Around 70% of the world celebrated the new year
That is, according to AI. It is a quick and convenient way to ask questions that might not be so straight forward when entering the query into a search engine. It notes that China, India and Islamic countries observe different calendars, celebrating new year on different dates. But then I wondered, don't Jewish people have a different calendar as well? A further inquiry verified that suspicion and i gave me the answer that Rosh Hashanah was celebrated there.
Convenient ignorance
That's essentially my summary of many AI interactions. It gives simple and quick answers, but they are often incomplete. Only upon further questioning it gives more accurate answers, but that is dependent on being able to ask them in the first place. I would be surprised if the majority of users inquire further when receiving answers, giving them essentially incomplete information.
We never really have complete information for anything. Our knowledge is highly limited and the more we know, the more we realize how limited it is. So the idiom "ignorance is bliss" really does seem to be true.
So how should we use AI? I think it is important that we realize the limitation of this technology and always question its authority. As soon as we take the answers as truths, we may act on half truths which can lead to all kinds of different problems. When using search engines, we have to use more of our brain to discern facts from falsehoods and also constantly evaluate the new information with the "facts" we already know. This process, while slower and harder, is much better for learning as we engage with the content much more directly and intimately.
I am not against AI, but it's clear to me that relying on it is going to be problematic. There are many cases where it is useful and a quick and simple answer may very well all we need for the moment. So I still in the process of understanding how to use it in the most efficient way. Often, I am accustomed to the "old ways" when AI can be much faster and precise and we will probably still have many years ahead of us for figuring this out as a society. There still is the first mover advantage.
So, happy New Year?
If you celebrated New Year last night: Happy New Year to you! And if not, then I still hope you will have a successful rest of the year!
Personally, I think 2025 is going to be quite exciting, especially for Hive. The floodgates have opened, and many new things are launching very soon. Here is to a successful year to all of us!
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