Jack and Jill: The Real Story

Jill

I have a helper.

Jill

It's not a who, it's a what.

Jill

I'll explain. I use AI, Artificial Intelligence.

Jill

Think of it as a computer that has learned from a huge amount of information and uses it to answer your questions. You type in a topic or, usually, a question.

Jill

For example, when I go to Home Depot and look at a plant, I take a picture of the plant and ask Claude questions like...What is it? What zone does it grow best in? How much sun does it need? Is it poisonous for kids or the dog? Stuff like that. And it gives you the answers right away. If you find a plant you want to identify, the AI can do that too. Apps like PictureThis are specialized AIs for gardeners.

Jill

One thing you gotta watch out for is that even though it's high tech, it can make mistakes. It can sound very sure of itself and still be wrong. So for anything about poison, I double-check with Poison Control or the vet.

Jill

You can also use it at the next flower show. For example, if you want to enter a photograph or a design, you can upload a description of it or a photo and ask AI for a review. Upload the show schedule and the rules for that class. It can point out strengths and possible problems. It can't tell you what the judges will think, but it might help.

Jill

There are some real concerns. AI can make mistakes, be misused, and change the way people work. Some experts also worry about what more powerful AI might do in the future. And the data centers that run AI can use huge amounts of electricity and water to keep their computers running and cool.

Jill

Claude isn't a person. It's Claude.ai. He's the bot I use mostly. There's also ChatGPT.com and Gemini.google.com. They are big names in AI today, and they have free versions to try out. Try one...using your smartphone or computer.