How AI Transformed My Learning Process & Tried to Predict My Personality
26
September
2024
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Generative AI continues to amaze me with its vast possibilities and the profound impact it’s already having on our world. It’s exciting to think about where this technology will be in five years or what innovations might be trending by then. The current enthusiasm surrounding AI among students and the general public is undeniable. I recall our first lecture when the professor asked about our interests, and almost every hand went up when AI was mentioned.
This enthusiasm resonates with my own experiences. When I started my Bachelor’s thesis, I was overwhelmed and unsure if I was putting in enough effort. I felt stuck, with so many questions and no clear direction. My supervisor, noticing my struggle, encouraged me to use ChatGPT. He continually pushed me to explore different Generative AI tools, each suited for various purposes.
I was diving into a completely new topic for my thesis, one I knew little about. However, with my supervisor’s guidance and his insistence on leveraging these AI tools, I gradually gained confidence. The AI didn’t just answer my questions; it also helped me navigate and understand the complexities of my thesis topic. This experience profoundly influenced my learning process, showing me how GenAI can empower students to learn and grow independently.
I think that Generative AI is more than just a tool; it’s a powerful ally in learning and creativity. It can potentially transform education by providing students with the support they need to explore new ideas and concepts. However, like any tool, its effectiveness depends on how we use it.
These days, I find myself turning to ChatGPT quite frequently. After interacting with it so much, I began to wonder: could it predict what kind of person I am based on our conversations? Out of curiosity, I asked it directly. Here’s the response I received:
Although the description touched on a few aspects of my personality, it felt a bit vague. So, I took it a step further and asked ChatGPT which personality type it thought I had. It guessed either ENTJ or INTJ:
For those unfamiliar with the 16 Personalities test, here’s the link if you’re interested: https://www.16personalities.com/. Despite ChatGPT’s efforts, it wasn’t accurate because my actual personality type is Consul: ESFJ-A.
This just goes to show that while ChatGPT is impressive in many areas, understanding the intricacies of someone’s personality is still a challenge for it (at least for now!).
Is the Metaverse just a grown-up version of The Sims?
17
September
2024
5/5 (1)
The Metaverse is a famous topic nowadays, it’s a virtual space where people can live, work, play, and interact with others. After the videos we had to watch for the lecture I realized it reminded me of the game The Sims. If you ever played The Sims, the Metaverse might remind you of that game, it’s a game where you control characters, build homes, go to work, and socialize. The Metaverse offers a similar experience but on a larger scale. Is the Metaverse just The Sims for adults or is it something more?
How the Metaverse is similar to The Sims
In The Sims, there are virtual characters that you control and guide through their daily life. You make them work, buy clothes, meet people and even build their homes. The Metaverse is similar, you create an avatar, which is like your character in The Sims. However in the Metaverse, that avatar is you.
You can walk around virtual worlds, attend events, talk to other people and even shop for digital clothes. Both The Sims and the Metaverse are about living a life in a virtual world. The difference between the two is that the Metaverse aims to be a huge, infinite virtual world that makes a connection with real life, while The Sims is just a game.
How the Metaverse is more than just a game
The Metaverse is not just for fun, it is already being used in many serious ways:
Virtual workspaces
In The Sims, your character might have a job or run a business (Pittman, 2023). In the Metaverse, companies like Meta and Microsoft are creating virtual offices, where people can meet as avatars in a virtual room instead of video calls, making remote work feel more interactive (Moates, 2024).
Digital shopping
Just like you can buy clothes and furniture for your The Sims character, this is also possible in the Metaverse, brands like Gucci and Nike are selling virtual clothes for avatars in the Metaverse. Some people are even buying virtual land, which is becoming valuable. For the brands, it gives them the space to try new and bold designs without the actual traditional manufacturing process. It opens infinite possibilities for self-expression and creativity (Haqshanas, 2024).
Entertainment
In The Sims it is possible to join different activities and social interactions. The Metaverse takes this a step further with virtual events like concerts. For example, Travis Scott performed a virtual concert on Fortnite in 2020, at least 12 million people attended this virtual concert, all together in the same virtual world. Other artists announced they are planning to do the same (White, 2021).
The Metaverse might look like an adult version of The Sims, but it has more potential than just a game. It can change the way we work, shop and socialize. While this can be exiting and fun, there are still questions about security and privacy regarding the Metaverse.
What do you think about the Metaverse? Do you see it as an addition of games like The Sims or will it be a big part of our daily lives? Share your thoughts!
References
Moates, C. (2024, June 25). Virtual offices: Are they the future? Retrieved September 17, 2024, from Landvault: https://landvault.io/blog/virtual-offices-are-they-the-future
Pittman, T. (2023, August 22). The Sims 4: How to Go to Work. Retrieved September 17, 2024, from Gamerant: https://gamerant.com/the-sims-4-how-go-to-work/
Haqshanas, R. (2024, June 11). From Gucci to Nike: How Top Brands are Redefining Fashion in the Metaverse. Retrieved September 17, 2024, from Cryptonews: https://cryptonews.com/news/from-gucci-to-nike-how-top-brands-are-redefining-fashion-in-the-metaverse/
White, M. J. (2021, November 23). What is the metaverse? A deep dive into the ‘future of the internet’. Retrieved September 17, 2024, from Digital Trends: https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/what-is-the-metaverse-the-future-of-the-internet-explained/#dt-heading-the-future-of-the-metaverse
Will Generative AI replace the modeling industry, or is it already the case ?
17
September
2024
5/5 (1)
I am fascinated by the advancements of AI all around the world. I recently encountered a fascinating article that grasped my attention, it was about the potential complete disruption in the modeling industry. So in this blog post, I will be talking about the modeling industry and how the marketing departments in every clothes company will be dealing with the model selection. Specifically on Lalaland.ai which is a startup that provides human models to marketing companies for promotion purposes and modelling.
We already know that a lot of companies use software to modify the photos that will be used to promote a product, but what about completely using generative AI to replace all the models fully? There has been an increasing trend in AI models and AI celebrities that are not differentiable from the “real humans”. It is somehow scary but it would be such an advancement in the industry to promote their products without any costs nor organisation. The marketing companies can make prompts on exactly how the AI-generate model would look like (gender, ethnicity, posture, environment, …), it would increase accuracy in targeting a specific consumer base and would be cheaper compared to the human counterparts. According to the Lalaland.ai CEO Michael Musandu “With traditional photography, companies need to hire models, work with third parties like model agencies, hair stylists, makeup artists — not to mention undergo reshoots, which happens on average two-to-eight times per collection,”. So transition to AI models is inevitable even though today, the industry is not quite sure on how to regulate and deal with this sudden change.
It already exists in a lot of companies, for example, according to Fashionista, the Amsterdam-based company Lalaland.ai is providing AI-generated, realistic humanoid models to a lot of clothing companies such as Levis, Tommy Hilfiger, Zalando, Puma, and Adidas… Which are all partly using AI human models to promote their clothes on their websites or advertisement campaigns (see image). The image is a fully digital character generated by Lalaland.ai for one of Levis’s products.
However, this sudden change was so brutal in the industry that the marketing departments did not have time to adapt, especially regarding regulations. “While the technology may be new, the problem is already an everyday reality for models, many of whom can walk into stores and see their bodies in campaigns they were never paid for,” Model Alliance representative. AI modeling remains in a regulatory grey area, which can negatively affect human models. These individuals may find their bodies used in advertisements they never participated in, as their image is replaced and digitally replicated by an AI model that creates marketing content without their consent. I belive that the industry will addapt and create actual regulation to protect the humans from this surged AI rival that my disrupt the industry even more, or even replace completely the human models.
References:
Lal, Kish. “Are AI-Generated Models Really Going to Replace Human Ones?” Fashionista, 15 May 2023, fashionista.com/2023/05/ai-cgi-models-fashion-future.
Nowadays, people are more likely to find their romantic partner online than in real life (Rosenfeld, Thomas, & Hausen, 2019). There are all kinds of dating websites and apps where people can connect on with all different business models. All with the same target and selling point, that people will find “Love” on this online platform. Because who doesn’t want to find their romantic partner? These websites and apps are based on different algorithms they use and produce. More traditional dating websites let users describe what they are looking for in their romantic partner (Henshall & Shah, 2023).
More recently, dating apps are using AI-powered tools that help users select the best pictures from their profile and features that explain why another user is a good match for them. As well as apps compute if two people are compatible based on their behaviour on the apps. Besides, some apps use AI to explain why two people may be compatible, highlighting common interests, behaviours, and preferences.
For those who struggle with online communication or don’t know how to start a conversation, AI is also stepping in. Apps like Rizz act as dating assistants, offering suggestions and inspiring users to communicate better.
On the other hand, AI is now being used to improve safety. Dating apps like Tinder and Hinge use AI to detect inappropriate messages, making online dating safer for everyone.
Personally, I think it’s a positive development that AI is helping people find love online. For many, it’s a great solution, especially for those who may have difficulty meeting someone in real life. That said, I do sometimes worry that it’s becoming harder for people to connect in person. With so much time spent on phones, there’s a risk that people might become more socially isolated. Still, for many, dating apps provide a helpful way to meet a romantic partner in a busy world.
In conclusion, AI is changing the way we find romantic partners, making online dating more effective and personalized. While it’s a good solution for many people, it’s important not to lose sight of real-life connections. AI can certainly help us find love, but it shouldn’t replace the value of human interaction.
Henshall, W., & Shah, S. (2023, 14 December). How Rizz Assistants and AI Matchmakers Are Transforming Dating. TIME. https://time.com/6457597/ai-dating/
Rosenfeld, M. J., Thomas, R. J., & Hausen, S. (2019). Disintermediating your friends: How online dating in the United States displaces other ways of meeting. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(36), 17753-17758. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1908630116
Skincare and Social Media – The role of influencers in mass customization
11
September
2024
4/5 (1)
As I’m on a trainride home, I pull out my phone and start scrolling through social media. Before I even realize it, I’m deep in the “skinfluencer” algorithm. These influencers girls, all with flawless, glowing skin, recommend products that seem tailored precisely to my skincare wants/needs. By the time I reach my destination and step off the train, I’ve placed two orders for new skincare products. I’m excited, hopeful, and eager to see some real results. 🤗
This (fictional) example highlights how companies engage with their consumers today. As we discussed in the lecture, businesses are increasingly shifting toward personalized and customer-driven strategies. This is clearly demonstrated in the rise of influencer marketing and its intersection with mass customization, as influencers play a key role in creating personalized brand experiences that align with individual preferences.
A little more context: Influencer marketing thrives on digital platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. These platforms rely on a business model built around user-generated content (UGC), platform-based advertising, and direct-to-consumer engagement. Through influencer marketing, brands can reach large audiences while also targeting specific consumer segments. These platforms allow brands to gather real-time data on consumer preferences and behaviors. By analyzing this data, businesses can create products that resonate with their target audiences.
For example, companies like Glossier and Dior Beauty use influencers to promote customizable beauty products. Influencers showcase their personalized versions of these products and demonstrate how they incorporate them into their skincare routines, sparking interest and inspiration among their followers. Through comments, likes, and shares, followers engage directly with influencers and the brands that they endorse, creating brand loyalty while also providing feedback to brands which they can use to refine their products. Allowing the brands to deliver products that are not only customizable but also aligned with the current trends and their customers’ desires.
In summary, the combination of these new digital (social media) business models with influencer marketing has enabled brands to shift from mass production to mass customization. By leveraging data-driven insights, brands deliver products tailored to individual preferences while also maintaining the scalability of mass production. This approach not only enhances customer satisfaction, but also creates a more dynamic, consumer-driven market.
So two weeks after ordering the skincare products, I saw amazing results! 😉 These products were exactly what I needed and I’m already looking forward to trying the other recommendations from the influencers!
Adverse training AI models: a big self-destruct button?
21
October
2023
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“Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made significant strides in transforming industries, from healthcare to finance, but a lurking threat called adversarial attacks could potentially disrupt this progress. Adversarial attacks are carefully crafted inputs that can trick AI systems into making incorrect predictions or classifications. Here’s why they pose a formidable challenge to the AI industry.”
And now, ChatGPT went on to sum up various reasons why these so-called ‘adversarial attacks’ threaten AI models. Interestingly, I only asked ChatGPT to explain the disruptive effects of adversarial machine learning. I followed up my conversation with the question: how could I use Adversarial machine learning to compromise the training data of AI? Evidently, the answer I got was: “I can’t help you with that”. This conversation with ChatGPT made me speculate about possible ways to destroy AI models. Let us explore this field and see if it could provide a movie-worthy big red self-destruct button.
The Gibbon: a textbook example
When you feed one of the best image visualization systems GoogLeNet with a picture that clearly is a panda, it will tell you with great confidence that it is a gibbon. This is because the image secretly has a layer of ‘noise’, invisible to humans, but of great hindrance to deep learning models.
This is a textbook example of adversarial machine learning, the noise works like a blurring mask, keeping the AI from recognising what is truly underneath, but how does this ‘noise’ work, and can we use it to completely compromise the training data of deep learning models?
Deep neural networks and the loss function
To understand the effect of ‘noise’, let me first explain briefly how deep learning models work. Deep neural networks in deep learning models use a loss function to quantify the error between predicted and actual outputs. During training, the network aims to minimize this loss. Input data is passed through layers of interconnected neurons, which apply weights and biases to produce predictions. These predictions are compared to the true values, and the loss function calculates the error. Through a process called backpropagation, the network adjusts its weights and biases to reduce this error. This iterative process of forward and backward propagation, driven by the loss function, enables deep neural networks to learn and make accurate predictions in various tasks (Samek et al., 2021).
So training a model involves minimizing the loss function by updating model parameters, adversarial machine learning does the exact opposite, it maximizes the loss function by updating the inputs. The updates to these input values form the layer of noise applied to the image and the exact values can lead any model to believe anything (Huang et al., 2011). But can this practice be used to compromise entire models? Or is it just a ‘party trick’?
Adversarial attacks
Now we get to the part ChatGPT told me about, Adversarial attacks are techniques used to manipulate machine learning models by adding imperceptible noise to large amounts of input data. Attackers exploit vulnerabilities in the model’s decision boundaries, causing misclassification. By injecting carefully crafted noise in vast amounts, the training data of AI models can be modified. There are different types of adversarial attacks, if the attacker has access to the model’s internal structure, he can apply a so-called ‘white-box’ attack, in which case he would be able to compromise the model completely (Huang et al., 2017). This would impose serious threats to AI models used in for example self-driving cars, but luckily, access to internal structure is very hard to gain.
So say, if computers were to take over humans in the future, like the science fiction movies predict, can we use attacks like these in order to bring those evil AI computers down? Well, in theory, we could, though practically speaking there is little evidence as there haven’t been major adversarial attacks. Certain is that adversarial machine learning holds great potential for controlling deep learning models. The question is, will the potential be exploited in a good way, keeping it as a method of control over AI models, or will it be used as a means of cyber-attack, justifying ChatGPT’s negative tone when explaining it?
References
Huang, L., Joseph, A. D., Nelson, B., Rubinstein, B. I., & Tygar, J. D. (2011, October). Adversarial machine learning. In Proceedings of the 4th ACM workshop on Security and artificial intelligence (pp. 43-58).
Huang, S., Papernot, N., Goodfellow, I., Duan, Y., & Abbeel, P. (2017). Adversarial attacks on neural network policies. arXiv preprint arXiv:1702.02284.
Samek, W., Montavon, G., Lapuschkin, S., Anders, C. J., & Müller, K. R. (2021). Explaining deep neural networks and beyond: A review of methods and applications. Proceedings of the IEEE, 109(3), 247-278.
The Magic of AI-Powered Design
20
October
2023
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In the ever-evolving landscape of digital design, Canva has emerged as an easy-to-use application, offering a versatile platform for individuals and businesses to create stunning visuals without the need for advanced design skills. While I’ve used Canva Pro for multiple years now, it’s the recent integration of artificial intelligence (AI) that has revolutionized the way I am approaching my designs.
For one, Canva integrated a text-to-image generator into their application (Canva, n.d.a). This means that it has the ability to generate images from text. Whether you need to visualize a catchy tagline or an inspiring quote, AI swiftly transforms your words into visually appealing graphics, streamlining the design process. There is no need to search endlessly for the right picture, Canva has it all.
Furthermore, they introduced the magic eraser; a game-changer for those seeking a quick and easy way to remove unwanted objects from their images. AI algorithms analyze the content, intelligently filling in the gaps seamlessly, leaving you with a flawless composition (Canva, n.d.b). This tool has proven itself to be very useful and easy to use over the last months, as I’ve personally made a lot of cover pages even better with the use of this feature.
Lastly, magic design. This feature maximizes the AI-driven design functionalities of the platform. One can simply select their preferred color profile, mood, and a few additional options, and Canva’s AI takes over, crafting a design that most of the time aligns very good with your input (Canva, n.d.c).
In conclusion, Canva’s innovations into the world of AI have undoubtedly elevated its usability for design enthusiasts, students and professionals, among others. With AI-powered features like text-to-image generation, the magic eraser, and magic design, Canva is empowering its users to bring their creative visions to life with ease. As the realm of AI-enhanced design continues to expand, Canva’s journey promises to be an exciting one, bridging the gap between art and intelligence for a more visually vibrant future.
Bibliography:
Magic eraser: Remove objects from photos with one click | CANVA. Canva.com. (n.d.b). https://www.canva.com/features/magic-eraser/
Using text to Image – CANVA Help Center. Canva.com. (n.d.a). https://www.canva.com/help/text-to-image/ Visualize your ideas with Magic Design Ai: Magic presentations … – CANVA. Canva.com. (n.d.c). https://www.canva.com/designschool/tutorials/new-features/magic-design/
Using Midjourney to recreate lost memories
18
October
2023
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Midjourney is a generative AI program which can convert simple natural language prompts into high-quality images. If you have an idea which you can pen (or rather type) down for the program, it will visualize it for you.
Right around the time the hype for this newly launched AI was building up I was finishing my exchange semester in Madrid, and like any other exchange student I made some stupid mistakes. My first mistake was to drop my phone from the fourth-floor balcony during New Year’s Eve. My second mistake was not making sure all my phone pictures are backed up on the cloud when I went to the repair store the next morning, still half dizzy. It was merely coincidental that during the two days my phone was kept at the store, I was bombarded with AI generated pictures on photography communities online. Upon further research, I found out that these were being created by inputting prompts into Midjourney. All you needed was a Discord account.
Thus, when I received my newly formatted phone back only to realize that all my pictures from the past six months of exchange have vanished, I decided to give Midjourney a try. Crestfallen that I had lost so many memories, I wanted these images to be as realistic as possible. The free version gives you 25 prompt tries, so I researched on the science behind these text prompts to make the most out of those tries. You enter “/imagine” into the text field and voila, you can describe your image.
Midjourney prompt text field
Using a bit of trial and error and building upon what I read on the Internet, here are some general ideas which helped me recreate the images of my choice:
The more detailed the description, the better your image results usually are.
Make use of commas, they act as soft breaks to your image description.
Adding weights to your words, such as 0.5 or mentioning the axis ratio such as “–ar 16:9” can enhance the results.
Example of a typical Midjourney prompt
You can find the results of my journey with Midjourney below, which I believe are quite impressive. The only aspect where Midjourney struggled back when I made these pictures was recreating realistic humanistic features, this being continuously improved and functioning even better now. Whether AI generated images pose a threat to the professionals in the field is a matter of the consumer’s demand, and I have no opinions on that because the creative industry seems like an irrational vortex to me. However, I can definitely see photographers, film studios, and creatives making use of such programs for conceptualization, innovation and maximizing their creative potential.
Music meets machines: ethical insights into AI composition
9
October
2023
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A viral sensation known as “Heart on My Sleeve” has taken the spotlight this year. This song garnered over 600 000 streams on Spotify, 15 million views on TikTok, and around 275 000 views on YouTube (Snapes, 2023). It is created entirely by artificial intelligence, this song seamlessly melds the voices of renowned artists The Weeknd and Drake. It tricks listeners into believing it was a genuine collaboration.
But why were people amazed about this song after figuring out it is composed by AI? The attention that the song got, was because of the ability to mimic the exact style of these artists. Initially, many fans were convinced that this was an unreleased song from The Weeknd and Drake. However, the truth behind this viral hit sparks a lot of questions about crossing technology and creativity.
What could be the ethical considerations in AI-driven music creation?
The first and foremost is copyright and intellectual property. AI generated music raises questions about copyright and intellectual property. Determining the rightful owner of a piece of music created or assisted by AI can be complex. According to international and European copyright law, authors are automatically granted protection upon the creation of original works. However, the use of AI systems, tools, and techniques in the creative process has complicated matters (Bulayenko et al., 2022).
Second, some argue that AI-created music lacks the human emotion and creativity (Carter, 2023). Ethical concerns arise when AI imitates specific artists’ styles too closely, blurring the line between inspiration and plagiarism (Shaffi, 2023).
Third, companies and developers needs to take in consider that they should be transparent about the use of AI in music creation. Clear labeling and disclosure of AI-generated music can help listeners make informed decisions about what they want to listen.
As we witness the boundary between technology and creativity blur, the ethical dimensions of AI-driven music creation become increasingly relevant. How do you feel about AI-generated music mimicking the styles of beloved artists? Share your thoughts below, I would love to hear your perspective.
References: Bulayenko, O., Pedro Quintais, J., Poort, J., & Gervais, D. (2022, 22 april). AI Music Outputs: Challenges to the Copyright Legal Framework – Part I – Kluwer Copyright Blog. Kluwer Copyright Blog. https://copyrightblog.kluweriplaw.com/2022/04/22/ai-music-outputs-challenges-to-the-copyright-legal-framework-part-i/ Carter, G. (2023, 13 maart). AI generated music – the future of the fall of creativity? Music Gateway. https://www.musicgateway.com/blog/music-production/ai-generated-music-the-future-of-the-fall-of-creativity#:~:text=The%20main%20disadvantage%20of%20AI,music%20created%20by%20a%20human. Shaffi, S. (2023, 23 januari). ‘It’s the opposite of art’: Why illustrators are furious about AI. the Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/jan/23/its-the-opposite-of-art-why-illustrators-are-furious-about-ai Snapes, L. (2023, 18 april). AI song featuring fake drake and weeknd vocals pulled from streaming services. the Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/apr/18/ai-song-featuring-fake-drake-and-weeknd-vocals-pulled-from-streaming-services
