AI anyone?
- Jean Maher
- May 11
- 3 min read
I was out on a prairie the other day, just seeing what was going on as spring unfolds. Not much action with wildlife as there is hardly any cover - the trees on the periphery hold promise and some songbirds (both residents and snowbird arrivals), but no creatures made themselves very visible. But you never know...
I kept walking and saw a muskrat in a small pothole pond, which surprised me. We are in a dry period, so water levels are down, but the muskrat was making the most of it, along with a couple of blue winged teal ducks.
Going on, I stepped around a few downed trees and in the distance, saw 5 deer running then soaring over an old barbed-wire fence. Heard a turkey calling, a pheasant, too. Canada geese passed overhead. I came over a rise, the sun in my eyes, the angle such that it was a little difficult to see.
There was a turkey just ahead of me, standing still and not moving! A perfect photo opportunity, if I could just get George the Airedale to back off and sit as I pulled my camera up to my eyes and knelt down quickly. Amazing. I'd never seen a turkey hold for so long - it was only a few seconds, but still, it gave me a space of time to get set. I focused and was just about to push the shutter button when...
A turkey hunter stood up.
It wasn't April 1st today, but it felt like it! I got back on my feet, waved, smiled at the hunter, apologized and sheepishly turned tail and hoofed it back the way I had come. I kept laughing for quite a while. I certainly matched the stereotype of a wacky, nature-loving person. I'm sure this encounter will get mileage at the bar one day soon from the hunter. It's already getting mileage from me.
So, how does a person know what is real? My view was a little into the sun (my excuse and I'm sticking with it) but why didn't I think a little bit about what I was seeing? I swear it was real. I wished it to be real and made it so.
Made me think about AI.
AI on Facebook fools me sometimes. I still don't see the subtle clues that my daughters spot immediately. The "turkey" I saw was a solid, right-sized bird. Why didn't I check this out a little? Listen to myself more? Ask myself, if that bird was real; why didn't it run away?
There were clues... a real wild turkey is wary and would have been halfway over the hill and trotting away by the time I would have come that close. My non-bird dog (always leashed - another topic for later) would have given me a sign - pricked up ears, curious, and maybe pulling on the leash a little. Instead, he quite obediently sat when I backed up. Kind of bored even. A good dog. (but why not, the "turkey" wasn't as interesting as a ball, or food; I can't give George too much credit).
I'm not afraid of AI, in fact, I use it more often lately, to do a little research, or maybe to help with grammar, help with learning how to use a computer program, or get a hardware recommendation. I'm finding sometimes it's right, and sometimes to beware. Facebook can fool me. But I'm learning to ask better questions on CoPilot, to not totally trust what is said, and to use better judgement with what I'm being told via AI.
AI is not the be-all, end-all solution, but it can be helpful. I think the idea is to remember not to believe everything you read or see, Facebook or otherwise. Discerning (new buzzword).
AI is getting better, which means I need to get smarter about it and a little less trusting (not the old "it must be true, I read it on the internet.") and be discerning enough to trust myself more than I trust AI.
Anyway, the laugh is on me! The hunter and I met up afterwards in the parking lot, both of us smiling. He said he was just packing up when I showed up. I hope so.
I think I made his day.
Comments