AI Buddies Because Agents Are Too Formal (and Intimidating)

AI agents are poised to revolutionize how we interact with technology. Imagine AI as a helpful assistant, integrated into apps and features, that proactively aids us in work, school, and daily life. These "agentic AI" are designed to be autonomous, making decisions to achieve specific goals without constant human input.

Apple users with devices supporting Apple Intelligence will get a taste of this with the iOS 18.4 update, which promises a significantly enhanced Siri. This updated Siri will represent an early step towards agentic AI.

AI and I - What I used AI for This Week

Last Week was a busy week in terms of AI news due to Deepseek. Since last Monday, January 27th,  the AI landscape has changed quite a lot. Still life goes on and I do what I have to, including the use of AI chats.

Before I get into that below, I am concerned with the interaction between the new administration and tech companies which could result in AI models and services that do a disservice to users. Let me just leave it at that for now. 

• I used ChatGPT to see what answers it has about Deepseek. I away very interested in trying to see if OpenAI’s true thoughts about it somehow came across. I even pointed out that Deepseek distilled using ChatGPT. I got nothing new. I basically suggest to ChatGPT that is should be upset. It was not - it did have concerns but then it also praised Deepseek on its overall achievements. 
• I also asked Gemini what it thought about Deepseek and the possibility that it used ChatGPT for distillations and not Gemini. Gemini said it was a matter of avail, cost, and performance for specific tasks. 
• I used Copilot to help identify trends with some Excel data. It was limiting and frustration. I could only provide a small set of data from a big Excel file. I did not have the version of Office 365 that has Copilot built into Excel. I started looking into if there are open source models that are trained specifically for data analysis. Gemini suggestions that are not any but it did suggest Llama 2 for my needs.
• I asked Copilot the same question and it suggested BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) and GPT-3 from OpenAI. I will need to do some additional research find one that suits my needs.
• Gemini suggested that I try to run an LLM on Colab. I read that it was being done. I suppose it is a better way before doing it locally on my MacBook Air. 
• Who are the Yuuzhan Vong? Copilot told me and which Star Wars novels to read about them.
• What is a nautical mile? What about a knot? I learned it a long time ago in high school and got a refresher on Startalk but I used Copilot to give me a refresher. 
• Eratosthenes was the first to ever measure the circumference of the planet we called home. How he did it was simple but showed how far ahead he was of everyone else. ChatGPT and a model used by Duckduckgo confirmed it.

One other note about using AI this week: on occasion, I had to verify the facts provided. I think I will continue to have to do this for a while. In the beginning, my worries was all about possible hallucinations. Given the times we live in, fact checking is a fact of life. It is no different when using an AI chat to obtain the answers we need.

Workflow With the Original iPad And iPads From Today

I am in the market for a new iPad but I have not quite gotten myself to pull the trigger on a new one because I simply have not decided what my workflow will be like. Simply put, I am still fine with my 2019 iPad mini though I do need something bigger when I eventually upgrade. So, I have been thinking long and hard about my workflow and, naturally, became a bit nostalgic to the day when I first got my original iPad. 

If you compare the original iPad to today’s iPads, it is natural to note how far we have come since 2010. In many ways, too many to mention here, we have come a long way. I definitely could not have used the original iPad as a laptop replacement as many have done today. One thing that the original iPad had that many of today’s iPads do not have is its simplicity - its ability to offer a distraction free environment. 

Personally, this is an important element of all of my workflows. In the early days, it was easy to stay focused on what you were doing on the iPad because the OS was a lot simpler and apps were a lot limited. There is an argument say that the original iPad was more for content consumption rather than for productivity. I agree all iPads are great for reading and watching videos but the original iPad worked well for tasks like emailing and writing. In terms of generating text content, the lack of distraction made it just as good as a tool for writing as any iPads today, possibly better because it was just the email and notes apps. 

With iPads today, there are different focus modes, apps that offer more features, and have completely replaced laptops for some users. You can do a lot more with an iPad which means that you end up spending more time doing other things like content management whereas with the original iPad, you just write and deal with the content  elsewhere like on the Mac.

And I do want Apple to add more software and hardware features to the iPad. But it is entirely up to the user to decide how to create a workflow that best suit them to take advantage of one of the versatile computing platform ever.

Using AI To Make Cotton Candy and Other Uses

I am very comfortable with using ChatGPT, Gemini, and other AI now. I still use search engines through my work day - DucDuckGo is my go-to search engine with Google coming in next if I do not find what I want o DuckDuckGo. There is a difference between what I use AI for and what search engines for. 

While both AI and search can provide answers I want, they each serve a role that is more suited for one than the other. AI chats can provide most answers, which do require that I fact-check it. For queries that require fact-checking, I go straight to to the search engines. For others, AI chats are fine. This is especially true when I am looking for basic understanding of things like “which is the first book of the Pdergast series” or how do I find a consultant in Asia who is familiar with Oracle for customization.

So, this is what I have used AI chats for this week:

• I got a composter for my kitchen. I came across a video on the Internet of someone making cotton candy. So I use Gemini to find out how cotton candies are made and at what temperature. Apparently, my composter does heat up the stuff I put inside it but it is no where near hot enough. And probably not a good idea anyway.
• I was tasked to find an Oracle consultant in Asia who could help us with customization from time to time. I have no idea where to start so I asked a friend who asked ChatGPT. I did it as well but I thad hoped my software engineer friend might know one or two
• I started a YouTube channel for my dog. Since my puppy is a lot cuter than I am, I thought I would exploit her cuteness and the forever puppy look. I then asked Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude how I can turn this into a million dollar business. The results were sensible. I will be giving what they suggest a try. Forgetting the money, there are a lot of suggestions like animation that require me to learn new skills. That is what I am most excited about.
• I asked ChatGPT why my pancakes never come out the same and why my waffles turn out bad half the time. I suspect that heat has something to do with it. And how thick the batter is. And how long I cook it. Turned out that I was right. I just need to keep at it and eventually i will get it right.
• I wanted to write an app based on suggestions I read recently in books and from YouTube. I asked for suggestions on features that I should include in version 1.0. 
• I recently read about algorithms that are based on quantum principles that would run on traditional PC because quantum computers are not available yet. I wanted to know if they actually help and run fast enough on traditional CPU. According to Gemini, yes…in theory. Copilot said the same thing but I think my question was not phrased correctly. So I rephrased to “will algorithms based on quantum principles that are written to run on traditional CPU be of any benefit compared to regular algorithms. This time, the answer is no. Is this true? I honestly do not know.
• I had Copilot rewrite some of my emails and perform translations. I do find AI-based translations better than Google Translate. It is more accurate? When needed, I use AI based translations and Google Translate. The mean from both are pretty much the same though I feel AI results seem easier to understand.
• Looked for a farm in Los Angeles where I can take our dog to see if she is into bearding. It was a fail with both Copilot and Gemini. I know Copilot is based on ChatGPT but for some reason, ChatGPT gave me the best answer.
• I searched some literary terms like “knight errant”. Copilot did well enough. 

I continue to use both ChatGPT and Claude on a daily basis to help me develop a YouTube channel I started about two weeks ago for our dog. This weekend, I am considering using one of these AI to help me write a simple app to test how well the Playgrounds app can handle coding on the iPad.

WatchOS: Apple Should Sherlock Streak Apps

I like my Apple Watch but I am waiting for Apple to go beyond health and one area where the Apple Watch can be of great benefit to users is to help us keep track of habits and routines. And this is one area where I believe Apple Intellgience can really shine because I do not know if another AI or AI-powered app already help users develop habits and become more productive and healthy but it would be great if one is natively developed by Apple.

The watch’s sensors such as the one that monitors heart rate is terrific and has helped countless millions. It is especially useful during workouts and professional athletes. But I'm not an athlete. I do jog and workout. I monitor the number of steps I take through the day. I occasionally use the Breath app. I want to be more engaged with my Apple Watch for other purposes.

And this is where a streaks and habits app would come into play. As for "play", gamifying streaks and habit development could be fun element to the app without being a distraction. 

Speak of distraction, all streak apps should have the pomodoro timer include one form Apple. There is already a timer app on the watch but integrating it into a streak app is definitely a must. It is dedicated to allowing users to continue streaks. I would even go as far as allowing users to creating different pomodoros (and name them) much like how users can creating mutlitple alarms. For example, I can called "writing" for 20 minutes or another one called "cleaning" for 10 minutes. Over time, Apple can add new features - time tracking, progress updates, and even help users develop plans for learning or habit forming like grouping tasks together to make it easier for users perform tasks.

A native streaks app would allow Apple to leverage its ability to log what apps users are using and source data internally. For example, Apple streaks app would be to show that I have used the Breath for eight days straight. Apple Intelligence will be able to analyze my activities to help me creating streaks and build habits to create routines. 

Other than Breath, Apple has other apps like Journals that can help users foster positive habits and mindsets. If iPhone, iPad or Mac users are going spend screen time on its devices, Apple might as well use its streaks and habit forming apps for positive uses.

I’m I Used AI To Research Birthday Gifts And Other Uses This Week

I am quite comfortable now using generative AI to help me with writing emails. I do not think it knows me well enough to learn what I really want to convey. It is likely taking a lot of sources from other users and combining them to anticipate what a proper email should sound like. And yes, only proper well worded emails. I once asked AI to help me write an email that also convey how little I think of the recipient but it warned me that I should be professional and continued to give me a email that was rather professionally worded (I changed it to give a small hint that I think the recipient was a jerk. A small one that I doubt really drew any attention but it made me feel good nonetheless.)

I have also changed how I write my emails based on what AI has suggested in the past few weeks. So there is that. Here are other uses and my thoughts on how I feel about them this week. So far, I have keep to using ChatGPT, Pilot, Claude, and Gemini.

1. I used ChatGPT to help me suggest a birthday gift for a friend reaching his 50s who happens to be a techie and is very smart.
2. I used ChatGPT to help me find the best recipe for chocolate chunk cookies. You know, those scone-sized chocolate chip cookies. I had a couple from a cookie shop in Irvine, California and I brought them home. My wife, who is a chocolate fan but not a chocolate chip cookie fan, took them all. I never saw them again.
3. I am learning Japanese (and French). I used Gemini and ChatGPT to help me determine proper phrasing or how an actual Japanese person would speak. I used the translation app on my iPhone and Google Translate but I I went beyond that because I just had to make sure the translations were correctly worded. I do not want to sound like I am a translation app when I am speaking Japanese. 
4. Used Pilot to help me understand the basics of quantum physics because I was wondering just how closely linked our mind might be to exotic particles. Maybe our brains are capable of generating and detecting them (a short story I am writing) because I had read that some scientists theorized that we owe our consciousness to the quantum realm.
5. I was watch a horror movie about monsters that hunt by sound. With cell signals and power potentially impacting the survivors, I wondered if there was an app that allows users in the vicinity of Bluetooth range message each other. Of course, in silent mode. ChatGPT joined me to Bridgefy while Gemini went into why cross platforms through BT would not work. So I had to narrow it down and asked for such an app on each platform. I think ChatGPT is much better in this instance. I wonder if ChatGPT being less hindered by guardrails while Gemini been critically limited by Google's fear of AI hallucination or offending certain groups.
6.  I used copilot to help me find out some basics about 3D printing. I did not use other AI to confirm the information or tried to verify the results via search because this was a basic question that I felt copilot had adequately given the answer I was looking for.
7. I used Copilot to about the election, procedures, and what it takes to pass an initiative. I had to fact-check this through a Google search.
8. I came across an article in which the physicist theorized that we owe our consciousness to the quantum realm. I asked ChatGPT and Copilot if this was possible.
9. I am considering collecting pocket watches so I googled, I mean checked with the AI chats (all of them - Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini) about it. 
10. I wanted to know what "lo-fi" means. I came across it on Youtube while searching for music to help me pass time at work. 

I do believe that generative AI has a place. Obviously, I use it on a daily basis now, split between home, work, and writing projects I am working on. I do not have an iPhone or iPad that currently supports Apple Intelligence but my MacBook Air can. I hope that I can incoporate Apple Intelligence, particularly a much improved Siri, in the near future.

I cannot say that AI has improved my productivity or even saved me a lot of time but I have found them useful to some extent and for certain tasks. I look forward to incorporate these tools into my workflow both at home and work.

Using Generative AI Has Given Me A New Appreciation For Siri and Excited For The Future of Apple Intelligence

I used generative AI this week to find the dimensions of a refrigerator based on the model number. I googled first because of muscle memory but when I could not find what I was looking for immediately  and was given the dimensions of another refrigerator with a similar model number after going through a couple of the first links from Google results..After checking with ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, I quickly found the correct size with AI chats while the search result was wrong. 

I always have my AI chat app or tab in the browser at the ready. I can see myself going to AI for answers more and more as the first option. 

The point is that I have become accustomed to using AI to quickly look for answers and when needed, confirm the results with another AI or search on the Internet. It is a process. And every day, more and more people are actively engaging with AI in their personal and professional lives. In the last two months, I can safely say that I have used AI at least once a day - including Siri. Recently, I have ran out of my free allotments so frequently that I consider paying for one of the services. I'm pretty close to that decision and deciding which AI service I want to pay for. Until I do, I am alternating between ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. 

Again, it is a process. And with Apple Intelligence, I think it will also be a process that will take users many weeks if not months of active use to personalize Apple's AI. 

Here are some of what you can do to get started:

• Just keep using Siri. I'm serious. Use it on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch. Use it on the Mac. I do not use it as much on the Mac only because a lot of what I use Siri for involves mobile computing, scheduling, and quick queries that are necessarily work related like scores and weather. 
• Open your Photos app and look at the memories it automatically created for you. That is AI generated. 
• Search Spotlight. I am sure it is one of the most widely used features on Apple's platforms. I'll be honest. It is hit and miss even with some improvements on iOS 18 and before the release of Apple Intelligence. When it work, it works well. When it does not or provides inconsistent results, it can be frustration. But it is one of the better features from Apple using ML. 
• Use the camera app - AI is highly integrated into the native camera app on the iPhone. Use it to help you capture your life, for journals, and work. 

Getting used to AI prompts and Siri will help you become more comfortable and even creative in getting the results you want. I think we are only scratching the surface of what we can do with AI now. With better and faster models, including ones from Apple that the future improved Siri will run on, we will one day realized how we live without our AI assistants.