AI-Washing
The Great AI-pocalypse of 2024
By Geoffrey Hoppe
Featuring literary AI enhancements!*
( CLICK ON PLAYER TO BEGIN LISTENING TO THE AUDIO VERSION OF THE ARTICLE )
In the year 2024, I predict a seismic shift in the world of trends. Move over avocado toast and kale smoothies. There’s a new sheriff in town, and its name is AI. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has taken over as the trendiest buzzword, the alpha and omega of cool.
For the past 100 years, the most powerful words in advertising have been the two classics: “free” and “new.” These days, at the click of a mouse, they are relegated to the back alleys now that AI is the new sheriff in town. After all, who needs “free” and “new” when you can have “AI-enhanced”?
AI has become the crown jewel of trends, the trendiest buzzword since gluten-free, artisanal or antioxidant came to town. But, as with any trend, there’s always a flip side. In this case, it’s a flip side so comically absurd that even Siri herself might chuckle. Welcome to the era of AI-washing, where everything from your toaster to your socks and toothbrush is getting an “intelligent” upgrade. AI-washing means the overuse and abuse of the term AI in marketing, where little or no AI actually exists.
Picture this: you walk into your favorite coffee shop, and instead of the usual menu, you’re greeted by a holographic barista with a pixelated grin. “Welcome to Quantum Brews, where our coffee is brewed with AI precision,” it exclaims, as if your morning caffeine fix needed an algorithmic touch. The beans may be ethically sourced, but are they ethically sourced by a sentient coffee bean-picking robot?
The AI-pocalypse has infiltrated every aspect of our lives, from the moment we wake up to the second we lay our heads on AI-enhanced pillows. But the real knee-slapper lies in the world of AI-washed products – items that boast artificial intelligence capabilities but are about as smart as a rubber chicken in a chess match against Deep Blue.
The fact is, it’s really not true AI; at this point, it’s really not. Sure, there might be a little more computing power in that new gizmo you just bought because it said it was AI-enhanced, but true AI is more than adding an extra chip to your smart lightbulb. Take for example the new Oral-B brand electric toothbrush I got for Christmas. Right on the front of the box, in shiny foil lettering, it says “Genius A.I. Rechargeable Toothbrush.” Wow. Ten years ago, I would have never imagined having my teeth brushed by genius Artificial Intelligence. This Oral-B dental cleaner came with an app that tells me if I’m brushing too soft or hard, and keeps track of my total brushing time. It shows the region of mouth where I am currently brushing, although I could kind of figure that out on my own. I scored a 90% during my test brushing. But the truth is, it is not true AI. It’s just regular computing technology. This is yet another example of AI-washing.
Let’s go into the kitchen, where the AI-toaster has taken center stage, promising a level of toasting sophistication that would make even the most discerning bread connoisseur weep with joy. It claims to analyze your toasting preferences, adjusting its settings based on the lunar calendar, your wheat tolerance, and the current stock market trends. But for all its high-tech promises, users are finding that their AI-toaster has a rebellious streak, burning their morning bagels and popping up with the audacity of a toaster that’s just won the lottery. Who knew artificial intelligence could be so…testy?
Moving on to the wardrobe, the fashion industry has declared an all-out AI takeover. AI-powered clothing adapts to your mood, your surroundings and your level of perspiration. Picture this: you’re wearing an AI-enhanced shirt that’s supposed to shift color based on your emotional state. Unfortunately, your shirt seems to think that the emotion du jour is “confused,” leaving you looking like a walking Rorschach test.
In the dating scene, romance has been replaced by algorithms with the introduction of the AI Cupid app. This revolutionary matchmaking service claims to use state-of-the-art computations to find your perfect match. I think Shaumbra should develop an AI-enhanced dating app. We could call it DivineDataDate®. The user would enter all of their information, likes and dislikes, personal history and photos. After hours of user prepping, the AI algorithm would spin around for a few moments to make it look like it was doing its AI data-date thing. No matter what, AI would always come up with the same perfect soulmate: You. Duh.
But the AI-washing craze doesn’t stop there. Even our beloved pets are not safe. Enter the AI-enhanced dog collar, a technological marvel that promises to translate your furry friend’s barks and whines into actual human language. Humans are buying it and pets are hating it.
In reality, this collar seems to have only three settings: “urgent bathroom needs” and “give me more treats” and “rub my belly.” As a dog lover myself, I almost ordered 10 units. One for Belle, and the other nine for humans I have a hard time understanding.
Ready to go to bed with AI? Furniture company HEKA has just launched what they’re calling the world’s first AI mattress, which can autonomously recognize and adapt to a sleeper’s needs in real time. This bad boy costs anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000.
The most expensive version of the mattress comes in at $280,000 (!). But is it really AI, or a slick marketing hook to get people to pay 10 times more than a regular mattress that does basically the same thing? I’d be willing to pay big bucks for an AI dream program that creates a nice spa environment rather than dreaming of being chased through bad parts of town, or dreaming of forgetting my high school locker combination.
Even your local pub is subject to AI-washing. “The Beer Fingerprinting Project” is Carlsberg’s latest research project that deploys AI-based sensors to rapidly detect flavors and aromas of beer. This sensor technology for flavor determination can reduce the time taken to innovate and develop a new beer flavor by up to 30 percent. But is it really AI, or just a nice promotional gimmick to attract geeky beer drinkers?
Moving on to the wardrobe, the fashion industry has declared an all-out AI takeover. AI-powered clothing adapts to your mood, your surroundings and your level of perspiration. Picture this: you’re wearing an AI-enhanced shirt that’s supposed to shift color based on your emotional state. Unfortunately, your shirt seems to think that the emotion du jour is “confused,” leaving you looking like a walking Rorschach test.
In the dating scene, romance has been replaced by algorithms with the introduction of the AI Cupid app. This revolutionary matchmaking service claims to use state-of-the-art computations to find your perfect match. I think Shaumbra should develop an AI-enhanced dating app. We could call it DivineDataDate®. The user would enter all of their information, likes and dislikes, personal history and photos. After hours of user prepping, the AI algorithm would spin around for a few moments to make it look like it was doing its AI data-date thing. No matter what, AI would always come up with the same perfect soulmate: You. Duh.
But the AI-washing craze doesn’t stop there. Even our beloved pets are not safe. Enter the AI-enhanced dog collar, a technological marvel that promises to translate your furry friend’s barks and whines into actual human language. Humans are buying it and pets are hating it.
In reality, this collar seems to have only three settings: “urgent bathroom needs” and “give me more treats” and “rub my belly.” As a dog lover myself, I almost ordered 10 units. One for Belle, and the other nine for humans I have a hard time understanding.
Ready to go to bed with AI? Furniture company HEKA has just launched what they’re calling the world’s first AI mattress, which can autonomously recognize and adapt to a sleeper’s needs in real time. This bad boy costs anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000.
The most expensive version of the mattress comes in at $280,000 (!). But is it really AI, or a slick marketing hook to get people to pay 10 times more than a regular mattress that does basically the same thing? I’d be willing to pay big bucks for an AI dream program that creates a nice spa environment rather than dreaming of being chased through bad parts of town, or dreaming of forgetting my high school locker combination.
Even your local pub is subject to AI-washing. “The Beer Fingerprinting Project” is Carlsberg’s latest research project that deploys AI-based sensors to rapidly detect flavors and aromas of beer. This sensor technology for flavor determination can reduce the time taken to innovate and develop a new beer flavor by up to 30 percent. But is it really AI, or just a nice promotional gimmick to attract geeky beer drinkers?
We’re just seeing the start of the AI-pocalypse, the overuse and abuse of the term “AI” in nearly every part of our lives. This AI-washing is making its way into the cosmetics industry with “AI” skin analysis, into your closet with robotic vacuum cleaners that know all your dirt, and into your living room with AI-assisted programming help that tells you what type of shows and movies to watch based on some obscure algorithm.
Now, while we’re all enjoying this AI circus, it’s essential to remember that there’s a more serious side to the rise of artificial intelligence. Beyond the hilarity of AI-toasters and mood shirts lies a profound truth – AI is not just a buzzword or a trend. It’s a technological frontier that will reshape our world in ways we can’t even fathom.
As we revel in the humor of AI-washing, it’s crucial to acknowledge that this trend is, in many ways, a distraction. The real conversation we should be having is not about the comedic misadventures of AI-enhanced gadgets but about the ethical implications, privacy concerns, and potential threats that true artificial intelligence poses to humanity.
While we’re busy giggling at our AI-written sitcoms, experts are quietly raising alarms about the need for robust regulations, ethical guidelines, and thoughtful discussions surrounding the development and deployment of artificial intelligence. The real issue at hand isn’t the quirky behavior of AI-toasters; it’s the responsibility we bear as a society to ensure that AI is channeled to be a help in everyday life on the planet, not to become an uncontrollable/unmanageable force.
In the coming decades, we will face challenges and opportunities that extend far beyond the realm of AI-washing. The potential benefits of AI are vast – from medical breakthroughs to solving complex global challenges. However, with great power comes great responsibility. It’s time for us to shift our focus from the humorous side of AI to the real issues that demand our attention.
So, as we laugh at the antics of our AI-enhanced gadgets and revel in the absurdity of the AI-washing trend, let’s not forget that the real AI challenge lies ahead. It’s time to embrace the possibilities of AI while ensuring that we navigate this brave new world with the wisdom and foresight it demands. The future may be AI-chic, but it’s up to us to make sure it’s also ethical, responsible, and truly transformative for the safer development of humanity. That’s where our light comes into play. As Adamus so boldly points out, the only thing that will assure that AI is used to better the world is the light of our consciousness. This light is our own form of AI – Angelic Inspiration.
* Just for grins, I ran my first draft of this article through ChatGPT. I was pissed! The stupid AI did a better job of writing my article than I had, so I threw most of it out.
lol “One for Belle, and the other nine for humans I have a hard time understanding” …same here.
Personally, I don’t like AI and I think there is another risk, that of relying totally on AI, losing the ability to reason and discern, and therefore not being fully responsible for one’s actions and choices, or be conditioned.
Hi Geoff,
Happy New Year to you and Linda.
Not sure how to write this without sounding too negative. But, what happened to the shorter, and therefore, sweeter articles in Shaumbra Magazine?
In the past, I can’t wait for a new Shaumbra Magazine to be published. I used to just dive right in and start reading the articles, for they were enjoyable and to the point. But, sadly, not anymore.
The new articles now are just way toooo looooong, they are not to the point anymore, they are becoming boring. Am I the only one feeling this way?
Please bring back the old format of shorter and sweeter articles. Thank you.
You are not.
Geoff, my preference is ‘your’ humor and storytelling. AI may come out with a a nicely formatted article, but it is not you!
Very true. I totally agree
Exactly, we are missing your energy, your essence, your wisdom. AI is flat and cold, and somehow irrelevant to Shaumbra. We are aiming to be in this world, not of this world. Maybe one day, it will, but at the moment it doesn’t help with that. If you want to include AI in Shaumbra Magazine, do it in a separate article.
Agree!
I was so glad to hear on NPR (national public radio) today that so many groups are now suing ChatGPT for various forms of copyright infringement. Writers, artists, and creators of all kinds are being violated by “AI.” I wonder if Geoff Hoppe and the Crimson Circle will also join the lawsuit against ChatGPT when you discover that your words are also being stolen and misused by this new technology.
Then I guess you’ll also have to come to terms with the fact that you’re also violating other’s copyrights by using AI generated artwork.
Excellent article, including the last two words. I wouldn’t put ChatGPT into the same category as an AI-washed toaster. In my opinion as a frequent user, the former has enough complexity and built-in ambiguity to be able to be inspired or piloted by consciousness, where the latter hardly has.
“AI” is certainly overused. But the true AI technology can be an amazing tool, if you feed it with the right data. For example in project management our life already got much easier with simple algorithm enhanced tools, but now with AI there are tools that take it to a whole new level. As long as you put in the right data, and you accommodate machine learning, you can get project plans, risk analysis and other artefacts that used to take us days to prepare within seconds. But AI will never take away the project managers real job, which is people management and leadership.
On the other hand it is also a great danger, if used in the wrong hands, as Adamus has also pointed out several times already. AI is only as good as the data provided, it doesn’t really think for itself, but it analysis the data it has. So you could for example start feeding ChatGPT – which is still in the learning phase – with absolute nonsense or dangerous falsehoods and it would spread it as perceived truth. In IT there is one major rule: “Garbage in – garbage out”.
For example in one of my cyber security projects we are currently in the machine learning phase of the implementation of a cyber security software that looks at data loss prevention. This software will double check that people are classifying the documents they produce correctly. So at the moment we are feeding sample documents into the system, for the system to understand the keywords we fed in and see the context they are being used in. It also helps us revisit our keywords and phrases to get more accurate. Once we start rolling this out, we will run into some problems, since we are also learning how to help the machine learning. Hence a pilot will always be done in the IT department, since they are the most likely to understand if the system makes wrong decisions during the learning phase.
Ok, to cut this long monolog about machine learning and AI short, we as shaumbra have an important role to play. Our shining the light will definitely influence the outcomes here. If we can influence the outcomes of terrorist attacks (see shoud 2 in the ascension series), then we can definitely influence the way AI works.
My challenge to all: Lets try to understand the basics of AI and how it works and lets keep shining this light. We need Love 2.0 integrated into AI!
Apreciez latura comică a lui Geoffrey
Thank you for the article
Love thé Angelic Inspiration
Can’t wait till Prognost
I always sad that,the term IA needs to be respected not misused . It’s like a baby,it should be loved and guided.We will be all responsible,not only the creator of this ,a will say new Life, technology!
Adorable! I love the new format audio/text. Blessings.
I am always looking forward to shaumbra magazine, to get inspiration, to laugh to get warm heart feelings of being connected of not being alone in this sometimes crazy world and to learn to cope with it. AI seems to be another challenge. Thanks for that even if it feels cold and please continue with more warm and lighter news.
Totally agree, what a strong article, pointing to the danger of that surficial (mis)use of the term AI, underestimating the real potenzial and how to deal with it to the best of mankind. Again an example how much the conciousness light shining is needed at least to balance.
Well, I love the new format (audio/text). But Beate Ch. is right – it really feels somewhat … cold. Too much AI and too little of Geoff? It is good, yes, but …
Still, thank you!
I’m not really into discussing AI anymore. So that’s that. See ya around next time, Geoff and team.
Excellent article Geoff. Little warning to Shaumbra – be aware not to be caught and washed by AI.
Shaumbra is smart and I love new spelling of AI – Angel Inspiration – cool !
Angelic Inspiration, wonderful words inspired by your Angelic Consciousness. A big Real Inspired hug Geoffrey. Have a magnificent new Inspired 2024.
Thank you, Geoff. I’ve been nervous about AI, but not my light. I listened and chuckled (nice touch with the audio by the way) and felt so much better after listening.
Kim
Chuckled and laughed. Thanks for that. I have not kept up much with tech, but enough to know copious amounts of discernment and consciousness are going to be necessary. Thanks to those who are keeping up and beyond!
Personally I don’t want to read an AI article here. Geoffrey Hoppe energy is a much more pleasant read
!
To be completely honest – I couldn’t read Cauldre’s article to the end. I was disappointed because somehow I couldn’t feel Cauldre in it, and the article – it didn’t feel like Shaumbra. It’s hard for me to say this because I appreciate and love Cauldre beyond measure for all his work and I’m so very grateful for it – but I wish the warmth and ‘soulfulness’ from old articles was back.
Brigitte K.
I always look forward to reading Geoff’s article. I love and enjoy his articles. We must let go of the old and embrace the new. Adamus said if you are not ready to move forward, then leave. Keep up the good work Geoff!
Oops! So Jeff and Adamus ended up with AI, not an article but a complete distraction!!! And not a word about the heavenly cross and visible changes in the life of every Shaumbra!!!! Apparently, Jeff, there’s nothing to say((good luck!
Thanks Geoffrey for posting this in Audio. Reading isn’t always easy for me but listening is. Great to have the option for either.
Even though AI gives humans such ease in their daily life, the danger of depending on it seems to be forgotten, or at the very least “on the back burner”. Isn’t this what AI is aiming for, dependency on it and not your own human self. What are the consequences of that. I still get the shivers remembering when Geoff chanelled AI some time ago. The last words I heard before channel ended was “destroy it now”. Hopefully Shaumbra are smarter than most humans?
Thank you for sharing the audio version of this article. I enjoyed listening to it and look forward this feature in the future.
Obrigada Geoff pelo artigo. Venha a Inspiração Angélica.
Há 45 anos, quando estava o começar a licenciatura em Informática, fiquei maravilhada ao descobrir como os computadores podiam ajudar o ser humano. Depois disso, já a trabalhar como informática, fiquei desiludida por ver como o potencial estava a ser usado para controlar os trabalhadores, muito mais do que para lhes facilitar o trabalho. Temos agora novos potenciais. Venha a Inspiração Angélica e muita luz. Isso sim, acredito que faça a diferença.
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Thank you for your AI enhanced Article :-)! I myself, use ChatGPT when writing technical documents, because it improves the wording and sounds more eloquent but the energy is somewhat missing after the “enhancement” and I feel that the text is not mine anymore. I find it very interesting how we read words and at the same time sensing the energy in them. I enjoy reading your pure-Geoffrey (not-enhanced) articles.
The last sentence made me smile :-)!
Oh no, I find AI articles kinda dead, too “perfect” and over-edited. Much prefer your style of writing! Especially when you go on tangents sometimes here and there, or when the structure of paragraph is not perfect and clearly reflects an emotion.
Dear A.I. please bring us back the good old Geoffrey’s (100% human) articles… thank you !
I have been loving your YouTube videos and came here hoping to find a way to join the conversation. Is there a Facebook group or somewhere else I can converse with other Adamus Saint-Germain followers?
Love & blessings,
Shon
You’re welcome to connect with Shaumbra in the Crimson Circle Group on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/5170369078 You can also follow the CC page (https://www.facebook.com/TheCrimsonCircle) and find a lot of other Shaumbra groups on Facebook.