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The hidden cost of Google's AI defaults and the illusion of choice (arstechnica.com)

submitted 5 hours ago by Powderhorn@beehaw.org to c/technology@beehaw.org

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Many people are hoping—nay, praying—that the potential AI bubble will burst soon.

But to hear Google tell it, generative AI is the future, and the company’s products have to change to keep up with the technical reality. As a result, Gemini is seeping into every nook and cranny of the Google ecosystem. Generative AI feeds on data, and Google has a lot of your data in products like Gmail and Drive. What does that mean for your privacy, and what happens if you don’t want Gemini peeking over your shoulder? Well, it’s kind of a mess.

The amount of data Gemini retains depends on how you access the AI, and opting out of data collection can mean running straight into so-called “dark patterns,” UI elements that work against the user’s interest.

This is the future?

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[–] Steve@communick.news 1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Well I use AI every day in Photoshop and Lightroom. AI tools are common and extremely useful in all sorts of media production already.

Science is using it on modeling of protein folding, and large dataset analysis. I personally know one person using AI tools to analyze fMRI data in a study.

News media uses it in formulaic articles in finance and sports. They've been doing that with specialized software for a decade or more already.

Those are just a few places where it is a useful productive tool. I'm sure there are many more. Is that what you're asking for?

[–] XLE@piefed.social 1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

I thought we were talking about the article, Google's generative AI (thread topic). The thing that needs the data centers (my very first post). Protein folding and fill tools existed before the bubble started inflating, and are not what we were talking about...

[–] Steve@communick.news 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Go back to my first comment.
That was never what we were talking about.

[–] XLE@piefed.social 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (1 children)

We were talking about the "transformative" tech the bubble was supposedly making as it inflates? I'm just reading and repeating your words now

Switching from the current bubble to broader pre-bubble stuff that literally nobody means when they criticize AI is just a motte-and-bailey. I want to know what the methane-powered data centers are for. Not what pre-bubble stuff could maybe do

[–] Steve@communick.news 1 points 1 hour ago

So of the 3 examples I gave you ignored 2 and claim one doesn't count.