We really need to start having a serious conversation about this....

[AnalogPackrat]

Do you believe you can reach consensus with this agreeable community?

Concensus is not the only possible positive outcome.

Save your energy.

It's his energy to spend as he sees fit.

JR

PS: I am not completely repeating myself because I changed a few words.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Normally, I’m pretty-sure I would have skipped right passed this opinion-piece, but since it is about what’s been talked about here lately, I clicked when I just happen to see the headline on Yahoo News and read it:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/women-aren-t-forgetting-children-060000814.html
My completely-uneducated, haven’t really thought about it, first gut-reaction thoughts on the subject probably somewhat lines up with this.

 

[JohnRoberts]

Back on topic, I found this interesting wsj article

One of the latest studies in this vein, from researchers spread across the globe, found that when subjects were asked to use an AI to help them write an essay, that AI could nudge them to write an essay either for or against a particular view, depending on the bias of the algorithm. Performing this exercise also measurably influenced the subjects’ opinions on the topic, after the exercise.

This suggests to me that bias in chatAI could change the world for better or worse. I don't feel lucky.

JR

 

[Recording Engineer]

Back on topic, I found this interesting wsj article



This suggests to me that bias in chatAI could change the world for better or worse. I don't feel lucky.

JR

That’s been happening to everyone, every day, for a long time now, with web searches and YouTube suggestion videos, after watching one thing. The only difference is actually writing the essay.

 

[JohnRoberts]

That’s been happening to everyone, every day, for a long time now, with web searches and YouTube suggestion videos, after watching one thing. The only difference is actually writing the essay.

I stopped using google search after learning about their biased results, I see no way to avoid constructive AI in the media we are exposed to. It should help us if we at least understand the fight that we are in***.

JR

*** One new years eve back when I was in the army at Ft Riley, KS, I was apparently too drunk to realize I was in a fight. Some other drunk was punching me in the face after we had just left the bar. A fellow soldier I was drinking with grabbed my arm and pulled me away back to where our car was parked. There is a good chance I might have lost that fight.

 

[Recording Engineer]

I stopped using google search after learning about their biased results,

I’m truly curious how people actually know when and when they’re not getting biased search results. Simply by using some alternative search engine because that engine advertises or simply says they’re not biased? Or is it simply because it’s not Google or Microsoft associated? What am I missing?

 

[crazydoc]

You're always getting biased results - look at everything with a jaundiced eye - at least see if something makes sense, and verify it with alternative sources.

My daughter's boyfriend and I noticed years ago that we were getting different google search results for the same search, so the results were obviously biased depending on our prior internet usage.

 

[JohnRoberts]

I’m truly curious how people actually know when and when they’re not getting biased search results. Simply by using some alternative search engine because that engine advertises or simply says they’re not biased? Or is it simply because it’s not Google or Microsoft associated? What am I missing?

I wrote about this years ago right here when some college professor did a study and discovered that google was presenting leading results that favored a liberal/progressive ideology. This is understandable as all the coders who designed google search were liberal/progressive (sorry for my mind reading but silicon valley has that reputation. )

You're always getting biased results - look at everything with a jaundiced eye - at least see if something makes sense, and verify it with alternative sources.

My daughter's boyfriend and I noticed years ago that we were getting different google search results for the same search, so the results were obviously biased depending on our prior internet usage.

every murderer knows to clear their web history and delete their cookies.
===
I generally don't like merchants tracking me personally but last week when I went to refill my prescription at Walmart they already had it waiting for me ... It is not rocket science to extrapolate when my one dose a day prescription would run out and be due to refill just like I did last february. The only thing that ruined my bliss was charging me $150 for $35 worth of meds. I guess that extra service was not free.

JR

 

[crazydoc]

I generally don't like merchants tracking me personally but last week when I went to refill my prescription at Walmart they already had it waiting for me ... It is not rocket science to extrapolate when my one dose a day prescription would run out and be due to refill just like I did last february.

JR

I find it unusual that they would base a business decision on someone taking their medication appropriately.

 

[Recording Engineer]

I wrote about this years ago right here when some college professor did a study and discovered that google was presenting leading results that favored a liberal/progressive ideology. This is understandable as all the coders who designed google search were liberal/progressive (sorry for my mind reading but silicon valley has that reputation. )

So is it not really that other search engines don’t have biases too, but just the fact that Google’s biases don’t line enough up with yours?

 

[JohnRoberts]

So is it not really that other search engines don’t have biases too, but just the fact that Google’s biases don’t line up with yours?

that drives my personal decision to avoid google search.
===
A well designed search engine should not have any political bias. While google seems to be the dominant search platform.

JR

 

[AnalogPackrat]

So is it not really that other search engines don’t have biases too, but just the fact that Google’s biases don’t line enough up with yours?

Much of the intentional bias can be avoided by using the anonymizer search front-ends. Not hard to understand or do.

 

[cyrano]

I find it unusual that they would base a business decision on someone taking their medication appropriately.

John is probably not the only one who needs this prescription. So they store one batch to have a little extra service that doesn't cost them a bit. It also gives them something to do while there's no customers in the shop.

 

[cyrano]

that drives my personal decision to avoid google search.
===
A well designed search engine should not have any political bias. While google seems to be the dominant search platform.

JR

Do you hope the other search engines aren't made by Silicon Valley people?

Well, there's always Yandex and Baidu, of course

 

[JohnRoberts]

John is probably not the only one who needs this prescription. So they store one batch to have a little extra service that doesn't cost them a bit. It also gives them something to do while there's no customers in the shop.

Waiting for pickup with my name on it? Typically it takes 20-30 minutes for them to prepare my prescription after I place my order. They know my prescription including refill authorization, and track my purchases so could relatively easily predict my behavior regarding the refill timing.

Do you hope the other search engines aren't made by Silicon Valley people?

No, I just hope they would try to be free of bias.

Well, there's always Yandex and Baidu, of course

be my guest

JR

 

[crazydoc]

John is probably not the only one who needs this prescription. So they store one batch to have a little extra service that doesn't cost them a bit. It also gives them something to do while there's no customers in the shop.

Filling a Rx is a little labor intensive - they have to count out the pills, put them in a bottle, make a label and enter into computer. But they probably have a list/data base of responsible customers who historically refill their meds at the appropriate time, and as you say, can work on these these during a down time.

 

[JohnRoberts]

I complained to Walmart (via their website chat) about the overcharge and they promised to get back to me in 24 hours. The email response reads like bad generative AI saying they can't help me.. "we do not have an access for the pharmacy concern therefore..." I should visit or contact my nearest pharmacy...... That's what I thought I was doing. Clearly a case of the left hand not knowing what the other left hand is doing.

They are not as good at connecting customer data dots as I suspected. Since I estimate that I was overcharged $120 or so, I am not ready to say "never mind" just yet.

JR

PS; The email chat bot goes by one name Hanzallah (a muslim boy's name).

 

[cyrano]

PS; The email chat bot goes by one name Hanzallah (a muslim boy's name).

Could be an SEO/MBO outfit from Rotterdam. I've seen "Hanzallah" around on typical content spam for a lot of products.

 

[cyrano]

Google and other services' bias is just capitalism at work. It depends on who is buying adverts on a certain subject.

It's normal that when US political parties start spending big bucks that their propaganda will show up on everyone's radar. Even if you're not one bit interested.

I've been studying Google since it started and I've never observed bias. Just decisions driven by money.

As an experiment, do a search for a loan and see what happens in the next few weeks. Obviously, this works far better if you're logged into a gmail account or any other Google service. Still, even with a virgin browser, it should show the same results, but far less pronounced.

If you think this is bias, programmed in by humans, you need to look at what you're reading. There's a big chance that is what's driving what you see as human bias.

 

[scott2000]

If people start talking about "faith" and "trust" they are certainly not being scientific. Those are terms more appropriately applied in religious or philosophical realms.

Some would call this grace..

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0146167215623271https://getpocket.com/collections/forgive-yourself-its-good-for-you?utm_source=pocket-newtabhttps://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_grow_from_your_regrets