AI

I remember back in November 2022, when ChatGPT was released and everyone was going crazy about how smart and humanlike it was. I sat down and started talking to it in Czech. After reading so many raving reviews and hyperbolic predictions, I was shocked by how quickly I ran into the model’s limits in Czech. Now don’t get me wrong: I know my native tongue is not a top-tier language, given it only has about 10 million native speakers. I don’t expect AI models to be as proficient in Czech as in English or other major languages. But it still made me think: if I am getting a much worse experience from large language models than English speakers are, what is the experience like for people who speak languages with even less digital support? ...

A few days ago, I opened the window and heard a familiar sound I have not heard in a while: it was a fieldfare’s call, probably one of the first who migrated back to my town this year. And just today, I saw my first chaffinch of the year perched on top of a branch. These birds are very common where I live, so this is not too surprising, but what struck me is how much I have grown in terms of knowledge of their calls, appearance and behaviour. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to name a single bird by call or name too many of them by looking at them. If you’re curious how I got here or want to build some knowledge and appreciation of birds, read on. ...

It started with a broken hinge in our kitchen cabinet. I am no handyman, but I like to do as much as I can around the house and I dare say I’ve gotten pretty okay at it. The one thing that can set me back, though, is not knowing the correct terminology. What type of hinge do I need? Concealed? Inset? Overlay? Clip-On? Soft-close? Sprung? An avalanche of terms that I only barely understand paralyzes me. Luckily, there’s a new helper in town: AI! ...