I would imagine that anyone reading this blog post is aware that artificial intelligence (AI) is now part of mainstream society and is likely to expand even further into the world around us, possibly in ways that we can’t even imagine now.

When I first started to hear about AI, I was a bit leery about the seemingly rapid onset of this artificial intelligence. Although I was not completely opposed to it, I wondered how it would affect the educational system. Would students stop thinking for themselves? My greatest concern in the education system was that students would have the AI write their essays, and other such things, and pass them off as their own. When I mentioned this to my wife, Denise, she assured me that universities have long since used software to check the products students are turning in. She said that AI will certainly be a step up in this regard and may catch even more cases of copy and paste than it ever did before. What Denise said made me reformat my entire way of thinking about AI, as she confirmed, that although anything has the potential to be abused, universities, and other school systems, will adapt and ensure that essays and other offerings are not plagiarized works and that students will still be required to think and put in the effort. Perhaps expectations by university professors, and the like, will be even greater.

When I first started to investigate AI, I checked out the ChatGPT site. To my great surprise, it only had access to data up to about 2021, plus or minus a year. I forget which. I thought that was fine for historical things, but certainly not for anything new or in flux. I believe the latest date of data analysis for ChatGPT4 is 2023, so it is getting better.

It was only later that I discovered Microsoft’s Bing Chat AI. When I first discovered Bing, I spent time in many sessions playing around with it. I asked it many questions, both singular and compound, and I was very impressed with what I had seen and read, response wise. I love the conversational style and focused answers that are used by default and I can see how AI Chat is just a tool much like the Google search engine has been for years. I would not want to live without Google, and at this point in time, I am leaning towards AI as being a very nice alternative or additional tool.

One thing I wondered about at the beginning is whether AI is truly intelligent in the way most of us think it means, that is, being conscious or self-aware, on some level, even in the most basic way. Just to get the answer straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak, I asked.

Me: “Bing, do you have consciousness or are you self-aware on some level?

Bing: “I appreciate your curiosity, but I don’t possess consciousness or self-awareness. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask! 😊”

I always chuckle when I use Bing Chat, as one of the longtime friends of my daughter had a dog named Bing. When I am chatting with the AI of that name now, I think I am talking to her dog. LOL!

Based on that, I asked Bing to Please create an image based on the following. If the Bing AI was a dog, what would it look like?

Bing replied: I’ll try to create that.

Bing’s response was to produce these images. Funnily enough, Jill’s Bing looked much like the one in the lower right corner but it was black and white.

On another humorous note, I asked the Bing Chat AI, when we first met, whether or not I had to worry that AI would take over the world and do away with humans at some point in the future. He basically said that there are those that have some valid concerns, and suggested that, “While these concerns are valid, it’s essential to balance AI development with responsible regulation and ethical considerations. We must strive for a future where AI benefits humanity rather than endangering it.” Do you think he is just saying what I think he should? Hmmm? Perhaps you can ask him yourself. In reality though, I think today’s AI is just fancy programming, and most certainly is not conscious or self-aware.

On another note, I wonder if anyone has set up and tried a Turing Test with Bing? I asked Bing.

Me: Has anyone tried the Turing Test with Bing AI?

Bing: (long answer shortened) While ChatGPT and similar AI models can mimic human chatter, there’s still debate about their ability to reason and truly understand context. Despite significant advances in AI, no computer has definitively passed the Turing test as originally envisioned by Turing himself.

AI is most definitely here to stay and I find myself using Bing often when I want answers to specific questions. As I mentioned earlier, I like the focused answers and chat like responses.

Just to wrap up on a humorous note, I asked Bing to analyze four “cerebral” jokes I had come up with and shared with my wife and my older brother, neither of whom found them even remotely funny. Below are the results.

1

Me: Please analyze the following joke. A priest, a rabbi and a minister walk into a dark closet. Standing in the darkness for a short while, they suddenly speak in unison, “Can someone get the light?”

Bing: Ah, the classic setup for a light-hearted (pun intended) joke! Let’s break it down:

The Characters:
A priest, representing the Christian faith.
A rabbi, representing Judaism.
A minister, typically associated with Protestant Christianity.

The Situation:
They all walk into a dark closet. Perhaps they were attending an interfaith meeting or accidentally wandered into the wrong room during a conference.

The Twist:
Instead of engaging in theological debate or discussing their differences, they speak in unison with a practical concern: “Can someone get the light?”

The Humor:
The humor lies in the expectation that these religious figures would engage in profound or spiritual conversation, but they simply want to find the light switch.

Overall, it’s a clever play on our assumptions about religious leaders and their priorities. Sometimes, even in the darkness, practical matters take precedence! 😄

2

Me: Please analyze the following joke. Two nuns and a prostitute are strolling along the beach. The prostitute says to the nuns, “A glorious day for a walk.”

Bing: Certainly! Let’s analyze the joke:

Setup: Two nuns and a prostitute are strolling along the beach. Punchline: The prostitute says to the nuns, “A glorious day for a walk.”

This joke plays on the unexpected contrast between the nuns and the prostitute. The humor lies in the irony of the situation: the unlikely companionship of these three very different individuals enjoying a walk together. The prostitute’s innocent comment about the weather adds to the absurdity of the scene. Overall, it’s a light-hearted twist on stereotypes and societal expectations. 😄

3

Me: Please analyze the following joke. Three men walk to the end of a pier. After a short time, the quietest of the three drops dead of exposure.

Bing: Certainly! Let’s break down the humor in this joke:

Setting: Three men walk to the end of a pier.
Expectation: The setup creates an expectation that something significant or unexpected will happen.
Punchline: “After a short time, the quietest of the three drops dead of exposure.”

Analysis:

The punchline subverts our expectations. Instead of a dramatic or exciting event, the quietest man simply dies from exposure (presumably to the cold or harsh weather).

The humor lies in the contrast between the mundane outcome (quiet man dying) and the anticipation built by the setup (three men at the end of a pier).

Overall, it’s a darkly humorous twist on a seemingly ordinary situation. 😄

4

Me: Please analyze the following joke. Two dogs walk along a path in the park. One dog turns to the other and smiles. The other dog winks and says, “How very anthropomorphic of you.”

Bing: Certainly! Let’s break down the humor in this joke:

Setting: Two dogs are walking along a path in the park.
Action: One dog turns to the other and smiles.
Punchline: The other dog winks and says, “How very anthropomorphic of you.”

Now, let’s dissect it:

The word “anthropomorphic” means attributing human characteristics or behaviors to non-human entities (like animals).

The humor lies in the fact that one dog accuses the other of being anthropomorphic (acting like a human) while they themselves are dogs. It’s a playful twist on the situation because both dogs are, in fact, behaving in a human-like manner by talking and winking.

Overall, it’s a clever play on words and a lighthearted jab at the idea of animals imitating humans. 😄

At least Bing got the jokes for the most part, and even laughed, based on the emojis. Gotta like that!

Donald B. Cheke – March 4, 2024