On May 10, 2023, astronomer Guy Ottewell permitted this piece about Artificial Intelligence (AI) to be reprinted. Originally posted on his website, the beloved British scientist’s work explores AI and its possible future implications.
AI has been making headlines recently, as some fear it will replace humans. Others argue that AI can create texts and music that are indistinguishable from the works produced by people. In other words, it could potentially take over jobs traditionally done by humans.
An experiment explored the potential for libel, propaganda, and other misinformation that may accompany AI technology. The results of this probe have highlighted the risk of AI-generated content potentially containing libelous material, as well as pseudoscience and propaganda.
No real explanations about the difference between artificial intelligence and other computing technologies have been provided. Based on my background in computing, I believe artificial intelligence is based on programming with self-learning functions.
Equation one performs better than equation two, suggesting that equation two should be discarded. Furthermore, AI uses large language databases with massive amounts of text content – facilitating comparison and searchability.
OpenAI, an entity comprised of humans, has created ChatGPT – a digital robot that is available for you to interact with and ask questions. This robot is capable of conversing with you and providing answers.
Unlocking The Power Of AI: An Experiment With AI
My friend Larry Bohlayer, creator of the popular annual lunar calendar, sent me an article – a review from Popular Mechanics of a piece in Ancient Mesoamerica – which was something I had taken an interest in.
The ancient Maya people of Central America had a complex calendar system that perplexed scholars for many years. This was because one of its cycles, the 819-day cycle, had not been easily understood.
The Maya have recently come to understand that when 20 819-day cycles, equivalent to 45 years, are combined, it correlates well with the periods of the planets. This finding is even more significant as 20 is a favorite factor used by the Maya throughout several systems.
Larry experimented. He asked ChatGPT to assess the article he had sent me. The response ChatGPT provided was 324 words in length.
The Maya calendar has been studied extensively, with a wealth of information about it available. Sources for exploring this subject include a website, an online tool, and three books.
The five items – are “Treatment of Eating and Weight Disorders,” “Examining Adolescent Girls’ Self-Esteem and Identity Formation,” “Teaching Social Skills to College Students,” and “Counseling Mixed Heritage Clients: Unique Challenges for Counsel.
Regarding the 819-day cycle, the bot advised Larry to work it out himself, telling him to read the books and form his own opinion.
Unlock The Secrets Of The Maya Calendar And Its Predictions
John Major Jenkins’ book, Maya Cosmogenesis 2012, explains the genuine significance of the end date of the Maya calendar. He especially delves into what this ancient civilization believed about life cycles and their predictions for December 21, 2012.
The debunked idea that the world would end on December 20, 2012, was based on a Mayans calendar set up around 200 AD. This idea, published in 1998, had wrongly assumed that December 20 marked the end of one of the cycles. At that time, there was a lot of excitement around that date. Indeed, you might remember it.
After making the cover painting for Astronomical Calendar 2010 and visiting the Maya temples, I summed up many of the absurd elements of that scary story.
Exploring The Universe With Guy Ottewell’s Artificial Intelligence Probe
The chatbot had fun being asked by Larry about me. I was pleased to see that on everything else, apart from information about my Astronomical Calendar, it could not access any. The bits of my blurbs it found amused me.
I, born in 1932, undertook my studies at the University of London and now reside in Connecticut.
Although I had not made any magazine contributions or been aware of winning awards, much to my surprise, the CV builder gave me full credit for them. Furthermore, it credited me for publications by others I did not know.
Ottewell’s thoughts on AI remind us of the complexity and interconnectedness of the world around us and the importance of approaching technological progress with humility and respect for the natural order. As AI continues to shape our world, we will heed Ottewell’s insights and keep our eyes trained on the stars above.
