A Love Letter to the 80s

As a geek dad born in the late 70s, I have a deep love for the 80s and all things nerdy. I grew up during the heyday of arcade gaming, and spent countless hours playing classics like Pac-Man and Space Invaders and will never forget the day I saw Star Wars, War Games, The Goonies or Back to the Future for the very first time. This is a love letter to the best decade ever happened to mankind.

The 80s was a time of great cultural significance, with a plethora of iconic movies, music, and video games that continue to captivate audiences to this day. From the advent of the personal computer to the rise of synth-pop, the 80s were a time of great innovation and creativity. In the realm of cinema, the 80s saw the release of numerous now-classic films. From the epic space opera of Star Wars and the time-traveling adventures of Back to the Future, to the dystopian future of Blade Runner and the coming-of-age tale of The Breakfast Club, the 80s were a golden age of storytelling. And let's not forget the horror genre, which was dominated by the likes of A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Evil Dead, and Friday the 13th.

The 80s were also a time of great musical innovation, with the emergence of new genres like synth-pop and hip hop. Bands like Depeche Mode, The Smiths, and New Order took the world by storm with their catchy melodies and electronic beats, while artists like Run-DMC, LL Cool J, and Public Enemy helped pave the way for the rise of hip hop. The 80s also saw the rise of the music video, with iconic clips like Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf" becoming instant classics.

And of course they were a time of great technological advancement, with the personal computer revolutionizing the way we live and work. The first Apple Macintosh was released in 1984, and the advent of the World Wide Web in 1989 laid the groundwork for the internet as we know it today.

But perhaps the most enduring legacy of the 80s is the explosion of video games. The release of the Atari 2600 in 1977 kicked off the golden age of arcade gaming, and by the 80s, the industry was booming. Games like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Space Invaders became cultural phenomena, while the emergence of home consoles like the Commodore 64 and the Nintendo Entertainment System brought gaming into the living room.

Growing up in the 80s, I was surrounded by the magic of Lucasfilm. The first time I played Maniac Mansion on my Commodore 64, I was hooked. The clever puzzles, the quirky characters, and the hilarious dialogue – it was like nothing I had ever seen before. And when I discovered Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders, I was equally enthralled. The interdimensional travel, the ancient alien artifacts – it was the stuff of pure geeky bliss.

All in all, the 80s were a time of great fascination and nostalgia for many people. From the epic sci-fi movies to the catchy synth-pop tunes, the 80s were a truly unique and unforgettable decade. And with the continued popularity of retro gaming and the resurgence of 80s-inspired music and fashion, it's clear that the fascination with the 80s will never truly fade.

As a geek dad, I am grateful to have grown up in the 80s, surrounded by the amazing creations of Lucasfilm and the talents of Spielberg and Lucas. And now, as I share these beloved adventures with my own kid, I am constantly reminded of the timeless appeal of the 80s and the power of imagination. Long live the geeky goodness of the 80s!

All that fuzz about AI images

Elon Musk kissing Donald Trump? Kanye West on the moon? It takes just a few seconds and a good prompt for your wildest dreams to come true. The hype around AI generated images has been growing in recent years, and for good reason. AI has the ability to generate incredibly realistic images that are almost indistinguishable from those created by humans - if not better. I just recently toyed around with some of the more popular AI services like Photoleap and Midjourney and the results were mind-boggling.

AI can create images in a variety of ways, depending on the type of AI model that is being used and the desired outcome. One way that AI can create images is by using a generative model, which is trained on a large dataset of images and then uses that knowledge to generate new images that are similar to the ones it was trained on. This can be done using a variety of techniques, such as deep learning or evolutionary algorithms. Another way that AI can create images is by using a neural network to process and analyze existing images, and then using that information to generate new images based on the patterns it has learned. This can be used, for example, to generate images that have a specific style or to modify existing images in a specific way.

There are dozens of services inviting users to test their AI during a trial. While Midjourney is hosting a bot on Discord ($10 per month for approx. 200 images), Lighticks Photoleap offers a comfortable iOS app ($99 per year w/o limitations). They all work similar: You describe the image you want the AI to generate via prompt. The more detail, the better but basic prompts like "Man on a horse" already lead to stunning results. After a few seconds the AI usually presents up to 4 variations of your query. You can then either save the image you like best or have the AI create variations of your favorite. This way you are perfecting the result to the best possible image.

It is difficult to say who invented AI-generated images, as the technology has evolved over time and has been developed by many different people and organizations. The field of AI has its roots in the work of many researchers and scientists over the years, including Alan Turing, who is widely considered to be the father of modern computing. In terms of the specific technology that is used to generate images with AI, there have been many notable contributors and advancements. Some key figures in the development of AI-generated images include Geoffrey Hinton, Yann LeCun, and Andrew Ng, who are all pioneers in the field of deep learning. Additionally, many companies and organizations have contributed to the development of AI-generated images, including Google, Facebook, and OpenAI.

One of the reasons for this hype is the sheer potential of AI generated images. In the past, creating high-quality images required a great deal of skill and time from artists. But with AI, anyone can generate stunning images with just a few clicks of a button. In seconds. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities for businesses and individuals alike. Another reason for the recent hype are rapid advancements in AI technology. As AI continues to improve, it is becoming increasingly capable of generating even more realistic and sophisticated images. This means that the potential applications of AI generated images are only going to expand in the future. One of the most exciting potential applications of AI generated images is in the field of graphic design. AI can be used to create stunning graphics and visuals that would be difficult or impossible for humans to create on their own. This could be a huge time-saver for graphic designers, allowing them to focus on the creative aspects of their work rather than spending hours on tedious tasks. Another potential application of AI generated images is in the field of virtual reality. With AI, it is possible to create incredibly realistic virtual environments that are indistinguishable from the real world. This could be used to create immersive virtual experiences for gaming, education, and many other fields. As AI technology continues to advance and become more widely used, it is likely that we will see more and more exhibitions and showcases of AI-generated art.

But there has also been some criticism about AI generated images, particularly with regard to the potential for AI to be used to create fake or manipulated images. Some people are concerned that AI-generated images could be used to spread misinformation or deceive people. Additionally, some critics argue that the use of AI to generate images can be a form of "digital blackface," as it allows people to create images of individuals without their consent or control over how they are represented. Additionally, AI-generated images can be used to create deepfake videos, which can be used to spread false information or to impersonate someone else. As such, it is important to be cautious when encountering AI-generated images, and to verify the authenticity of any information that is presented along with them.

Overall, the hype around AI generated images is well-deserved. As AI technology continues to improve, we can expect to see even more impressive and sophisticated images being generated by AI. This will open up a whole new world of possibilities for businesses and individuals alike, and we can't wait to see what the future holds.

“The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race….It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete, and would be superseded.” — Stephen Hawking

Greetings from Skynet

Well, almost. ChatGPT is a language model developed by OpenAI, an artificial intelligence (AI) research laboratory founded in late 2015 by Elon Musk (yes, him again) and Sam Altman. It is designed to be able to generate natural language text in response to user inputs. The model is based on the GPT-3 architecture, which uses a combination of deep learning and natural language processing techniques to generate text that is similar to human-generated language.

On the positive side, ChatGPT has shown impressive capabilities in generating text that is coherent and relatively natural-sounding. In tests, the model has been able to generate responses to user inputs that are relevant and on-topic, and in some cases it has even been able to engage in complex conversations that span multiple topics. This ability to generate coherent and engaging responses has the potential to be useful in a variety of applications, such as chatbots, content generation, and customer service.

However, there are also several potential drawbacks to using ChatGPT. One of the biggest concerns is the potential for the model to generate biased or offensive text. Because ChatGPT is trained on large amounts of text from the internet, it is likely to reflect the biases and prejudices that are present in that text. This can lead to the generation of offensive or discriminatory language, which can be harmful and damaging.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to greatly benefit mankind, with applications in fields such as healthcare, transportation, and manufacturing. However, there are also potential dangers associated with the development and use of AI. One of the biggest concerns about AI is the potential for it to be used for malicious purposes. As AI technology becomes more advanced, it is possible for it to be used to develop weapons and other tools that could be used to cause harm (hence the "Skynet" reference in the post title). For example, AI could be used to develop autonomous military drones that are capable of making decisions about who to attack without human intervention. This could lead to a proliferation of AI-powered weapons and increase the risk of violent conflict. Another potential danger of AI is the potential for it to be used to violate privacy and personal rights. As AI systems become more sophisticated, it is possible for them to be used to monitor and track individuals without their consent. This could lead to a loss of privacy and the potential for abuse of personal information. Additionally, there is the potential for AI to cause job displacement. As AI systems become more capable of performing tasks that were previously done by humans, there is a risk that these systems could replace human workers, leading to widespread unemployment and economic disruption. Overall, while AI has the potential to bring many benefits to mankind, it is important to carefully consider the potential dangers and take steps to mitigate them. This may include the development of ethical guidelines for the use of AI, as well as the regulation of AI technology to ensure that it is used for the benefit of society as a whole.

Another potential issue with ChatGPT in its current stat is that it may not always generate text that is completely accurate or truthful. Because the model is not grounded in any external knowledge or context, it is possible for it to generate text that is misleading or factually incorrect. This could be particularly problematic in situations where the generated text is used as the basis for decision-making or other important actions.

Overall, while ChatGPT has shown impressive capabilities in generating natural language text, it is important to be aware of the potential drawbacks and limitations of the model. It is important to carefully consider the potential biases and inaccuracies of the generated text, and to use the model with appropriate caution and oversight.

This blog article was completely generated by ChatGPT in 3,2 seconds.