I love AI
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Just tried this from my previous Calc semester
Fast mode prompt: answer question 11. Tell me whether I should trust Fast mode with a question at this level (undergraduate calculus), or whether I would be better off using one of the other two modes, and if so, which mode would be best.
This is a classic "Related Rates" problem from undergraduate calculus. For a problem like this—which involves spatial reasoning, geometry, and calculus—here is my honest assessment of which mode to use:
Which mode should you use?
You should use Pro mode (Gemini 1.5 Pro) for this specific problem.
- Why not Fast mode? Fast mode is excellent for text and standard coding, but it can occasionally struggle with the "spatial logic" required to correctly set up the similar triangles in a diagram. It might misidentify which variable represents the tip of the shadow versus the length of the shadow.
- Why Pro? Pro mode has significantly better visual reasoning. It can "see" the relationship between the light source, the student, and the shadow more accurately and is much less likely to make a sign error or a substitution mistake during the derivative step.
Solution for Question 11
<Fast mode gives an answer and the math steps to arrive at it>
Pro mode prompt: I have set pro mode. Please check your answer to the previous question.
I have reviewed the previous response using Pro mode logic.
I can confirm that the previous calculation and logic were 100% correct. The "Fast" mode actually handled this specific problem perfectly, but relying on Pro for these types of questions remains the safer bet for the reasons mentioned (specifically, geometric interpretation).
Here is the "Pro" verification of the steps to give you double assurance:
<Pro mode goes over the math steps>
One final "Pro" reflection:
While "Fast" mode got this right, it is worth noting that if the problem had been slightly more complex—for example, if the student were walking up an incline or if the light were moving—the "Fast" mode would likely have failed to set up the geometry correctly. Sticking to "Pro" for calculus word problems is the correct long-term strategy. -
Interesting commentary and perspective, Horace, I had a few funds left in my 2025 tech budget at work so I bought a computer monitor I’m gonna keep vertical mode and it’ll just be my AI slave throughout the day. I haven’t looked into it, but in my mind, I was going to purchase the Gemini pro subscription.
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Interesting commentary and perspective, Horace, I had a few funds left in my 2025 tech budget at work so I bought a computer monitor I’m gonna keep vertical mode and it’ll just be my AI slave throughout the day. I haven’t looked into it, but in my mind, I was going to purchase the Gemini pro subscription.
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My AI slave is set up. Servant? Whatever the term is. I have a month of Gemini Pro for free, so I'm trying it out, although at first glance if I don't need it for videos or complex logic/math, then maybe the free version is sufficient for my daily needs.
It's funny, I did ask if it could create a PPT for me and it said it couldn't but could create the VBA macro that I could script in PPT and it'll convert it all to slides, haha.
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I appear to be only one who wants nothing to do with this stuff.
I feel a bit like an anti-vaxxer when it comes to this tech, except I suspect I'm right and that some of the horror stories people told about vaccines could essentially come true because of AI.
I was only joking
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I appear to be only one who wants nothing to do with this stuff.
I feel a bit like an anti-vaxxer when it comes to this tech, except I suspect I'm right and that some of the horror stories people told about vaccines could essentially come true because of AI.
@Doctor-Phibes said in I love AI:
I appear to be only one who wants nothing to do with this stuff.
You will be replaced either by this stuff or by someone who does a lot of things with this stuff. But it's OK, you're nearing retirement and you said you will get a pension. All good for you!
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I appear to be only one who wants nothing to do with this stuff.
I feel a bit like an anti-vaxxer when it comes to this tech, except I suspect I'm right and that some of the horror stories people told about vaccines could essentially come true because of AI.
@Doctor-Phibes said in I love AI:
I appear to be only one who wants nothing to do with this stuff.
I feel a bit like an anti-vaxxer when it comes to this tech, except I suspect I'm right and that some of the horror stories people told about vaccines could essentially come true because of AI.
I feel like a late adopter. A few weeks ago I had my moment where I had a large spreadsheet with a bunch of technical certifications associated with each person but each certificate had a different name, like "AWS Cloud Practitioner" or "Amazon Certified Cloud Practitioner" with the variation x100 so I just uploaded the file to
Gemini and told it to give me a standardized list of titles so there's only one way to display a specific certification, and it did the work in about 5 minutes which saved me a few hours. Not only that but it referenced the industry-standard naming conventions (via web references) so it was actually a better output than if I had put my best guess on it.Anyway...........at that point I was like, why not have a digital servant ready to handle tedious tasks at my right side when I'm at work? I also use it as a super google search... like asking it for the best type of query for a specific software I use for big data, and it gives me the best query to use.
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I appear to be only one who wants nothing to do with this stuff.
I feel a bit like an anti-vaxxer when it comes to this tech, except I suspect I'm right and that some of the horror stories people told about vaccines could essentially come true because of AI.
@Doctor-Phibes said in I love AI:
I appear to be only one who wants nothing to do with this stuff.
I feel a bit like an anti-vaxxer when it comes to this tech, except I suspect I'm right and that some of the horror stories people told about vaccines could essentially come true because of AI.
I think the existential risk or other sorts of risks remain whether or not you choose to avail yourself of the personal advantages of AI.
Education is extremely important.
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For all you luddites, from Apple Computer, Inc., 1987:
Link to video -
@Doctor-Phibes said in I love AI:
I appear to be only one who wants nothing to do with this stuff.
I feel a bit like an anti-vaxxer when it comes to this tech, except I suspect I'm right and that some of the horror stories people told about vaccines could essentially come true because of AI.
I think the existential risk or other sorts of risks remain whether or not you choose to avail yourself of the personal advantages of AI.
@Doctor-Phibes said in I love AI:
I appear to be only one who wants nothing to do with this stuff.
I feel a bit like an anti-vaxxer when it comes to this tech, except I suspect I'm right and that some of the horror stories people told about vaccines could essentially come true because of AI.
I think the existential risk or other sorts of risks remain whether or not you choose to avail yourself of the personal advantages of AI.
Yes, clearly. That doesn't mean I need to embrace the soulless machine.
I did notice at work that a number of the first people using AI were those who I would have privately and quietly describe as "B-players". I daresay in a year or two we'll all be using the fucking thing. I just hate hearing how much better it's going to make my life, when clearly it's not.
20 years from now nobody will know how to do much of anything other than ask software to solve problems for them.
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I have yet to avail myself - voluntarily at least- of the technology. Much prefer to do my own sleuth work sifting and sorting as I have always done in past. Despite my preference, I do not see AI as an existential threat, let alone a risk to civilisation although it could very well end up as a all too convenient crutch for young adults looking to be spoon fed knowledge and too lazy to develop research skills on their own.
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It's not just inquisiviteness, it will lead to nobody being able to actually do anything.
I know people (OK, I've seen people on the internet) who think that becoming good at Guitar Hero on the Playstation is essentially the same as learning to play a musical instrument. Suno is already trying to persuade us that real creativity is using their bloody software, which is a bit like claiming that Count Franz von Walsegg zu Stuppach is the real creative genius behind Mozart's Requiem.
I guess I'm filling in for Aqua. I miss that guy.
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The ability to critically think without instantaneous answers or prompts will be a rarity for sure. Teachers have already said it's a very dim future regarding that specific skill.
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The ability to critically think without instantaneous answers or prompts will be a rarity for sure. Teachers have already said it's a very dim future regarding that specific skill.
The ability to critically think without instantaneous answers or prompts will be a rarity for sure. Teachers have already said it's a very dim future regarding that specific skill.
It's already noticeably harder to find good candidates who don't spend half the day looking at their phones. This isn't going to help, however we've now got software to surf the internet for us, so it won't matter.
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The ability to critically think without instantaneous answers or prompts will be a rarity for sure. Teachers have already said it's a very dim future regarding that specific skill.
The ability to critically think without instantaneous answers or prompts will be a rarity for sure. Teachers have already said it's a very dim future regarding that specific skill.
I’m old enough to remember when elementary schools freaked out about the existence of inexpensive calculators.
It’s also typical that people take some time to realize that they don’t need to teach people as if the new ubiquitous technology doesn’t exist.
In NY some driver’s road test proctors cover your back up mirror when you parallel park even though they have been mandated in all US cars for a decade.
