Ben Lazaroff’s Post

Ben's works serves as a continuum of dialogue and the various perspectives of a kaleidoscope that AI interwoven with human issues will represent over time. Check this out if you're curious about what the social effects of AI are on us, if you're building a company with AI, or have an opinion that you want to express to a larger audience through this medium.

Ben is one of the clearest, most consistent, & most original thinkers / writers I know, and his ideas are always thought-provoking. We have enough techno-maximalists across the internet, cheering on the breakneck pace of AI development & lauding its economic benefits (of which there are plenty!) But we also need strong voices to represent the other side, so we don’t fully amputate our brains before understanding the risks. Ben is one of those voices. Highly recommend following this new newsletter.

In a time of ever evolving technology and AI, it’s motivating to see creative, original work and thoughts on the importance of Staying Human.

Ever get that tingling sensation when you stumble upon something truly game-changing? 🚀 I do. And when that 'aha' moment strikes, my inner sceptic kicks in—always on a mission to validate and ensure my instincts aren't just wishful thinking.   Case in point: The GC Index, a revolutionary concept unraveling potential for individuals and teams to create meaningful impact in every facet of life—both professionally and personally. This discovery fueled my passion for seeking out other game-changing gems, each with the power to transform our world.   Enter Generative AI—a tech marvel that ignited those same tingles. It's a potential equalizer, a tool that can compensate for areas where our energy might be lacking. For me, that's wrangling words and crafting visuals—a necessary skillset, but not my forte. With Generative AI, my productivity, energy and sanity get a boost…and my procrastination for such activities gets a good kicking.   Yet, tech's dual nature is undeniable. The ethical tightrope it walks is real. We've all heard tales of AI's dark side—breaching copyrights, sifting through the digital universe without restraint. So, I dove into the deep end, attending ACM, Association for Computing Machinery's (www.acm.org) enlightening talk last night on "Ethical and Responsible LLMs: Challenges and Best Practices." A journey that reminded even this self-proclaimed, semi-lapsed nerd 🤓 how much I have now lapsed🤷🏻♂️. Dive into the details yourself: the main talk payload can be found at https://lnkd.in/eapxytC5 .   But let's dial it down a notch to my comfort zone—slide 24. It's a beauty you'll find at Stanford University's "Center for Research on Foundational Models" at https://lnkd.in/e9k38aVE. A dashboard detailing LLM compliance with the Draft EU AI Act, a compass guiding us toward trustworthy AI models.   I shared because I think this will be insightful to many in my network who are either non- or lapsed-nerds. Nothing more. Because together, we can decode the complexities.   Now, I'd love to know: 🧐 What's your takeaway from this intriguing research? 🤖 How do you balance the promise and pitfalls of AI in your world?   P.S. On my quest for game-changers, I'm also a product evangelist for: •📊 A real-time PPM MI Predictive Analytics platform—ideal for complex organizations seeking real-time clarity. •📈 An organizational performance success platform—tapping into human insights across 19 core business areas, coupled with a mental health score in partnership with Mind. A natural complement to my GC Index services.   --------------------------------- 💥 I am Robin. 🚀I unleash potential. I unveil strategic insights. I unbridle team impacts. 😯I can help you zip together the oft-afterthought 🎭People dimension upfront with the 🔄Process and 🤖Technology dimensions. 🤝🏻Connect with me #AI #Ethics #Productivity #AICollective #TheGCIndex 

Until AI assists us as humans and we remember to stay critical of the generated content there is hope. However, the moment when we blindly start believing AI, programs and machines or using them for the manipulation of humans is the situation I actually worry about. Insightful post by Robin Davis! Take a moment to read it!

RAG applications, the shining stars of AI, promise a world where information retrieval and natural language generation work in perfect harmony. But the road to real-world deployment can be bumpy. Before you hit the brakes on your RAG development, let's delve into the potential roadblocks and explore strategies to build robust systems. This blog dives into the challenges (data quality, context, interpretability) and offers solutions for building robust RAG systems. Let's unlock the true potential of RAG together! #AI #RAGapplications #futureofwork https://lnkd.in/dCgaVqZy

That the advent of generative AI is changing our world is no longer debatable. Once a subject of speculation, it is now a reality, one that has displaced copywriters, alarmed creatives, and generally led to substantial turmoil across industries. While many publications chose to ban AI-generated content across the board, Space and Time was less reactionary and more curious. This exploratory mindset gave rise to a bonus edition of the magazine with a unique and controversial call – the submission of AI-assisted work and only AI-assisted work. While there was some outcry, there was also intrigue, investigation, and eventually, applause for the spirit of daring Space and Time embraced. You can read about Leonard Spiser’s vision and commitment to creatives while choosing the gathering of insight over fear here: https://lnkd.in/gHu89RcB And if this sense of daring matches your own, consider advertising with Space and Time today! Reach an engaged audience with your message. We have a variety of advertising options available. Get in touch today at https://lnkd.in/gPrrN_yR ... and let us help you connect. 

This week I've been reading a paper from Google on AGI and cultural accumulation. Cultural accumulation was the word I was looking for many times trying to describe the emergent nature of culture. I appreciated the presentation of the formula for the Partially-Observable Stochastic Game (POSG) [Kuhn, 1953], which is defined by the tuple M = ⟨I, S, A, T, R, O, γ⟩. I = {1, . . . , N}. M defines the set of agents, S defines the set of states, and A defines the direct product of action spaces for each agent, i.e., A = A1 × · · · × AN where Ai is the action space for agent i ∈ I. T defines the stochastic transition function, T : S × A × S → [0, 1], R defines the reward function, R : S × A → R, and O defines the observation function, O : S → [0, 1]. γ ∈ (0, 1] refers to the discount factor of returns. We define S˜ as the initial state distribution This alone makes me want to code a number of social experiences using multi agent frameworks. it's likely that a simple agent would not be sufficiently interesting, but a community of sophisticated multi agents with the ability to teach a new generation of agents sounds quite intriguing. As the authors put it "the capacity for artificial learning agents to accumulate culture remains under-explored". I agree. This overlaps with some personal projects I'm working on. Feel free to reach out if you are interested.

Navigating the Uncharted Waters with Curious Mind "There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in." -Leonard Cohen AI reshapes industries, education and personal lives alike in unprecedented pace, highlighting both importance and urgency of approaching it with open and curious mind. While the hype around AI is substantial, it’s essential to understand that AI is not just a passing trend but a transformative force here to stay. The closer its impact comes to our workspaces, and other daily activities, the more we must shift our perspective from discomfort to curiosity. Resistance to innovations is not a new phenomenon. When coffee was first introduced to Europe in the 17th century, it was met with suspicion and even banned due to its stimulating effects. Religious authorities condemned it, calling it the “bitter invention of Satan". However, Pope Clement VIII couldn't resist coffee's charms. After inspecting the drink, he remarked to his skeptical advisers, "Why, this Satan's drink is so delicious that it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it." Soon afterwards, coffeehouses around Europe served as meeting places for artists, writers, politicians, and businessmen, cultivating an environment where creativity and innovation flourished. To fully explore the opportunities AI offers, we must embrace the uncertainty and see it as a catalyst that enhances our creativity, manages cognitive loads, and simplifies repetitive tasks, allowing us to focus on more rewarding things. In 1995, Newsweek article dismissed the internet's potential, saying, "The truth is no online database will replace your daily newspaper, no CD-ROM can take the place of a competent teacher, and no computer network will change the way government works". While that statement didn't age well, Endowment Effect easily kicks in, making us overvalue what we already possess and undervalue the potential gains from new opportunities. Skepticism can occur even among pioneers: despite their successful flights Wilbur Wright told his brother in 1901 that "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly". Just 68 years later, The Eagle had landed on the moon. (Coincidentally, exactly 68 years ago John McCarthy first coined the term "Artificial Intelligence" during the Dartmouth Conference 1956). Constantly evolving digital landscape calls for all of us to actively view AI as a companion in our daily endeavors and creative processes. Approaching AI as a tool that, through its insights and support, can help illuminate the cracks in our existing processes, allowing new light to shine through, is essential. By proactively redefining our relationship and interaction with AI, we ensure that our odyssey through the seven seas of digitalization not only maintains but enhances the unique and irreplaceable human element. Soundtrack: "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush #HumanCentricAI #Curiosity #GrowthJourney #DigitalTransformation #Creativity #AI #Innovation

🚀 Are You The Top Prompter? Unveiling the World’s Premier Prompting Challenge** 🚀 We're calling upon: -- 🏆👩🏽💻👨🏿💻 The avid Top Prompters ready to test their mettle: -- 👨🏾🔬👩🏿🔬👨🏼🔬 Academic luminaries in the field: -- 🏢🌐💡 Forward-thinking companies and VCs: -- 💖🤝🏽💼 Potential sponsors passionate about pioneering change: to join us in this quest. If you're intrigued and wish to be part of this pioneering journey, let's connect (DM me). Together, we can push the boundaries of what's possible, blending AI's potential with human creativity to unlock new realms of innovation. Background: The realm of prompting is on the brink of a transformative leap, reminiscent of the nascent days of programming—a mystifying blend of engineering and mathematics. This field has seen explosive growth, from a groundbreaking model in 2021 that mastered 12 NLP tasks to over 2,000 prompts by 2022, barely scratching the surface of innovation simmering in the shadows. In 2024, this boom is reaching dizzying heights! The pace of advancement is staggering, with an ever-growing arsenal of courses attempting to demystify the basics. Yet, the field evolves daily, leaving many awestruck by its rapid progression. Despite skeptics dismissing prompt engineering as trivial (no, it's not just basic language!) Millions engage daily, crafting and sharing their ingenious strategies. However, the quest for the pinnacle of problem-solving remains unfulfilled. Contrary to the prevailing narrative, the essence of genius in this domain doesn't lie solely in the hands of novices wielding public LLMs or researchers on the frontier of breakthroughs. True brilliance emerges from the "tinkerers" who ingeniously integrate disparate AI tools with unmatched human creativity and problem-solving acumen. Inspired by the concept of Centaur Chess introduced by Kasparov, my research into "Centaurian" approaches seeks to unveil how to synergize the best of human intelligence with AI, transcending mere task automation to achieve augmented intelligence. 🌟 **Announcing a Groundbreaking Challenge for the World's Finest Prompters** 🌟 We're launching a Global Search for the Top Prompters. I'm excited to announce a competition to unearth the world's most adept AI problem solvers. This initiative will challenge participants with intricate tasks, aiming to spotlight the leading Prompters shaping the future of our interaction with AI. 🔍 Ready to make your mark? Connect with us and be part of the prompting revolution. 🌐 #genai #promptengineering #promptdesign #TopPrompter #Centaurian