admittedly I’ve been shouting ‘bullshit’ at the radio intermittently today but anyone else more hopeful?

Not in this house, where I've just read the article to DH.

Wholesale loss of privacy to the likes of palintir. AI/Gen AI in HE worsening student outcomes and adds immeasurably to my workload. Loss of human oversight and context. Immense environmental burden. I’m imagining govt use of it for those applying for benefits where the ‘computer says no’ on repeat but maybe there’s some magic use for it to save public services??

I'd like to see the figures on how much the country would pay out & get back. Are they talking about local or foreign companies?

I'm worried about the power issues & whether with smart meters consumers could just be switched off for periods if the AI facility needed more power - could that ever be a possibility?

I can't see why AI would be better at finding potholes than people who drive on the roads - surely it would be better to fund councils well so that they can set up an efficient reporting & repair service? Is it only mentioned to make people think they'll get a benefit they care about?

Why does it worsen student outcomes & add to workload? Because students are using AI to write essays & you have to check?

Oh, I did not know that about annulments!

I think today's service was more accidental good fortune timing wise than purposefully trying to be good at their jobs!! But I'm just happy I'm not still sat at the hospital waiting!

Puffin of the day. Obviously on the look out for dodgy AI crap.

The gerbils can either do Tunnocks with no one flying the helicopter or beetle with pilot!

Hum.
Well, I'm thoroughly in favour of the U.K. being at the forefront of developing AI and other computer technology, and I'd be very much in favour of anything that will then prevent it all then being bought up by the Americans ... see DeepMimd and ARM. It's something this country is genuinely very good at.

But not under government control, that's usually the kiss of death. And absolutely not trying to use it prematurely and inappropriately.

@DrBlackbird agreed, AI is adding to my workload too. Keeps being touted as a way to reduce the amount of time we spend planning schemes of work and lectures, but it's worse than useless! And that's before you get into the students using it and thinking we won't notice.

Did anyone know we have a cricket pitch?

One of the DeepMind founders had his PhD funded by the place I worked for. We hoped he might remember us when he got terribly rich.

I have a Terf_Rocks rock for that!

Oh and of course we have a cricket pitch!

@DrBlackbird hiya I think we have a rule here that we take our coats and boots, and party politics, of at the door. No offence meant, i can go and do and read threads about the real world elsewhere. (Apart from funny looking women jokes)

I was the one who linked to the article, because it seems relevant to our experiences here with AI. I've racked up thousands of attempts at generating the correct image, & others must've done too. Some here have experience of other uses of AI. It seemed relevant & interesting.

Perhaps DrB could've said 'the government' instead of specifying a party in just one post? She did ask for hopeful views too. Maybe we should avoid talking about the govt at all & stick to the tech - although I managed to get in a mild dig at council highways who are my personal bete noire (& I think I might be theirs).😁

I agree about not mentioning things that could cause divisions here - it's far too valuable a little corner for that.