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Thanks to Sir Snoop on another thread:

Of the AI tech out there, the Nest is very intelligent BUT.... that device in your pocket...yeah, your smart phone.... that is a portal to unfathomable AI and data gathering. Your smartphone makes the Nest look like a toaster.



Some here have a curiosity about AI and machine learning.... why shouldn't we discuss???? is it that my rum scared brain is intimidated to "put it out there"??? hell no...

So lets start:

Two of the most common "AI Devices" in NA homes are the Nest and the Roomba. They are both gee wiz awesome and dear I say, dumb-down versions of their own potential.

The Nest:

In theory, this device is self learning with an ultimate goal of energy efficacy.

Among the marketing:

* Learns the temperatures you like for different times/days and programs itself
* Automatically turns itself down when you're away to avoid heating or cooling an empty home
* Learns how your home warms up and keeps an eye on the weather to get you the temperature you want when you want it

All this is true of the product, yet the limitations of the Nest are not the AI, but the existing infrastructure of 99% of all homes in North America.

The AC design (central air) that is in most homes in NA are run by one or two central units that control the entire house. That is, to get a temp of 74 in the bedroom in a Canadian winter, your Nest must engage the CAU (central air unit) - that which blows air into 7 rooms - then which ends up warming your bedroom.

This is woefully inefficient.

Nest is acting effectively as a thermostat on steroids - weight-lifting decades old design limitations to cool or heat your active living space.

The superior deployment, within the limitations of CAU homes from my opinion would be to have WiFi IOT VENTS... yes vents... that open and close interfacing with Nest like devices. This is a hybrid that can be deployed in any home, allowing the home owner to keep cool the ROOM THEY ARE IN while shutting down zones they are not. (like the basement/den/kitchen/rec room at 3am)

A quick glance online shows that a few companies [investors take note] are already doing just that.... and I think that is the goal of AI: pragmatic utility, non-invasive.

The Nest, while smart is limited, and as such a glorified overkill not yet SUPERIOR to a regular programmable thermostat that keeps you "temperature regulated" and shuts off when you are not around. When Nest interfaces with vent closings.... then...

Up next: Roomba, a lazy mans BFF, but still weak AI.



[YES excuse me, I am well aware that these shite ass threads of mine are of interest to no one/or few... but hopefully I can stir the curiosity of maybe you (yes you).... ]

In reply to pelon

So my cell phone is also useful for things other than Google maps and homemade porn?

But I hear ya Bro. It's only recently I really thought about how AI has permeated almost all aspects of our daily lives without ever noticing. Cell phones, cars, thermostats, vacuums cleaners, security cameras, light bulbs, etc.

Then I came across an article about Elon Musk and his concerns about AI. Apparently, Musk believes AI is a bigger threat to humanity than North Korea.

I'll see if I can dig that article up and post it.

In reply to pelon

I have an 8 year old and a 2 year old. A Roomba could be either my greatest blessing or my greatest curse...

In reply to SnoopDog

One of the future threats of AI and Machine Learning that is somewhat innocuous is a specific impact to the undeserved.

The people that interact with AI tend to be from a specific demographic - as such the machine "learning" is biased.

For example: We in the Caribbean are not a exposed to the neural learning and end up excluded from the application (and solutions) out of these branches of tech.

A regional sociologist (UWI?) would suggest that the new culture war with be the fight against foreign hegemony - yet here are these AI devices .... not fighting us.... they are assimilating our identities and replacing it with needs of those who can AFFORD to participate. What a nightmare!

We (our region) will be fed a diet of tech that EXCLUDES our needs while simultaneously strengthening the 1st world mandate. WE ARE excluded from participation - and worse - about to make our economies further obsolete other than serving hotel beds and cocktails on a beach.

I would like our regional thinkers (?steveo) to wake up/or shout-out these emerging tech threats/opportunities now - rather than join the salmon/lay in the sun pondering: what cool thing is Apple working on.

In reply to pelon

Are any countries within the region trying to form tech-hubs or the like such that the region is pioneering these advances instead of possibly becoming subservient to them down the line?

Robotics is one of the latest buzzwords, no reason why we can't find ways to be on the leading edge when it comes to development and the like?

In reply to Tryangle

Bingo! They are a few, I would say none near the threshold needed.

Look UWI spits out grandaunts so intelligent, yet bogged down in obsolescence when it comes to tech - theoretical brilliance and few pragmatic applications . We are WAY behind, yet this is one of the single greatest opportunities our regions has... tech engineers! We are over qualified actually. Where we lack/fall behind is bold/inventive visionaries.... not degree holders seeking employment.

WHY does the entire Caribbean sit back and let the algorithms of priceline.com and airbnb.com dictate where our tourist go?

WHY???

In reply to pelon

Elon Musk’s Billion-Dollar Crusade to Stop the A.I. Apocalypse

In reply to pelon

No argument there, although hopefully things have improved dozen-fold from my time at Cave Hill (92-94). Programming and database skills, yes. But unfortunately little opportunity to implement things practically (unless you were looking at engineering immediately afterwards).