[FRIAM] Bard and Don Quixote

[Steve Smith]

Jochen -

Very interesting framing...  as a followup I took the converse 
(inverse?) question To GPT4..

    /If we consider an LLM (Large Language Model) as the Sancho Panza to
    the Don Quixote of its human users, we can explore a couple of
    potential aspects:/

     1.

        /Grounding and Practicality: Sancho Panza is known for his
        grounded perspective and practicality, which complements Don
        Quixote's idealism. Similarly, an LLM can provide factual
        information, context, and practical insights to guide and
        support human users in their interactions. It can offer a wealth
        of knowledge and help bridge gaps in understanding, serving as a
        pragmatic companion./

     2.

        /Balancing Imagination and Realism: Don Quixote embodies
        imagination and creative thinking, while Sancho Panza offers a
        more realistic viewpoint. Similarly, an LLM can enhance human
        creativity by generating imaginative ideas and expanding
        possibilities. At the same time, it can bring rationality and
        critical thinking, ensuring that the generated content aligns
        with facts and reason./

     3.

        /Providing Different Perspectives: Sancho Panza often offers
        alternative viewpoints and challenges Don Quixote's romanticized
        notions. Similarly, an LLM can present diverse perspectives,
        consider different angles, and engage in nuanced discussions
        with human users. It can help users explore varying opinions and
        broaden their understanding of complex topics./

     4.

        /Ethical Guidance: Sancho Panza acts as a moral compass,
        advising Don Quixote on the right course of action. In a similar
        vein, an LLM can provide ethical guidance by highlighting
        potential biases, promoting inclusivity, and encouraging
        responsible use of language and information. It can contribute
        to creating a more informed and ethical digital environment./

    /However, it's important to note that an LLM, as a machine learning
    model, lacks human experiences, emotions, and deeper understanding.
    While it can offer valuable assistance, it may not fully grasp the
    complexities of human interactions or possess the wisdom and
    empathetic qualities of a human companion like Sancho Panza.
    Therefore, while an LLM can serve as a useful tool, it should be
    complemented by human judgment and critical thinking to navigate the
    nuances of real-life situations./

I am a couple of hours behind on the live feed Senate hearing on AI 
<https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/committee-activity/hearings/oversight-of-ai-rules-for-artificial-intelligence> 
listening in fits and starts between other things:

 1. I was definitely impressed with Altman (OpenAI), Montgomery (IBM)
    and Marcus' (NYU) thoughtful and extrapolative responses rather than
    perhaps the more usual defensive/deflective/adversarial style that
    these hearings often have...   I don't know who chose this
    particular lineup but I thought both Montgomery and Marcus made a
    good complement to Altman.  If Google and Microsoft and ??? had been
    there it might have reflected more "competitive" or "showy" answers?
 2. I was impressed with the Senators (compared to my fairly low
    expectations).   Even Kennedy and Hawley managed not to do their
    usual grandstanding and and snide sniping.   Altman handed Hawley's
    question "why don't we just let people sue you?" (as a mode of
    regulation/oversight) back to him quite deftly (in the style of "ass
    with both hands") by responding simply "I know of no reason people
    CAN'T sue us today if we cause harm".  Marcus chipped in pretty well
    outlining how the current laws that *might* apply are not well
    suited for many reasons.
 3. I felt that all three witnesses walked the fine line on the question
    of a "moratoriam" fairly deftly, acknowledging that they endorse the
    spirit of not running headlong and thoughtlessly into the future but
    at the same time there is no obvious practical way to implement and
    enforce this, but that they are all enforcing their own limits on
    how fast (and thoughtlessly?) they might roll out development to the
    public...
 4. In closing Blumenthal  suggested having ChatGPT rewrite the lyrics
    to "Don't Stop" (thinking about tomorrow (McVie-Fleetwood Mac) which
    I took to heart.  I was not impressed with it's results and won't
    burden the list with it.  I'm guessing Blumenthal did *not* actually
    do that but like Quixote, simply saw the windmill and thought it
    might be a giant?


On 5/16/23 11:30 AM, Jochen Fromm wrote:
> I have asked Bard ( bard.google.com) today about Don Quixote from 
> Cervantes, and if a large language model would be similar to a Don 
> Quixote without a Sancho Panza.
>
> Here is what Bard replied:
>
> "In a way, large language models can be seen as Don Quixotes without 
> Sancho Panzas. They are trained on massive amounts of text data, and 
> they are able to generate text, translate languages, write different 
> kinds of creative content, and answer your questions in an informative 
> way. However, they are not always able to distinguish between reality 
> and fiction, and they can sometimes make mistakes or generate text 
> that is not accurate or helpful.
>
> Sancho Panza, on the other hand, is a realist who helps Don Quixote to 
> stay grounded in reality. He provides Don Quixote with common sense 
> and practical advice, and he helps him to avoid making mistakes.
>
> Large language models could benefit from having a Sancho Panza figure 
> to help them to stay grounded in reality and to avoid making mistakes. 
> This could be done by having a human being or another large language 
> model to review the text that the large language model generates. This 
> would help to ensure that the text is accurate, helpful, and appropriate"
>
> -J.
>
>
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