truth
: a judgment, proposition, or idea that is true or accepted as true
I’ll admit I was nervous when I hit the play button. I had no idea what to expect.
I had just uploaded one of my blog posts on early retirement to Google’s new NotebookLM experimental AI model.
Supposedly after uploading the file, any file, I could ask the model to create an executive summary, talking points, timelines, even a podcast type conversation between two….people?
One of my finance podcasts had mentioned it last week and they were totally blown away so I decided to give it a try.
The interface was very simple as were the instructions. Basically upload .pdf files or .txt files of your choice, up to 50 in total, even videos or .mp3 files and the model will go to work.
The summaries and talking points were nicely done. Some of my personal “quotes” to drive home certain points were also included. Thankfully I was just referred to as “the author” and there was no mention of my name or the name of my blog.
As for the podcast “conversation”? I was left a little awestruck. How-in-the-hell is this even possible? It took the model about 2-3 minutes to create an eerily lifelike conversation.
The male and female cyberhosts seemed to have a personality, talking with pauses such as uh…….and uhs……as if they were gathering their thoughts. They seamlessly went from topic to topic, exactly as I had written in the post, adding their own comments along the way.
“Unbelievable…” I kept muttering to myself with my arms crossed over my chest.
Here is the complete unedited 11 minute audio if you want to listen for yourself:
The only flaw I found in the conversation was mention of a “job opportunity” I almost passed up because of my focus on the retirement planning. Say what? I guess my discussion of accepting my company’s buyout offer threw it off a little bit. It was at the very end of the podcast discussion and I was a little baffled how it drew that conclusion.
So unless you have been living under a rock, you know the overarching investment theme and leading driver of market returns has been the hype surrounding AI.
I first wrote about it in AI Pause back in early April when a collective group of insiders were recommending a “pause”. Essentially recommending some guardrails be up and in place to protect us human folk before we blindly sprint forward.
Innovation and advancement is one thing, when it happens at a rate you can barely control a new set of risks emerge.
I am by no means an expert on this topic. I can barely understand the output much less the framework and processes behind the curtain to make it all happen.
Given the fact I am and will continue to be an active market participant, I owe it to myself to read up on the topic and peel back the layers at my own pace. A learner I shall always be.
I have never used ChatGPT. I see the Copilot icon sitting quietly yet prominently on my toolbar. I’ve yet to see the need to click on it.
Google’s Gemini has improved my search results, I will say that. What was once a list of web pages is now preceded by “AI overview”(s). They cut to the chase, which I can appreciate.
So back to my personal podcast. I was initially impressed but as I listened to it a second time I was a little disappointed. I was disappointed because I knew what I was listening to was fake. These were not people they just sounded the part.
“They” sounded like “they” were interested in my work, but in reality? “They” were just faking it, “programmed” to sound interested. They would have spoken with a similar enthusiasm had I uploaded a user manual for my washer and dryer.
LEARN MORE
https://www.wired.com/story/ai-podcast-google-notebooklm/
https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/google-notebooklm-ai-podcast-deep-dive-audio-c30a06b3?mod=hp_lead_pos10
ON BALANCE
I will probably use Notebook LM again this earnings season to summarize the reports and allow me to listen to a conversation on key elements. I can create my own scaled back version of the earnings call. Just the facts ma’am. Just the facts.
As for uploading my content and using it to talk about my own personal work? I’ll pass. I can’t get over the fakeness and lack of authenticity. I listen to finance podcasts FOR the unique perspectives which are both learned and earned.
Mr. and Mrs. Robot Pod Hosts may have learned how to speak but they most certainly haven’t earned it by spending 25 years perfecting the craft.
The quality of the conversation itself generated also reminded me just how blurred the lines will soon become if we are not there already.
Is that Trump’s voice or an AI version reading a script to infuriate the masses?
Is that a true live interview on TV or am I being duped by two incredibly well made deepfakes?
The voice on the other end of the phone, is it really a person?
My fear is we are sprinting toward a future where the lines separating fact from fiction are so thin or badly blurred it is hard to discern or determine authenticity – period.
As these questions swirl inside my head, I can easily see myself already yearning for immediate access to past.
Case in point, my home is a delightful combination of old and new. I must have it both ways.
I am sitting in a leather club chair tapping this backlit keyboard listening to post season baseball on my high-def noise cancelling headphones.
To my left is an 1890’s era lamp table that once adorned the foyer of my great grandmother’s home. An AM radio from the 1940’s, metal framed GE fan and a classic Royal typewriter sit atop. A well weathered baseball completes the scene.
My ears hear 2024, my eyes see 1950. I like that. I appreciate that.
Hopefully we will not evolve to the point there is little appreciation for the authenticity of the past and present for that matter. That will be a very sad day. “Swing and a miss………………………..”
The Man in black said it best.
This old world’s waking to a new born day
And I solemnly swear that it’ll be their way
You better help the voice of youth findWhat is truth?
And the lonely voice of youth cries…..
What is truth?
Johnny Cash
The Finance Stance 