24 Comments
User's avatar
John Clark's avatar

Even exploring what AI can write for you as you is disturbing and should cause you pause.

Bob Dunning's avatar

John -

I comment on all sorts of issues. AI is certainly a huge topic these days. This was a perfect way for me to see firsthand what it is about and what it is capable of. I do not use AI, ever, for any reason, including in my writing. To begin with, it's not accurate. But, even if it was, I would still not use it in my writing. Not even as a suggestion.

Mark Honbo's avatar

'Tis a topic about which Bob has written, by the way. When my old office at UC Davis started using generative AI for recaps for football, women's basketball and baseball back in the late 2010s, he wrote a great column blasting us for it. (For the record, everyone in our office agreed with the column – we HATED having to use it as much as Bob hated seeing it in use.)

Rodney Beede's avatar

I thought it was interesting but I’ll stay with my favorite local human columnist. I watched my daughter play the game from. 5 yrs old into high school and i never mastered the off side penalty..

Bob Dunning's avatar

That was a once and only. Never have used AI for anything and when it does pop up unexpectedly, I instinctively don't trust it.

Mark Honbo's avatar

Oddly, that AI-penned column passed the most frequently used sniff test for detecting AI-generated writing: not one use of the em dash.

Bob Dunning's avatar

That's right. Maybe they figured that out from all the criticism.

Mark Honbo's avatar

The appearance of the phrase "once again" made me pass out. By the time I regained consciousness, I forgot to read the rest of the robo-column, and moved on to seeing what is probably my 25th video on the Bricks And Minifigs saga.

Bob Dunning's avatar

Tell it go Goober, Mark

Jim Gray's avatar

Bob… I have found that with my “limited Spanish language abilities” that the perfect way to appreciate the World Cup - Copa Del Mundo —is watching the matches on Telemundo. You can sense the excitement and the announcers are almost operatic when bellowing gooooal at the top of their lungs. By the way, when I hear “Fuera Del Juego” I have an excuse to not understand what just happened.

Bob Dunning's avatar

G-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-A-A-A-A-A-A-L-L-L-L-L

Frank Lee's avatar

I want to comment but cannot think of anything to write.

Bob Dunning's avatar

I have Goober's phone number if you need help writing something, Frank.

William Zinn's avatar

I park 4 spaces further away!

Bob Dunning's avatar

You're making me laugh, Bill

John Clark's avatar

Sorry to say it Bob. As I am retired school teacher you get an F. May every article I read in my paid subscriptions to Substack be written by the human author I have paid to read.

Bob Dunning's avatar

Just having fun, John.

That was the first and only, done to show what's up with AI.

I am clearly not a fan of AI. Just wanted to see what it could come up with.

I've never used in my writing and don't trust its accuracy.

arnie wolf's avatar

Looking forward to subscribing to Goober on Substack.

Bob Dunning's avatar

He does have a way with words, Arnie.

I suspect he's taking many classes at UC Davis.

John Stalmach's avatar

I gave up on "futbol" years ago. My first wife's cousin was a player and coach. He tried mightily to explain offsides in soccer; said it was similar to offsides in hockey.

Since I have never played, or enjoyed watching either sport, that merely induced a period of EGO: eyes glazed over.

And, that "essay" by Goober is a pretty good take on AI as well.

Andre Hamel's avatar

Lol, yeah like hockey except the blue line is moving!

Mark Honbo's avatar

The blue line is how I always explain it. Of course, if I get someone like John who doesn't know ice hockey, then it gets tougher.

"It's like the blue line in ice hockey, except it moves with the last defender."

"What's the blue line? I've never gotten into hockey."

"Okay... in American football, you know those times when the receiver gets behind the defense?"

"Sure."

"Well, imagine if he can't go beyond the last defender until the ball leaves the quarterback's hand."

"Got it. So what's an indirect kick?"

Bob Dunning's avatar

Hockey is soccer on ice. Or the other way around, John