The Daily Valet. - 1/18/23, Wednesday
✔️ The Big A.I. Backlash
Wednesday, January 18th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
Are you ready to utilize artificial intelligence ... or do you not trust it?
Today’s Big Story
The Big A.I. Backlash
That didn't take very long, did it?
We're just 18 days into 2023, but it looks like this might be a year of reckoning for artificial intelligence. It seemed promising and can certainly be fun to play with ... but there's a brewing backlash against all the ways that AI is currently being used—with and without our knowledge.With the rise of the popular new chatbot ChatGPT, colleges are now restructuring some courses and taking preventive measures to ensure AI isn't writing students papers. ChatGPT (which stands for “generative pre-trained transformer”) is the buzzy chatbot from OpenAI that's popping up everywhere these days. But its leaving a wake of unhappy people.One guy used it to write and illustrate a children's book in one weekend. He wasn't prepared for the vitriol awaiting him when he shared the process on Twitter. Singer Nick Cave, who regrettably asked ChatGPT to write a song in his style, says “I understand that it's in its infancy but perhaps that is the emerging horror of AI—that it will forever be in its infancy, as it will always have further to go. It can never be rolled back, or slowed down, as it moves us toward a utopian future, maybe, or our total destruction.”Companies are experimenting with it as well, usually behind the scenes. The tech site CNET sent a chill through the media world when it tapped artificial intelligence to produce surprisingly lucid news stories. But now its human staff is writing a lot of corrections.And a free mental health service that offers online communities a peer-to-peer chat support network is facing scrutiny after its co-founder revealed the company briefly experimented with employing an AI chatbot to generate responses—without informing clients. It raises a lot of concerns about everything from medical ethics to privacy. And there's probably some legal concerns, too. There certainly is for Getty Images, which is currently suing the creators of AI art tool Stable Diffusion for scraping its content to create its machine-made art. As every movie has taught us, don't trust the robots.
Meanwhile:
Meet the 22-year-old trying to save us from ChatGPT before it changes writing forever.
Will the U.S. Hit the Debt Ceiling?
And just How Bad Would That Be?
Washington is gearing up for another big fight over whether to raise or suspend the nation’s debt limit, with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warning last week that the United States will reach its existing borrowing cap of $31.4 trillion ... tomorrow.Votes to raise the debt ceiling—once an easy bipartisan move—have become increasingly fraught in recent years, typically when Republicans are in control of the House of Representatives and Democrats hold the White House, as is currently the case. But while Yellen's statement may sound alarming, it doesn't mean that Uncle Sam is actually on the brink of running out of money and stiffing creditors.That's what so-called “extraordinary measures” are designed to temporarily avoid. And while they might sound dire, they're basically accounting maneuvers that the Treasury Department can take to give Congress time to increase or suspend the limit before the U.S. gets into trouble. But those options could be exhausted by June. The Bipartisan Policy Center, which closely tracks the debt limit deadline, estimates that the Treasury will really run out of cash—what's known as the X-date—sometime around the middle of the year.
FYI:
The national debt crossed $31 trillion for the first time last year. The borrowing cap is set at $31.381 trillion.
If 'free speech' was his mandate for Twitter the platform, it has been the opposite for Twitter the workplace. Dissenting opinion or criticism has led to swift dismissals.”
- The Verge on Elon Musk's “Extremely Hardcore” Twitter
What a Buzzkill
Turns out, Even a Little Alcohol Can be hazardous to Your Health
So much for the glass of red wine I drink “for my health.” After decades of confusing and sometimes contradictory research (too much alcohol is bad for you but a little bit is good; some types of alcohol are better for you than others), the picture is becoming clearer: Even small amounts of alcohol can have health consequences.A wide-scale study revealed that between 2015 and 2019, excessive alcohol use resulted in roughly 140,000 deaths per year in the U.S. About 40% of those deaths had acute causes, like car crashes, poisonings and homicides. But the majority were caused by chronic conditions attributed to alcohol, such as liver disease, cancer and heart disease. And according to experts, the health risks from drinking can come from moderate consumption as well.Some are now wondering if alcoholic drinks will soon be seen as the new cigarettes. Meanwhile, CBS News reports that alcohol-related liver disease—which kills about 22,000 Americans every year—is rising among young people. Experts believe it's due to people under 40 drinking to cope with stress. According to the CDC, “problematic” heavy drinking for men is typically defined as consuming 15 drinks or more per week. For women, it's eight or more.
Dig Deeper:
Do alcohol-free beer, zero-proof wine and mocktails really help someone reduce the alcohol they consume?
The Hybrid Corvette Is Here
And it's the Quickest Vette Ever made
After lots of leaks and teasers, the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray is here—the first hybrid Corvette, and the first with all-wheel drive. Its debut marks the 70th anniversary of the original Corvette, introduced to the world in New York City in January 1953, but the E-Ray is no retro machine.At the heart of the new 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray sits a new hybrid system, which consists of a single electric motor and a 1.9-kWh battery pack. According to Motor Trend, while the battery itself is tiny by segment standards, the E-Ray isn't concerned with all-out efficiency or EV range. Instead, the unique chemistry in the battery allows for rapid charge and discharge rates. That helps the motor make the best use of the 160 horsepower, which pairs with a 495-hp small-block V-8 that together make 655 ponies.Not only is the E-Ray the first all-wheel-drive Corvette; it's also the first car ever sold with both carbon-ceramic brakes and all-season tires as standard. And those rear tires are immense. But if we're talking about big, Car and Driver says the convertible model will eclipse the 2-ton mark, making the droptop E-Ray the first model to weigh more than 4,000 pounds and becoming not just the fastest but the fattest Vette ever.
Ride Along:
I actually went to Chevrolet's exclusive Corvette performance driving school ... and it was an adrenaline-pinching experience.
In Other News
Allies of the president have called on his White House to be more forthcoming.
Have you heard about ...
End the Snooze Cycle
How to stop hitting that damn button and start your day on time
Be honest, do you hit your snooze button? I'm terrible and do it at least twice a week, if not more. But our writer, Scott Woolf, tackles the problem head on:Being a morning person is a choice. For some it's a luxury, but it's also a habit that's possible for anyone to adopt. I never thought I could be someone at the gym before work, or watching my Peloton screen illuminate a room at the crack of dawn. But a few years ago, I decided it was time to take back the morning and put an end to the shackles of the snooze button.Don't worry, this won't become an essay against cell phone usage—I'm one of the worst offenders. But, there is a strong correlation that can hinder your ability to get out on the right side of your bed. Studies found between 70% and 80% of us use our phone as an alarm clock. Let's start the morning with some light stretching then: Get your phone away from your nightstand.
Read:
Shopping
What We’re Buying
A Lambswool Cardigan
Scottish-brand, Howlin' is known for its lush sweaters and cardigans. This one is made of 100% brushed lambswool and features reinforced lapels for a tailored fit. Wear as a mid-layer underneath a tweed suit.
Get It:
Will o the Wisp cardigan, $210 / $146 by Howlin’
Morning Motto
Get to know yourself.
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