Reflecting on a recent interaction with my parents. What do regular folks actually think or know about AI?

Meta has recently rolled out their AI assistant, integrated in their apps. So from my parents perspective, an ominous multi-colored circle has appeared in WhatsApp. Now what?

I’m afraid what I am observing here applies to all topics: The moment you know more than average, you start to think, “OMG, people really have no clue what X is and how it works!”

Let’s see what the press provides in terms of guidance, answering the question, “What can you do with it?”. Here’s what you’ll learn (I’m loosely translating from this):

  • It’s based on language model Llama.
  • It can provide answers.
  • It uses Bing and Google.
  • You can have an artificial conversation to kill time, or
  • Get help and advice.
  • Manage reminders for events.
  • Create images and short videos.
  • It’s free.

I wonder if that really answers anything, in regards to what do actually do with it.

The tag line is “Ask Meta AI anything”.

Look, once I am taking the perspective of my parents, none of this makes much sense to me.

And that’s pretty much the extent of the article.

Conceptions and misconceptions

The term AI is pretty much conflated with generative AI these days. But most people are not aware of the distinction, or that there is one. That Netflix is able to suggest movies and TV shows to you, that is no longer considered AI.

So AI then, “answers questions.” And, “It is better than Google.”

Consider how ChatGPT sits on the same level as any other app on people’s device, like, say, Maps. Quite a few people experience the only the mobile app. That’s it.

AI literacy

Where to begin? And how much AI literacy is even feasible without basic internet literacy?

What is data? What are websites? What about authority, or trust?

Then, “I read AI is now being used in schools.”

How do you even start to unpack this? What kind of AI in what specific context, by whom, for what, and to what extent?

My head is spinning.