Do You Use an AI?

[Mushroom]

Spell checkers are a form of AI

Not really, they have been around for over six decades now.

They are also just an algorithm that compares words with a dictionary, nothing more and nothing less. And by the early 1980s every word processor had them, as well as many TSR ones that were software independent (and I knew of nobody that considered Borland's "Sidekick" spell checker to be "AI"). Even the IBM DisplayWriter had one in 1980. I had one on my Commodore 64 in 1984.

If somebody is going as far as declare Spell Checkers are "AI", then quite literally anything on a computer is AI. Even the enemies moving back and forth in Space Invaders is "AI". OXO in 1952 is "AI". When you play The Sims, those are all AI.

Of course, I also see no real difference between any of those and what most people are calling "AI". It is just another brainless and mindless algorithm, that simply pulls from a larger database. Nothing more and nothing less.

 

[Mushroom]

There is a BIG difference between AI assisted google search or apps and intentionally invoking AI to write a term paper or short story for you, or write your song lyrics for you, or assist you in creating or improving your music track to give a few examples.

From what I am seeing, many are considering anything done by a computer as "AI".

The ghosts in Pac-Man? AI. Archie, the first Internet search engine? AI. The NPCs that you meet in Fallout? AI. "Ask Jeeves" over two decades ago is obviously AI.

To them, absolutely everything is AI. Which once again simply shows that they do not really know what AI is, and have bought into all the hype about it.

Me, having a hardware and programming history going back over five decades I simply see yet another algorithm. One that simply pulls from a larger database. But it is still just an algorithm, nothing more and nothing less. And it is no more "intelligent" than Eliza was in 1966.

 

[Nobody911]

I have been using AI as a communication aid. Some people don't speak English, and AI-generated images can be humorous. Yes, AI is handy and useful!

As of 2025, approximately 378 million people worldwide are projected to be using AI in everyday life, with this number growing rapidly each year. Additionally, scaled globally, around 1.7 to 1.8 billion people have used AI tools, with 500 to 600 million engaging with AI daily. AI is used for various purposes including online search, customer service, workplace productivity, virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, personalized content and shopping recommendations, navigation, healthcare applications, and creative tasks such as writing and image generation. forbes+2

Numbers and Growth

• Global AI users are expected to reach 378 million in 2025, up from 116 million five years ago, marking significant adoption growth.

• Over 1.7 billion people have tried AI tools globally, with about half a billion using AI daily.

• The AI market is expanding rapidly, projected to be worth $244 billion in 2025 with continued strong growth through the decade. edge-ai-vision+2

Common Uses of AI in Daily Life

• Virtual assistants: Managing tasks, answering questions, setting alarms.

• Personalized content: Recommendations on platforms like Netflix, Amazon, social media feeds.

• Communication aid: Writing emails, managing to-do lists, researching topics.

• Health and wellness: AI-driven diagnostics, fitness trackers, telemedicine.

• Navigation: AI-enabled traffic apps and autonomous vehicle features.

• Creative tasks: AI for creating images, supporting writing, and digital art. elfsight+2

This widespread use shows AI is deeply embedded in many facets of daily living around the world. menlovc+2

sources:

1. 20 Mind-Blowing AI Statistics Everyone Must Know About Now
2. 20+ Key Statistics on How Many People Use AI
3. Unveiling the Future: AI Usage Stats You Need to Know
4. Global AI Adoption to Surge 20%, Exceeding 378 Million Users in 2025 - Edge AI and Vision Alliance
5. 2025: The State of Consumer AI | Menlo Ventures
6. https://www.tableau.com/data-insights/ai/examples
7. AI Statistics In 2025: Key Trends And Usage Data
8. Number of AI tool users worldwide| Statista
9. Artificial intelligence in daily life: Views and experiences
10. Public Awareness of Artificial Intelligence in Everyday Activities

 

[Flopper]

Oh I know what little I use AI. I use driving apps about once a year. I do not use personalized streaming recommendations. I do use search engines but I use actual thought also. I hate AI customer service and will spend all the time I need to talk to actual humans. Hate to disillusion you but I use no software of any kind to write.
I know only too well how little I use AI and I despise the fact so many rely upon it because it is so easy to be lazy. No matter how bad it is in reality

The statement, "it is so easy to be lazy" means more time to do other tasks.

 

[Flopper]

Not really, they have been around for over six decades now.

They are also just an algorithm that compares words with a dictionary, nothing more and nothing less. And by the early 1980s every word processor had them, as well as many TSR ones that were software independent (and I knew of nobody that considered Borland's "Sidekick" spell checker to be "AI"). Even the IBM DisplayWriter had one in 1980. I had one on my Commodore 64 in 1984.

If somebody is going as far as declare Spell Checkers are "AI", then quite literally anything on a computer is AI. Even the enemies moving back and forth in Space Invaders is "AI". OXO in 1952 is "AI". When you play The Sims, those are all AI.

Of course, I also see no real difference between any of those and what most people are calling "AI". It is just another brainless and mindless algorithm, that simply pulls from a larger database. Nothing more and nothing less.

About the only similarity between a spell checker and a text processing AI is both work by making comparisons. A spell checker compares a word against a dictionary file of words. An AI works by forming patterns and comparing them against a vast store house of information.

 

[Maxdeath]

The statement, "it is so easy to be lazy" means more time to do other tasks.

If that is really what happens instead of just kicking back

 

[Freedomisneverfree]

I used AI once and posted the results here, I asked AI who was going to win in 2028 and it said: "Vance wins in 2028"

 

[Flopper]

The statement, "it is so easy to be lazy" means more time to do other tasks.

For example I ask an AI to give me a comparison of EV's battery life, warranty on the battery and replacement cost.

In about 5 seconds it gave me a summary. followed by a list of variables. Then answered a couple of question and it gave a model by model break down.

I spent less than 5 minutes doing this. Had I done all the research, it would have taken at least several hours, possibly all day.
Using an AI in doing research can resulted in a tenfold or greater increase in productivity.

 

[Flopper]

I used AI once and posted the results here, I asked AI who was going to win in 2028 and it said: "Vance wins in 2028"

You must be asking the GOP AI.

I ask Chatgpt the same question and got the following answer followed by a number of items that could effect the election.

"No one knows who will win the 2028 presidential election. The outcome is still far too uncertain, and it is impossible to predict with accuracy this far in advance. The election will depend on many factors that are unknown today, including the candidates who ultimately run and the political climate at the time."

 

[JohnDB]

Fueled by AI....

 

[westwall]

Have you used an AI to accomplish a task?

If so, which one do you use?

Do you understand the parameters surrounding the answers it gives?

Did you use the information provided to assist you in making your decision?

Have you used one of the prompts published to ask your questions?

I've been testing the various AI's to find equipment, what equipment exists, what options I might need and materials that might be better.

I can tell you that without a doubt....Google AI (essentially Chat GPT) is as corrupt as they come. Completely controlled by advertising $$$. DO NOT TRUST IT.

Perplexity seems Ok....it gives citations...especially when citations matter.

Grok....relies a LOT on opinion instead of facts....it's always the "internet Social Media" answer.

Nope

 

[Mushroom]

For example I ask an AI to give me a comparison of EV's battery life, warranty on the battery and replacement cost.

And it does not actually compute or calculate anything. It just looks to see if the solution is already among their sources. And if it can not find an exact match, it shows the one that is closest to what it thinks you are asking.

In other words, just another form of search engine.

And all you are doing is showing over and over is that you really do not know what "AI" is, so you simply say everything is AI.

 

[JohnDB]

And it does not actually compute or calculate anything. It just looks to see if the solution is already among their sources. And if it can not find an exact match, it shows the one that is closest to what it thinks you are asking.

In other words, just another form of search engine.

And all you are doing is showing over and over is that you really do not know what "AI" is, so you simply say everything is AI.

Ummmm
That's what AI is....a form of a search engine with a updated HMI .

It's not really "thinking" even if it claims to.

AI is a 2 dimensional construct functioning in a 3 dimensional world. It only searches and finds data and processes it.

 

[Mushroom]

It's not really "thinking" even if it claims to.

I know that, but a hell of a lot of people do not get that and believe it actually "thinks".

 

[MarathonMike]

From what I am seeing, many are considering anything done by a computer as "AI".

The ghosts in Pac-Man? AI. Archie, the first Internet search engine? AI. The NPCs that you meet in Fallout? AI. "Ask Jeeves" over two decades ago is obviously AI.

To them, absolutely everything is AI. Which once again simply shows that they do not really know what AI is, and have bought into all the hype about it.

Me, having a hardware and programming history going back over five decades I simply see yet another algorithm. One that simply pulls from a larger database. But it is still just an algorithm, nothing more and nothing less. And it is no more "intelligent" than Eliza was in 1966

I remember AI in the 1980s using Lisp and Prolog languages. There was an AI group at my company that was trying to develop a "smart" production line. It failed miserably because there wasn't enough processing power to train the robots to do anything but very rudimentary tasks.

Today's AI is different because of the massive processing power and equally massive knowledge databases the algorithms can draw from. The end result is AI doing a reasonable approximation of human driven tasks and creativity. The AI of the 80s could never replace the staff in a fast food joint or produce art or music of "reasonable quality". Today's AI can. It is so powerful and expanding so quickly I believe it will have a negative impact on humanity.

 

[Mushroom]

Today's AI is different because of the massive processing power and equally massive knowledge databases the algorithms can draw from.

But it is still no "smarter". It simply pulls from more data. And that can be compounded by what sources it is pulling data from.

Those of us that understand computers and programming know it is all just algorithms and databases. It is the "others" that keep trying to give it magical abilities. No different than stealth, DNA, or anything else they simply can not understand.

 

[MarathonMike]

But it is still no "smarter". It simply pulls from more data. And that can be compounded by what sources it is pulling data from.

Those of us that understand computers and programming know it is all just algorithms and databases. It is the "others" that keep trying to give it magical abilities. No different than stealth, DNA, or anything else they simply can not understand.

I had a very long career in software engineering, spare me the condescension. It is not about trying to impart "magical abilities" to modern AI. But it's impact will be every bit as big as the internet. And possibly more detrimental.

 

[ThisIsMe]

Have you used an AI to accomplish a task?

If so, which one do you use?

Do you understand the parameters surrounding the answers it gives?

Did you use the information provided to assist you in making your decision?

Have you used one of the prompts published to ask your questions?

I've been testing the various AI's to find equipment, what equipment exists, what options I might need and materials that might be better.

I can tell you that without a doubt....Google AI (essentially Chat GPT) is as corrupt as they come. Completely controlled by advertising $$$. DO NOT TRUST IT.

Perplexity seems Ok....it gives citations...especially when citations matter.

Grok....relies a LOT on opinion instead of facts....it's always the "internet Social Media" answer.

I always thought AI was just an aggregate. You ask it a question and it goes onto the internet and finds an answer for you.

At this point, it's basically just a glorified search engine. Now in the future, it might become more than that. At least that's the way I understand it. We're not at the point where AI can actually give its own opinions. Yet.

 

[ThisIsMe]

It might be of use and you didn't realize it.

Newer cabinet materials are coming online that were developed by AI. Wood that is every bit as durable and water/oil resistant as steel...but completely a wood finish and lightweight as wood. (It does tend to dull everything but carbide bits and edges)

Oh, it has its uses.It's great for research for finding information.It'll do all the work for you. Like I said, it's just a glorified search engine, currently.

 

[MarathonMike]

I always thought AI was just an aggregate. You ask it a question and it goes onto the internet and finds an answer for you.

At this point, it's basically just a glorified search engine. Now in the future, it might become more than that. At least that's the way I understand it. We're not at the point where AI can actually give its own opinions. Yet.

Look up "AI generators" as one example of how far AI has advanced.