Generative AI is a big honking deal, a sea change on par with the Internet, Google search, and the iPhone. But awareness of this fact is still seeping into the collective consciousness, and it may be more challenging for many of us in the TidBITS community to recognize. We tend to be older and largely satisfied with our habits and workflows, not actively seeking new methods of learning and working. Plus, focusing on the Apple ecosystem, where Apple Intelligence is perceived by many as falling into the “too little, too late” category, makes it even harder to internalize the impact.
I’m far from being in the upcoming AI-native generation, but I have dedicated a significant amount of time, effort, and thought to exploring the role that AI can play in our lives. Some of my major articles on the topic include:
On Wednesday, June 18, at 11:30 AM EDT, I’ll be combining my insights from those articles and more in a free online presentation on the practical uses of AI for the Naples MacFriends User Group (NMUG). To register for the talk and receive the Zoom connection details, please fill out this form. For those who are unable to attend, the event will be recorded and made available to NMUG members afterward. If you’re not currently a member, you can sign up for a free trial membership for 30 days. I guarantee I won’t subject you to a mangled homage to Gilbert & Sullivan this time.
Peter, after selecting “Click to confirm your email subscription” you will then receive the email of the meeting topic and details like the Zoom link and time, and one reminder the day before Adam’s presentation.
I am definitely one of the old dogs in the TidBITS community; but although I am largely satisfied with things as they are as far as technology is concerned, I am always interested in investigating anything new that is genuinely innovative. Most “innovations”, sad to say, are really much ado about nothing; but I agree with you that generative AI has the potential to transform the way we live in ways that most people can’t even imagine. Needless to say, that potential is still a long way from being fully realized, and may never be if those who are driven by blind greed succeed in subverting the power of AI to their own stupid and short-sighted purposes.
I just finished watching @ace’s NMUG AI presentation.
Truly outstanding…clear, engaging, authoritative. How refreshing after skimming through the dreck about AI that swamps my LinkedIn feed!
It’s funny…I’ve known that Adam is a great writer from the days I first started reading the original TidBITS and Info-Mac newsletters years ago, but I don’t recall ever seeing him give a live presentation. He’s every bit as good of a speaker as he is a writer.
Edited to add:
I thought the presentation was so good that I hope the NMUG makes it publicly available. I think it would be great advertising for them and a real benefit to the community. I mentioned LinkedIn above; it is a presentation that deserves to be shared widely, especially on that platform.
Thanks for the kind words! I rather like doing presentations, though they can be a bit of a bear to put together sometimes. My favorite sort are those where I don’t have to prepare much, or where I can react to someone else driving the conversation.
The presentation by ACE on use of AI was enough to recommend paying for NMUG membership for access to the recording. There are quite a few
NMUG presentations that are equally notable, but none on AI.
My initial impression of the AI fad was akin to Adobe’s ads showing creation of Marketspeak. ACE showing information gathering and display was a revelation.