My Retirement Journey

I started this journey as someone who retired, published a book they wrote in 1994, and started a webpage to promote it. However, it started to morph into something more. I began this blog to keep a record of the experience with the hope of inspiring others who need some encouragement to start something new and get out of their comfort zone. Besides the book, I have the characters in the book that I want to come to life as dolls. I have no idea what I am doing, but I am determined to figure it out. As I have written in a past blog, my universe directed me to believe that everything is figuareoutable.

Signs from the Universe

I like to think this journey we are all on, called life, is guided by a higher power than ourselves. I sometimes refer to it as my universe, and I like to think I have a bunch of angels around me too. I have many stories about why I think they exist, but I will start with this one.  I think this is more about signs that we all get from the universe but some of us ignore them or are too busy with life to pay attention. Well, for me, on part of this journey I kept seeing the word summit everywhere. It was on T-Shirts, street signs and I heard it in conversations. When I get something that is repeated that often I pay attention. So when I saw a free Real Success Summit advertised on Facebook I signed up. This had to be the universe pointing me in the right direction on how to figure out my future as a retired nurse now author/blogger/doll manufacturer, right?

The Summit was a  three day seven-hour course over a weekend, and I was shocked I committed to it. I went in very skeptical because that is my nature about everything. There is no such thing as a free lunch. The speakers presenting were some of my favorite motivators and I had read their books or listened to one of their podcasts like Deepak, Tony Robbins and Jack Canfield. Most of the speakers gave me a nugget to walk away with and some had promoted books or courses they offer for sale but I was still engaged with the content. On the final day, a promotion was offered for a 12 week live course on

Artificial intelligence (AI). I had heard rumblings of it but knew very little about it but I knew it was here to stay and not going away. I was also stuck on getting my website done and was hoping this would solve my problem. Can I really just get a bot to make this cool website for me? The course was $500, but I was skeptical because you have no idea how gullible I can be to a great sales pitch. My husband of 35 years is very aware of this trait and told me I was crazy, and Chat GTP is free.  We were in the middle of selling our house to move, and as part of my cleaning, I had a bunch of broken jewelry that I was taking to the jewelry store to cash in, and it was twice as much as the course cost. Now, I am not saying I would not have taken the course without the cash from the jewelry store, but it was more proof that the universe was supporting this course, and I needed to go this route, which I did.

I took the course given by Industry Rock Star and of course, I went in with my normal trepidation of, was my impulse buying a scam or bad idea. To my delight, the course was amazing. It was a very informative course with tremendous support and resources. I signed up for another AI course that certified you for $37, and I can assure you that I was not certified to even try to explain anything about AI after that course. However, I will give you some small tidbits about AI that will sum up what I think you should know.

What I Learned About AI

You are most likely already using AI in some shape or form:

– Smartphones and home devices use AI to provide voice-activated assistance (e.g., Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant).

– When your email sorts spam out of your inbox.

– When your phone suggests the next word as you’re typing a message.

– When Netflix recommends shows you might like based on what you’ve watched before.

Artificial intelligence refers to the development of computer systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. This includes learning, problem-solving, perception, and language understanding.

It involves creating algorithms that allow computers to process data, recognize patterns, and make decisions based on that data. AI encompasses a wide range of technologies, from machine learning, where computers learn from experience, to natural language processing, enabling machines to understand and respond to human language, and robotics, which involves the physical embodiment of AI in machines and systems.

Some Current Applications used Today are:

1. Machine Learning: Used in recommendation systems, fraud detection, and predictive analytics.

2. Natural Language Processing: Powers virtual assistants, chatbots, and language translation tools.

3. Computer Vision: Applied in facial recognition, autonomous vehicles, and medical image analysis.

4. Robotics: Used in manufacturing, surgery, and space exploration.

Future Potential:

1. Advanced healthcare diagnostics and personalized medicine, potentially revolutionizing how we detect and treat diseases.

2. Fully autonomous transportation systems could become a reality, improving safety and efficiency in travel.

3. More sophisticated AI assistants for various professional fields

4. Enhanced environmental monitoring and climate change mitigation efforts, helping us better understand and protect our planet.

5. Breakthroughs in scientific research and discovery, leading to new innovations and advancements.

AI, is like teaching computers to think and make decisions in ways that are similar to humans, but often much faster and on a larger scale.

Imagine having a very smart assistant who can:

1. Learn from experience: Like how you get better at cooking the more you do it, AI systems improve at tasks the more data they process.

2. Recognize patterns: Just as you might notice when a friend is upset based on their tone of voice, AI can spot patterns in data to make predictions or decisions.

3. Solve problems: Similar to how you might figure out the best route to avoid traffic, AI can analyze complex situations and suggest solutions.

4. Understand and respond to language: Think of it like having a very knowledgeable pen pal who can understand your letters and write back, no matter what language you use.

Ethical Considerations

AI ethics is being advanced by various organizations and experts who focus on how to handle some of these considerations:

1. AI’s data collection and use raise privacy concerns. It’s crucial to ensure that personal data is protected and used ethically.

2. Automation powered by AI could lead to job displacement in certain industries. It’s essential to consider how to support affected workers.

3. Algorithmic decision-making must be fair and unbiased. Ensuring transparency and explainability in AI systems is vital to prevent discrimination.

 4. The need for transparency and explainability in AI systems

5. Humans create, maintain, and control AI systems. It’s important to develop safeguards and ethical guidelines to manage long-term implications of increasingly advanced AI on society.

Debunking the Myths

Although there have been exciting new breakthroughs in AI it still needs humans behind the scenes to give human input.

1. Limited scope: Current AI is designed for specific tasks. It’s like having a very smart calculator – great at math, but it can’t suddenly decide to take over your kitchen appliances.

2. No self-awareness: AI doesn’t have consciousness or self-awareness. It can’t plot or scheme. It just follows its programming, however complex that might be.

3. Human control: AI systems are created, maintained, and controlled by humans. They don’t make their own goals or suddenly decide to rebel.

4. No general intelligence: We haven’t created AI that can think broadly like humans. Most AI is very specialized – good at one thing but clueless about others.

5. Safeguards: Scientists and engineers are very aware of potential risks and build in safeguards and ethical guidelines.

6. Physical limitations: AI needs hardware to operate. It can’t spread like a virus or take control of systems it’s not connected to.

7. Beneficial focus: Most AI development is focused on helping humans, not replacing them. It’s a tool, like any other technology.

Embracing the Future with Optimism

Remember, headlines and movies often exaggerate for effect. In reality, AI is more likely to help with your daily tasks than try to take over the world.”

AI is a powerful tool that’s helping us do many tasks more efficiently, but it’s important to remember that it’s still a computer program. It doesn’t have feelings or true understanding like humans do.”  If AI begins to show emotions would that make it a superhuman? That is a debate that may or may not happen someday and reignite discussions about consciousness and what it means to be “alive” or “sentient”.

However, it’s important to note that this is currently in the realm of science fiction. Modern AI, no matter how sophisticated, operates on programming and data processing, not on emotional experiences. The development of true feelings in AI would require a fundamental breakthrough in our understanding of consciousness and how to artificially create it.

For now, when interacting with AI, it’s best to remember that their responses, no matter how convincing, are based on processing information, not on emotional experiences. Whether you embrace this new and evolving technology or not, it is here to stay. I believe knowledge is power so if you are in fear of AI taking over the world, I suggest you learn about it now, so you are prepared. If that day does not happen, you can feel like a superhuman for understanding AI at any age.

If you would like to dive deeper into AI, check out this book, available on Amazon. Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI