Welcome to Deacs.AI: Our Origin Story
Artificial Intelligence. It’s the buzzword on everyone’s lips, a rapidly evolving technology that promises to reshape our world. But beyond the headlines and hype, how are everyday people actually using AI, and what does its future look like from a practical standpoint? Two individuals recently sat down to share their personal journeys with AI, revealing a fascinating blend of initial skepticism, practical application, and a touch of awe.
Keeping Track: Organizing the AI Experience
One of the first practicalities discussed was managing interactions with AI tools like ChatGPT. “It’s funny because I keep most of my like ChatGPT… like each instance where like you use it,” one speaker shared. He maintains a list of these “instances” or conversations, especially for specific projects. This allows him to revisit past troubleshooting sessions or creative explorations, building on previous work rather than starting from scratch each time. This methodical approach highlights a shift from treating AI as a novelty to integrating it as a consistent tool.
The AI Arms Race & The “Hit or Miss” Reality
The conversation touched on the competitive landscape of AI models. While primarily using ChatGPT (with one speaker subscribing for the $20/month tier), they also discussed experiences with image generation tools like DALL-E. “I try to use the DALL-E like model for like graphic design and stuff like that, but I find that to be very hit or miss,” one admitted. This led to a mention of Google’s Imagen, which is reportedly “blowing DALL-E out of the water,” illustrating the rapid “leapfrogging” happening between major AI developers like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic.
This rapid development can be overwhelming. “It’s a lot. There’s a lot of information overload with AI,” one speaker noted, comparing it to “drinking from a fire hose.” To cope, he consciously tries to avoid getting too sucked into every new development, preferring to take things at face value and focus on practical use.
From Skepticism to Curiosity: Personal AI Journeys
Both speakers recounted their initial hesitations. One first encountered ChatGPT at a seminar, admitting, “I didn’t even know what it was. I was very confused.” His initial foray involved using a fake email for the free account, unsure of what he was signing up for. However, curiosity quickly took over.
Another speaker’s “aha!” moment came via his girlfriend, who, despite not being in tech (she’s a zoologist/biologist), started creating “stunning” images with Midjourney. This demonstrated AI’s creative potential beyond just text-based tasks.
Practical Magic: Everyday AI Use Cases
The real core of their discussion revolved around the diverse and often surprising ways AI is already proving useful:
- The Ultimate Brainstorming Partner: “That’s super, super simple when you’re stuck on something and you know, you’re trying to think of ideas.” AI can act as an tireless brainstorming partner, offering endless suggestions without getting annoyed.
- Learning and Problem-Solving:
- Explaining Complex Concepts: One speaker asked AI to explain volts, watts, and amps using a water flow analogy, making an abstract concept tangible.
- Troubleshooting: From fixing a car (“how to paint the hood of my truck,” “brakes and rotors”) to debugging code, AI can provide step-by-step guidance.
- Learning New Skills: Creating cheat sheets (like a PDF of key JavaScript terms) or getting simple project outlines.
- Creative Assistance:
- Music & Audio: Tools like Suno are showing “mind-blowing” improvements in audio generation, particularly in vocal changes and music composition.
- Dungeons & Dragons: One speaker’s friend uses AI to generate enemies and quest ideas for his D&D campaigns.
- Efficiency and Simplification:
- “Super Google”: AI can sift through vast amounts of information to find specific resources, acting as a highly advanced search engine.
- Summarization: Condensing long documents into one-page summaries or two-paragraph overviews.
- Writing Aid: From drafting emails and letters to polishing existing text or even tailoring content for different audiences (e.g., explaining something to a 3rd grader vs. a high school student vs. a graduate).
- Personalized Learning: The ability to ask AI to explain things in a specific way, tailored to one’s current understanding, is a game-changer. “Explain it to me like I’m five,” or “Explain this in these terms.”
Addressing Apprehensions and Looking to the Future
The fear of AI is real, with one speaker joking about “Terminator style” takeovers. However, the current sentiment is more aligned with Ethan Mollick’s observation: “This is the worst AI we’ll ever be.” The flaws and limitations are still evident, which, ironically, can make it less intimidating.
A key piece of advice for newcomers apprehensive about security is to “just don’t put in personal information” when first exploring these tools. Start with low-stakes queries.
Looking ahead, the speakers are excited about AI handling more mundane tasks to “free up time for the stuff we want to do.” While AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) and the “singularity” are big concepts, the immediate excitement lies in AI becoming an even better “Jarvis” – a highly capable assistant. The potential for AI to create truly tailored learning journeys and to help with complex creative endeavors is immense. One speaker is particularly keen on AI helping with the layout of a webpage, while another is looking forward to AI teaching him guitar, especially as a left-handed player facing a dearth of tailored resources.
The Takeaway: AI as an Evolving Tool
The conversation painted a picture of AI not as a sentient overlord, but as an incredibly versatile and rapidly improving tool. From helping with car repairs and coding to generating creative ideas and personalizing education, its applications are expanding daily. The key, it seems, is to dive in, experiment, and discover how this “everyday superpower” can augment our own abilities, even if it means starting with a little healthy skepticism. The journey with AI is one of continuous learning – for us, and for the AI itself.