Complex Machinery
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#023 - We'll fix it in post
December 6, 2024
Fixing a genAI bot after it's been released into the wild. What an app failure can teach us about AI and risk. And more text summarization bots (because why not?).
#022 - Does this count?
November 25, 2024
When the computer says it happened, it happened. Right?
#021 - Of blink tags and niche content
November 19, 2024
GenAI is in its Geocities moment. Shocking bots. And learning to be quiet.
#020 - Silence is golden
November 1, 2024
Sometimes a bot's best bet is to say nothing.
#019 - Five types of magic
October 21, 2024
AI is magic. Or, AI performs magic. Here are five acts.
#018 - Robot jobs
October 1, 2024
Sometimes AI is a better fit for that task. Emphasis on "sometimes" -- there are dragons beyond that sweet spot.
#017 - Stacking the deck
September 24, 2024
Machines conquered Wall Street, then learned to play a mean game of poker.
#016 - Packaging up crime and mischief
September 15, 2024
AI use cases, as driven by fraud and stunts. And squeeze bottles.
#015 - The cookie connection
August 22, 2024
Slowly grinding our way to "The" AI use case.
#014 - Embers and ashes
August 10, 2024
More lessons from the CrowdStrike incident, Main Street's view of AI, and what Worldcom's 2002 collapse might tell us about AI.
#013 - Blue screen for armageddon
July 27, 2024
A complex system is its own worst enemy.
#012 - Dirt in the AI machine
July 20, 2024
Welcome to the shadier corners of AI.
#011 - Wishing it into existence
July 10, 2024
(Photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash) AI's popularity stems from three main sources: Typical fad dynamics. Companies see something getting attention, so they...
#010 - The looming AI debt wall
June 19, 2024
How soon till AI's easy money runs out?
#009 - Turnabout is AI play
June 7, 2024
(Photo by Ozark Drones on Unsplash) Dialing it back a bit Well that was quite the turnaround. Last week I mentioned Google's "AI Overviews" system. The one...
#008 - One step closer to Skynet
May 28, 2024
(Photo by Mathew Schwartz on Unsplash) Last month I noted four ways that the AI field is sabotaging its image. This time around I'll share two recent...
#007 - Asking the important questions
May 15, 2024
(Photo by Pieter on Unsplash) Inflated expectations Before we ask "Is AI in a bubble?" we need to answer "Why would an AI bubble matter?" For those who are...
#006 - 'Tis just a wee bit of AI fatigue, is all
April 29, 2024
(Photo by Cris Saur on Unsplash) Reading the last few newsletters, you might get the impression that I dislike AI. Or that Complex Machinery is some Hater's...
#005 - Broken robots and hidden expenses
April 17, 2024
(Photo by Rudi Endresen on Unsplash) I've been thinking about the list of high-profile AI mishaps, including the one involving the official NYC chatbot....
#004 - When your car talks to everyone but you
March 30, 2024
"I'm afraid I can't keep that to myself, Dave" (Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash) GM has been stress-testing the adage "there's no such thing as bad...
#003 – It's a bot's world, we just live in it
March 15, 2024
(Photo by robin mikalsen on Unsplash) Outpace and replace: next-gen bot arena Need a guidebook for data science/machine learning/AI? Check out algorithmic...
#002 - It's still a wild animal
February 28, 2024
(Photo by Erik-Jan Leusink on Unsplash) Do companies dream of functioning AI? (With apologies to Philip K. Dick.) Companies are just head over heels about...
#001 – Nothing's real but the fakery
February 8, 2024
(Photo by Nijwam Swargiary on Unsplash) Real deep fakes Generative AI is fascinating. People now have the ability to create a synthetic representation of a...
#000 – Too much time in the wilderness
January 29, 2024
(Photo by Guilherme Stecanella on Unsplash) Skeleton crew This New York Times piece is a write-up on modern-day train robberies. It doubles as a lesson about...