AI for Sixtysomethings

Welcome back to Sixtysomething, the blog where we journey together through our most exciting decade! I'm Grace, your host. I'd like to start by saying a big thank you to everyone who gave such positive feedback on the grandkids episode. It was a joy to include that snippet of my grandgirls.

This week, we're diving into a subject that's buzzing everywhere: Artificial Intelligence, also known as AI. Let's kick things off with a joke for our special AI guests:

*A robot walks into a bar. The bartender asks, "What’ll you have?" The robot replies, "It’s been a long day, I need to loosen up. How about a screwdriver?"*

Okay, yes, we used to call them robots, and who wasn’t entranced by the idea? Remember Rosie from The Jetsons? Or how about B9 from Lost in Space? These iconic robots captured our imaginations. We have R2-D2 from Star Wars and even the menacing Terminator—all fascinating in their own right.

Robots and AI: From Fiction to Reality

Our society’s interest in robots goes way back. Rod Serling’s 65-year-old Twilight Zone episode "The Lonely" explored themes of isolation through a robot companion. Today, the fantastical is becoming real. For instance, an Android recently published a novel, and we have AI-driven cafes like Cafe X in San Francisco, where robot baristas make your coffee.

Incredible, right? Just last March, I met Lee Canal, the innovative owner of Modo Pizza at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament. Lee showed me his pizza robot that can churn out 180 pizzas an hour! Such innovations are moving into our daily lives rapidly.

Hits and Misses of AI

But let's not just romanticize AI; it has had its fair share of flops. Janelle Shane, an optics research scientist, programmed a computer to create recipes from 30,000 cookbooks. One result? "Treed to Nepal"—think "one hard-cooked apple mayonnaise, five cup lumps." Not quite Emeril-level cuisine.

Similarly, the Henna Hotel in Nagasaki, Japan, hired 243 robots for various duties. It ended up firing half of them due to frequent malfunctions. Even Amazon’s facial recognition software once matched 28 members of Congress to mugshots of criminals! Also, an Amazon Alexa in Hamburg once blared music so loud at night that police had to break in to pull the plug.

Ethical and Emotional Dimensions of AI

Despite these hiccups, the potential for human-AI relationships is intriguing. Kazuo Ishiguro's book "Klara and the Sun" delves into these themes, exploring the nuanced relationships between humans and AI. Social robots for the elderly and AI entities are becoming more sophisticated and might eventually offer deeper companionship.

I even had a personal experience with an AI health coach through Lark Health Care last year. It was intuitive and supportive—I loved it!

The Current Impact of AI

Unless you've been living off the grid, you know AI has made huge strides recently. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, for example, can write programs, compose music, and even help with personal issues. It's like Google on steroids! With recommendation systems on Amazon and Netflix and the introduction of AI models from Google and Microsoft, AI is already a part of our everyday lives.

Upcoming Advancements

In the next few years, we can expect AI to enhance healthcare, introduce more autonomous vehicles, and even create smart cities. In the coming decade, AI might revolutionize healthcare, education, and our daily interactions.

But it's not all futuristic dreams; some of these advances are around the corner. For instance, service robots in hospitality and banking, or eldercare robots, personal shopping assistants, and even construction robots might be here sooner than we think.

Benefits for Sixtysomethings

For us Sixtysomethings, AI offers numerous benefits:

1. **Assisting with Work:** AI can draft and edit content, manage schedules, and provide companionship.

2. **Enhanced Communication:** Real-time translations and speech-to-text features make it easier to stay in touch with loved ones.

3. **Health Monitoring:** Personalized health recommendations, virtual health assistants, and telemedicine services.

Common Fears and Ethical Considerations

Naturally, AI raises ethical concerns, like job displacement and data privacy. But as Andrew Ng said, "Worrying about AI is like worrying about overpopulation on Mars." We’re still a ways off from such immediate impacts, but it’s crucial to stay informed and integrate useful AI tools into daily life.

Conclusion

Embracing AI can significantly enrich our lives, making tasks easier and more enjoyable. From improving healthcare to enhancing communication, AI is here to help. If you haven’t yet, give ChatGPT or another AI service a try. You might just find a new assistant and friend.

Thank you for reading!