Will AI-Powered Deepfakes be the Future of Education and Content Creation?

23

October

2023

5/5 (1)

In the field of artificial intelligence, there is a noteworthy area of research that centers around ethical and moral considerations in various domains, and one prominent example is the concept of “deepfakes.” Deepfakes have opened up a new dimension within artificial intelligence, where they can create metahuman or AI avatars capable of mimicking human actions, speech, and gestures.

But what if we harnessed deepfake technology to instantly enhance common educational practices, such as creating presentations? What would that look like? I recently had the opportunity to explore a generative AI web-based application called “Deep Brain AI,” which expands the horizons of AI capabilities, particularly in the realm of content creation. What does this mean in practical terms? Users can develop PowerPoint presentations, just like they always have, to convey information to an audience. However, the intriguing twist is that a full body animated AI avatars or metahumans can replace human speakers. Consequently, the presenter doesn’t need to speak, as the AI avatar or metahuman can handle the task.

The web-based application allows you to create templates, insert text boxes, and upload videos and audio, just like a standard PowerPoint application. The real innovation emerges when you can create an AI avatar, either male or female, with the ability to speak in various languages and accents from different countries. For instance, you can choose between accents like U.S. English, Indian English, Saudi Arabian Arabic, Taiwanese Chinese, and German from Germany. The AI avatar can articulate the content through a text script, effectively enabling text-to-speech input.

The application offers a range of features, including control over scene speed and the ability to insert additional pauses. What’s even more fascinating is the incorporation of advanced generative AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, into the application. I found this particularly intriguing, as it recognizes the utility of ChatGPT and integrates it seamlessly into the platform.

However, there were some shortcomings when using the application, most notably the unnatural quality of the deepfake avatars. They were easily discernible as artificial, which could lead to dissatisfaction among users and their audiences when listening to the AI avatars or reading the presentations.

Nonetheless, the age of artificial intelligence is advancing at an unprecedented pace, and my overall experience with the application has been positive. I’m keen to hear about your experiences with Deep Brain AI or deepfake technology in general.

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My Experience with DALL·E’s Creative Potential

21

October

2023

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I have tried Dall·E after reading so many posts about how it would revolutionize someone’s business and I was very disappointed.

Dall·E is a project developed by OpenAI, the same organization behind models like GPT-3 (ChatGPT). Dall·E in opposition to ChatGPT creates images from prompts that were given to it (OpenAI, n.d.). It uses deep learning technology such as Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) and Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). VAEs allow to represent complex data in a more compact form and the GANs are used to create as realistic images as possible by constantly creating fake images and putting them to the test by a discriminator that will discard the image if it deems it fake (Lawton, 2023; Blei et al., 2017). The business world and most of the LinkedIn posts I saw were idolizing such technology and explained how this could enhance humans in several ways. One way that was relevant to me was the creation of images, signs or pictograms that will enhance the potential of PowerPoint presentations.

After writing my thesis last year, I had to create a PowerPoint to present the main points of my thesis. I thought it would be a great way to start using Dall·E and tried creating my own visuals to have a clear representation of what my thesis entailed. After many tries, even with the best prompts I could write, even with the help of ChatGPT, none of the visuals that came out of it looked real or defined, it was just abstract art that represented nothing really. 

Reflecting on that experience, I thought that sometimes, the fascination people have for groundbreaking technology clouds its practical applications. I do not doubt that Dall·E can create great visuals and can be fun to play with, however, it does not always adapt seamlessly to specific creative needs. 

Ultimately, using Dall·E made me remember that we should always stay critical and manage expectations when it comes to groundbreaking emerging technology. It is appealing to listen to all the promises that come with disruptive technologies but sometimes we realize that no tool is one-size-fits-all.

References

Blei, D. M., Kucukelbir, A., & McAuliffe, J. D. (2017). Variational inference: A review for statisticians,  Journal of the American Statistical Association, 112 (518), pp. 859–877.

Lawton, G. (2023) ‘GANs vs. VAEs: What is the Best Generative AI Approach?’, Techtarget.
Retrieved from: https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/GANs-vs-VAEs-What-is-the-best-generative-AI-approach 

OpenAI. (n.d.). Dall·E 2. DALL·E 2. https://openai.com/dall-e-2/

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Dive Into Briefy: exploring ai-powered content summarization

20

October

2023

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Let’s be real for a sec – who’s got the time (or energy) to go through hours of content these days? We’re all out here, drowning in a sea of never-ending tabs, articles, and videos. But I found this tool – Briefy – which was launched about a month ago, and despite being in the early stages, it holds a lot of promise to help us in our student life. 

So far, Briefy is all about keeping it simple and user-friendly. There is luckily no need to spend time on complicated stuff like API keys or prompt settings. I tried it and it’s a quick download, a Google sign-in, and installation of a (chrome) extension, and you’re ready to get summarizing (Briefy, 2023). 

So, how does it work? After having installed the Briefy extension, go to a website with a text you’d like to summarize, look for the Briefy button (appearing if the extension is activated), and a pop-up lays out all the main points in easy-to-read bullets, without having to click away from the page (Briefy, 2023).  

Even though it’s a very new tool, compared to more established ones like ChatGPT-4, Briefy shows a lot of promise for providing quality summaries and a super smooth usability. But it also comes with a couple of limitations (which I’m sure the team behind Briefy is already working on): so far, Briefy is only available on websites and is not yet able to handle very long articles, such as the academic ones we have to read. But this gives also a lot of room for improvement! Moreover, especially for more visual students, it would be amazing if Briefy developed into a tool that can not only provide us with quality summaries but also charts or mindmaps, all available to go on our phones or tablets.  

Also, when using tools like Briefy, we should keep in mind that such AI summary tools can struggle to balance between being overly general or too specific and not grasping the context or what we deem important (Altmami & Menai, 2022; Widyassari et al., 2022). Moreover, despite improvements in natural language processing, it can also still be possible that these AIs lack deep semantic understanding, meaning that the summaries provided can be technically correct, but might still miss implict meanings which are present in the original article (Silva et al., 2019).  

 So, I personally believe that this new tool isn’t just a potential timesaver; it can turn into a starter gun for deeper dives into how we consume and process with the digital world.  

Altmami, N. I., & Menai, M. E. B. (2022). Automatic summarization of scientific articles: A survey. Journal of King Saud University-Computer and Information Sciences34(4), 1011-1028. 

Briefy. (2023). Briefy – AI-powered content summarizer. Retrieved October 20, 2023, from https://briefy.ai/ 

Silva, V. S., Freitas, A., & Handschuh, S. (2019). On the semantic interpretability of artificial intelligence models. arXiv preprint arXiv:1907.04105.  

Widyassari, A. P., Rustad, S., Shidik, G. F., Noersasongko, E., Syukur, A., & Affandy, A. (2022). Review of automatic text summarization techniques & methods. Journal of King Saud University-Computer and Information Sciences34(4), 1029-1046. 

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The day ChatGPT outstripped its limitations for Me

20

October

2023

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We all know ChatGPT since the whole technological frenzy that happened in 2022. This computer program was developed by OpenAI using GPT-3.5 (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) architecture. This program was trained using huge dataset and allows to create human-like text based on the prompts it receives (OpenAI, n.d.). Many have emphasized the power and the disruptive potential such emerging technology has whether it be in human enhancement by supporting market research and insights or legal document drafting and analysis for example which increases the efficiency of humans (OpenAI, n.d.).

Hype cycle for Emerging Technologies retrieved from Gartner.

However, despite its widespread adoption and the potential generative AI has, there are still many limits to it that prevent us from using it to its full potential. Examples are hallucinating facts or a high dependence on prompt quality (Alkaissi & McFarlane, 2023; Smulders, 2023). The latter issue links to the main topic of this blog post.

I have asked in the past to ChatGPT, “can you create diagrams for me?”  and this was ChatGPT’s response:

I have been using ChatGPT for all sorts of problems since its widespread adoption in 2022 and have had many different chats but always tried to have similar topics in the same chat, thinking “Maybe it needs to remember, maybe it needs to understand the whole topic for my questions to have a proper answer”. One day, I needed help with a project for work in understanding how to create a certain type of diagram since I was really lost. ChatGPT helped me understand but I still wanted concrete answers, I wanted to see the diagram with my own two eyes to make sure I knew what I needed to do. After many exchanges, I would try again and ask ChatGPT to show me, but nothing.

One day came the answer, I provided ChatGPT with all the information I had and asked again; “can you create a diagram with this information”. That is when, to my surprise, ChatGPT started creating an SQL interface, representing, one by one, each part of the diagram, with the link between them and in the end an explanation of what it did, a part of the diagram can be shown below (for work confidentiality issues, the diagram is anonymized).

It was a success for me, I made ChatGPT do the impossible, something ChatGPT said itself it could not provide for me. That day, ChatGPT outstripped its limitations for me. This is how I realized the importance of prompt quality.

This blog post shows the importance of educating the broader public and managers about technological literacy in the age of Industry 4.0 and how with the right knowledge and skills, generative AI can be used to its full potential to enhance human skills.

Have you ever managed to make ChatGPT do something it said it couldn’t with the right prompt? Comment down below.

References:

Alkaissi, H., & McFarlane, S. I. (2023). Artificial hallucinations in ChatGPT: implications in scientific writing. Cureus15(2).

Smulders, S. (2023, March 29). 15 rules for crafting effective GPT Chat prompts. Expandi. https://expandi.io/blog/chat-gpt-rules/

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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/

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A Guide to AI Tool Libraries: Where to Find the Perfect AI?

18

October

2023

5/5 (1)


What Are These Databases?

With the rapid growth of the ever-expanding universe of AI technologies, a number of tools were designed to tackle various tasks, from data analysis to content creation and beyond. This explosion of tools makes finding a perfect solution for your needs sound like an exhausting and lengthy task. Navigating this landscape can be overwhelming, this is where AI tool databases come in. These libraries of a kind serve as centralised repositories created to help users find the right AI solution for their specific needs. In this post, I’ll explore some popular options that I have had an experience with and share why “There’s An AI For That” (TAAFT) is my personal favourite.


The Options and What They Offer

1. TopAI.Tools. Established in 2019 and with a current database of 5,110+ tools, TopAI.Tools’ main focus is on displaying various AI tools tagged based on area of expertise and value. I found the offered interface to be rather user-friendly but the platform primarily centres on presenting a list of tools and lacks more extensive smart search functionalities, description and information on each tool.

2. FutureTools.io. Launched in 2020, FutureTools.io currently offers a database of 2,323 tools. It focuses on organising AI tools into categories, provides basic descriptions as well as information on pricing models and shows user ratings. However, it falls short of offering detailed search features.

3. Phygital Plus Library. In existence since 2021, this platform is limited in scope, with only 1,600+ tools, and mainly focuses on AI tools related to digital and physical products. It doesn’t offer as much information or user reviews compared to others but has an extensive search filtering feature.

4. There’s An AI For That (TAAFT). Founded in 2018, TAAFT boasts the most comprehensive database of over 8,831 AIs available for more than 2,311 tasks. It also has a smart AI search functionality that allows users to find the best AI tools for any use case quite effortlessly.


The Winner

As I mentioned previously, There’s An AI For That is my absolute favourite, and let me tell you why: 

1. Comprehensive Database: With a huge database of almost 9,000 tools, TAAFT has the most extensive list of AI tools, making it a one-stop shop for all your AI needs.

2. Smart Search: The platform’s smart search functionality is a game-changer. It allows the users to filter in the best possible way and find the most suitable tools quickly.

3. User-Friendliness: TAAFT’s interface is the most intuitive which makes it incredibly easy to navigate through a plethora of options.


Conclusion

Navigating through the world of AI tools can be daunting but databases like the above make the journey much more enjoyable and easy. While each of these databases has its benefits, “There’s An AI For That” definitely stands out. I hope my personal recommendation will serve as a useful guide in your own AI journey! Time to explore!

Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with these AI tool databases in the comments section below!


References

1. There’s An AI For That. https://theresanaiforthat.com/

2. TopAI.Tools. https://topai.tools/  

3. FutureTools.io. https://www.futuretools.io/  

4. Phygital Plus Library. https://library.phygital.plus/

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Using GenAI as a Teacher (2/2)

18

October

2023

ChatGPT is a good writer. It is a better teacher!

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In part one of this series (find it here) I have already outlined why it’s a good idea to use ChatGPT as a teacher. But how can you use ChatGPT to aid you in learning? It’s all about packaging your individual needs into prompts. So, think first about how you can learn best. As for me, I like to get bullet point lists and definitions. Here are a few examples of my favorite prompts:

If you’re completely new to a subject:

  • Imagine you are “expert in the field”. Explain “topic” to me on “high school/university/expert” level. Use bullet points.
    • Imagine you are John McAffee. Explain cybersecurity to me on high school level. Use bullet points.

If you are already familiar but lack clarity on how different things connect:

  • In “field you are learning”, explain “level of detail” of “topic you learn” via “keywords you know should be in the explanation”.
    • In software engineering, explain the basics of agile development to me via sprints, scrum, and scope. Use bullet points.

If you have similar but different words but cannot find a good explanation anywhere:

  • In “field you are learning”, what is the difference between “X, Y and Z”?
    • In statistics, what is the difference between errors, residuals, and variance?

ChatGPT is also good for reading. Imagine you have a long text to read and cannot get a glimpse on what it’s about. You can copy/paste the text into ChatGPT and tell it the following prompt:

  • Summarize the key points of the given text in ten bullet points.

Let’s say ChatGPT gives you six distinct bullet points but four are kind of vague or around the same subject. Then you repeat the prompt but make it six bullet points. If the result is six concise bullet points, you get the idea of the text. Finally, you should still read the whole text with this understanding in mind (you will likely still find valuable new information in the text).

There you have it! Now you can use ChatGPT as your personal teacher. I hope you learned something and wish you great success!

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Using GenAI as a Teacher (1/2)

18

October

2023

ChatGPT is a good writer. It is a better teacher!

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It is a common theme that students use generative AI, most prominently ChatGPT, as a short-cut to generate content for written assignments. While this straight-forward application of the given resources to “get done as soon as possible” may be useful in the short-term, of course it’s no way to actually learn something in the end (aside from also conducting plagiarism). In the long-term, digital dementia is looming, which is a phenomenon that describes people who became more forgetful because they could google what they need anytime. Now with GenAI, the ability to create original thought and overall creativity are in peril, too. Imagine where we would end up if we outsourced all our creative work and thinking processes to AI for just two years.

So, why don’t we take a step back and use ChatGPT’s ability to explain any topic exactly in the way that we need it to, to our personal advantage? It may be a great writer, but it’s a better teacher. I have been using ChatGPT in this way for a while now and I can tell you: Using ChatGPT as a teacher, rather than a substitute, elevates our own understanding and enables us to learn better, leading to added value both for ourselves and our assignments or jobs. It can increase our understanding before we write any assignment ourselves(!), with our own knowledge. This way, we can also use ChatGPT to understand and learn any topic!

There are multiple ways to use ChatGPT as a teacher and overall learning aid. The most obvious one is having it summarize a long text that you have to read or having it explain a concept to you. In any case, specific prompts will help. Both of these use cases will be discussed further in part 2 of this blog series (find it here).

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ChatGPT Plugins: The Doom or The Boom?

17

October

2023

5/5 (2)

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The Promise of Plugins

The emergence of ChatGPT plugins has been a turning point in the realm of conversational AI. Not only do plugins enhance the built-in capabilities of ChatGPT but also expand the horizons of possibilities. The plugins have significant implications for various industries and sectors. However, as with any AI advancement, there are both pros and cons to consider. In this blog post, I delve deeper into my personal experience with ChatGPT plugins, discuss their real-world applications, and explore the ongoing debates surrounding their usage. 

What are Plugins?

Currently, the plugins are only available in the Plus version of ChatGPT. In a nutshell, they are technically software add-ons that extend the existing capabilities of the original ChatGPT model. Plugins can serve a variety of purposes and can connect the model to external data sources, thus, increasing the accuracy of responses. They are not developed by the OpenAI itself, but rather are enhancement tools made by human beings and “submitted” into the ChatGPT ecosystem. For instance, the plugins can enable ChatGPT to draft emails, conduct web searches, summarise documents etc.

The User Experience

My personal journey with ChatGPT plugins started very recently, way after they were introduced. Yet, the experience has been quite enlightening. Not only have these plugins made my interactions with ChatGPT more dynamic but have also allowed for my productivity and efficiency to skyrocket. Though there are only around 1,000 of them available, I am very far from having explored all of them. Among the ones I have had the pleasure of working with, a few have stood out due to their utility in my personal and professional lives:

1. KeyMate.AI Search

KeyMate.AI has truly been a game-changer for me. The plugin basically acts like a missing link between ChatGPT and Google Search. It helped me reduce the time I spent on web research and increase its efficiency. For instance, while working on a market analysis for a work project, I used KeyMate.AI to quickly generate an overview of the market and biggest players. It can also help you make your investment decisions by providing real-life data and trends!

Curious? Click to see a live example!

2. WolframAlpha

As someone who has a keen interest in data analytics, the Wolfram plugin has been interesting to explore. In short, it allows for performing quick complex calculations and data analysis right within the ChatGPT interface. It also has access to curated knowledge. While I have not yet used it for a specific work I “played around” with it and tried to see what transformations of different Pokemons look like.

Curious? Click to see a live example!

3. Wikipedia

I am a huge “fact-nerd”, I love constantly googling for information and questions that come to my mind. Most of the time I end up reading through a Wikipedia page, but those pages are quite lengthy. Thus I started using the plugin and it is now my absolute go-to for quick and efficient information lookup. As you can see below, I have used it to find out about absolutely different concepts and historical events in a very efficient way.

Curious? Click to see a live example!

Great, not Perfect

While the capabilities of the plugins are impressive, they have their own drawbacks. Here are some of the most notable ones I (and others) are concerned with:

1. Personal data exposure. One of the main pressing concerns is the ethical implications and data safety. Given plugins are made by third-party developers, the personal data of the users is available to parties outside of the ChatGPT ecosystem.

2. Speed of generation. In short, plugins are slow. It takes a while to generate responses. When it comes to looking up information on the web, you are better off using the search engines directly for short questions (e.g. Microsoft stock price). However, once your search becomes slightly more extensive, the benefit of plugin-generated answers tends to exceed the cost of time spent waiting.

3. Hallucinations. While in the plugins amount of hallucinated (i.e. fake) answers is reduced, they are not fully eliminated. This is due to the fact that the underlying language learning model (LLM) behind ChatGPT itself is still prone to generating hallucinations.

What does the Future Hold?

While the ChatGPT plugin ecosystem is still in its infancy, I believe it is immensely promising. With the evolvement of this technology, we can expect to see more sophisticated, faster, and user-friendly plugins. However, it is important to have a balanced approach towards innovation and consider both its benefits and challenges. While OpenAI has yet to let another genie out of the bottle with its introduction of a plugin ecosystem, it is the users and developers who in my opinion hold sole ownership of the technology’s future.

Have you had an experience with ChatGPT plugins or have some thoughts on the topic? Happy to hear more in the comment section below!

Sources

Sweat and Pixels II: Augmenting, Not Replacing Personal Trainers

17

October

2023

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In my previous contribution to this blog, “Sweat and Pixels: Is ChatGPT the New Personal Trainer?”, I discussed the potential of generative AI in disrupting the fitness industry, specifically personal trainer related tasks. Experimenting with AI-generated training schedules, and their ability to incorporate progression from users. While it showed a lot of potential, and it’s positive contribution to the fitness world was recognized by multiple readers. The personal trainer’s motivational role was located as unreplaceable. That is why in this post, I will explore the possibility of AI working together with Personal Trainers, combining the best of both worlds.

AI-Assisted Training

A fitness industry without some form of AI or digital systems is unthinkable. From smartwatches, to for instance, Tempo, a smart home gym that uses computer vision (Garun, 2020). AI services a function and has been integrated in most tools linked to fitness. Assisting users on their fitness journey.

The Personal Trainer’s Role in the Digital World

One of the key questions posted in the previous discussion was whether or not personal trainers were still useful? The conclusion was, and is, that while some tasks are ready to be replaced by GenAI systems, others are not. Tasks that include some aspect of motivation and/or emotion still require a humans (e.g. personal trainers) involvement.

Best of Both Worlds

Instead of letting the user choose one, it might be in a personal trainer’s best interest to adopt to the digital era and adjust their daily operations and tasks. Making a shift towards an AI enhanced personal trainer experience, which could contribute to the following points:

Personalization
As discussed in the previous post, GenAI is an excellent tool that is capable of generating quick, clear, and personalised training schedules. This would allow trainers to develop a base schedule with minimal information and a couple of clicks.

Efficiency
The time that is won by automating the easier tasks, personal trainers can focus their attention to more personalised in-person coaching and motivating their clients.

The Future of Personal Training

While the world digitalizing, industries are changing and need to adapt accordingly. The fitness industry, specifically personal training is one of them. While the industry might not be replaced by (Generative) AI, it can be augmented by (Generative) AI. In my opinion I think the use of (Generative) AI could improve trainers’ tasks by making their time more efficient and well spend, and might become mandatory to stay relevant. Enabling trainers to focus more on personalization and motivational aspects of their job and letting AI handle the automatable parts. Let me know what you think, will the combination be the future, or do you think we could be better of with just AI/Personal trainers?

    Bibliography

    Garun, N. (2020, February 26). Tempo is a smart home gym that uses computer vision to track your form in real time. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/26/21154185/tempo-smart-home-gym-kinect-computer-vision-ai-form-correction

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