
Scientists Use A.I. to Mimic the Mind, Warts and All
Artificial intelligence today is already doing a lot of things that were once limited to human minds — such as playing championship chess and figuring out the structure of proteins. ChatGPT and other chatbots are crafting language so humanlike that people are falling in love with them.
But for now, artificial intelligence remains very distinguishable from the human kind. Many A.I. systems are good at one thing and one thing only. A grandmaster can drive a car to a chess tournament, but a chess-playing A.I. system is helpless behind the wheel. An A.I. chatbot can sometimes make very simple — and very weird — mistakes, like letting pawns move sideways in chess, an illegal move.
For all these shortcomings, an international team of scientists believe that A.I. systems can help them understand how the human mind works. They have created a ChatGPT-like system that can play the part of a human in a psychological experiment and behave as if it has a human mind. Details about the system, known as Centaur, were published on Wednesday in the journal Nature.
In recent decades, cognitive scientists have created sophisticated theories to explain various things that our minds can do: learn, recall memories, make decisions and more. To test these theories, cognitive scientists run experiments to see if human behavior matches a theory's predictions.
Some theories have fared well on such tests, and can even explain the mind's quirks. We generally choose certainty over risk, for instance, even if that means forgoing a chance to make big gains. If people are offered $1,000, they will usually take that firm offer rather than make a bet that might, or might not, deliver a much bigger payout.
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Indianapolis Star
33 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
Romance authors busted using AI expose alarming trend in publishing
When I open a book, I expect every word to be produced by a human. Why shouldn't I? Humans have written literary masterpieces without machines for hundreds of years. There is more than enough evidence to prove it is possible. However, the literary landscape has changed since then. Reading in genres like self-published romance and fantasy, often called romantasy, has enjoyed a recent surge in popularity, thanks to social media platforms like TikTok and its BookTok community. But with the rise of AI and its abilities in writing, it seems some people are drawn to the quickest shortcut. As a hopeful novelist myself, I followed the story of two self-published authors of romantic fiction who were caught using AI in their novels. Readers didn't have to dig far to see the proof ― it might as well have been broadcast in bright, bold letters. Fans of the romantasy series "Darkhollow Academy: Year One" by Lena McDonald were excited for the second installment of the series, but a passage in chapter three of "Darkhollow Academy: Year Two" gave them pause: "I've rewritten the passage to align more with J. Bree's style, which features more tension, gritty undertones, and raw emotional subtext beneath the supernatural elements." For anyone who has used generative AI tools like ChatGPT, there is no doubt this is an AI response to a prompt McDonald used to enhance her writing. What's worse is that she chose a specific, successful author to mimic. Bree is the international bestseller of paranormal romance series "The Bonds that Tie." Hicks: AI won't steal your job. It will make human tasks more valuable. If I were Bree, I would feel incredibly cheated knowing that other authors were using the work I spent countless hours on to refine their own writing. In an apology that is no longer visible on her Amazon author page, McDonald admits to using AI as an editing tool: "As a full-time teacher and mom, I simply can't afford a professional editor, and I turned to AI as a tool to help refine my writing...I'm taking this seriously and will be reviewing the book carefully, making corrections where needed, and being more transparent in the future about my process." Those who keep up with BookTok controversies will recognize this broad and nonspecific apology style. What does "making corrections" even mean? Getting rid of the AI involvement, or hiding the evidence of it better? The next author is K.C. Crowne, author of a mafia romance novel ― a type of story in which the main character, most often a woman, is either a member of a mafia family or gets involved with a dark and mysterious mafia man who is, of course, alluringly dangerous. "Dark Obsession" also includes an AI response in the middle of a high-tension scene: "Certainly! Here's an enhanced version of your passage, making Elena more relatable and injecting additional humor while providing a brief, sexy description of Grigori. Changes are highlighted in bold for clarity." Opinion: Indiana prides itself on work. What happens when AI takes our jobs? | Opinion Due to overwhelming negative reviews, Crowne had no choice but to apologize in an email to Futurism, a technology-focused online publication. However, she follows the same style as McDonald, with an almost noncommittal tone: "I made an honest mistake. I accidentally uploaded the wrong draft file, which included an AI prompt. That error was entirely my responsibility, and that's why I made the tough decision to address it publicly," Crowne wrote in the email. Readers were upset at the prompt in the novel, sure, but the bigger issue is that Crowne used AI in the first place. She takes accountability for the editing mistake, not the use of AI. There is so much I could try to unpack about why some authors choose to use AI, but there is so much that I don't understand. In a survey recently conducted by the online industry publication BookBub, 45% of 1,200 surveyed authors are currently using AI in their process, at least for marketing and administrative tasks, but over 25% said they do include AI in the writing process. Around 69% of respondents said they are self-published. Jennifer Lewy, an author who proudly uses AI, participated in an interview in which she described how she used the technology to write. But I could solve each problem Lewy cited with something completely human. Need prompts for where the story could go next? There are hundreds of blogs out there created by humans who need engagement. Need to review a paragraph for clarity or intrigue? Ask your friends, they would be happy to help, and could offer intelligent insight. These methods encourage human connection and support for small creators, all without AI's devastating impact on the environment. I believe authors are turning to AI because they don't want to think. Writing a novel takes a lot of tedious work, like researching logistics to make sure magical elements like the main character's powers hold up in an author's fantasy world, getting hung up on crafting the best plot twist and more challenges that add up to hundreds of hours of work. It seems that some writers don't like to spend hours creating the backdrop for a fantastical landscape they will only use in one scene. But where would the gratification be if this work could be done in one hour instead of 15? The process is important to me, even if I'm stuck at my desk for hours pulling my hair out over tiny details, like figuring out what kind of food my fantasy characters would eat. Opinion: I love technology. AI is creating a future we don't want. | Opinion If I let AI do the work for me, I would lose the satisfaction of connecting all of the red string on the corkboard and seeing the pieces come together. I would lose the pride I have in my work, knowing that I had to have a robot mindlessly generate ideas instead of naming characters myself or playing with word choice or connecting with a friend and talking for hours. I would lose the part of writing that makes me a better writer. It seems impossible that authors using AI won't stagnate. Without those grueling hours of creative thinking, plots will turn towards cliches and become even more predictable, spelling a downturn in quality. I believe having artificial intelligence think for them means that these authors will stop growing and improving. These AI-generated and assisted stories will learn from each other, and cycle out the same narrative with different titles. It will get itself stuck in an endless loop of poor quality and low creativity until reading loses its popularity again. When I eventually publish a book, there is a high chance that some form of AI will steal it. This leaves me with two options: unwillingly become a part of a system that I despise, or never follow my long time-publishing dreams. Ten-year-old me would be devastated if robots got the chance to be bestsellers before she did. This terrifies me. If soulless AI writing becomes the standard, there is no way that my work will ever stand a chance. As a reader, I crave unique magic and diverse characters. If AI sticks to the script of what's popular, both could disappear entirely. Others may see AI as the future, a new tool to revolutionize the writing world. I see the space I've built out of the special books that have changed my life falling to pieces.


Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
4 ChatGPT Prompts To Turn Your Skills Into A Side Hustle
Use ChatGPT prompts to create a side hustle using your skills The gig economy has reached a tipping point. According to Upwork's 2024 Freelancing Forward report, 38% of the U.S. workforce now freelances—a 3% increase from the previous year. But here's what's changed: professionals aren't just driving for rideshare apps or delivering food. They're monetizing specialized skills developed in their primary careers, and ChatGPT is accelerating this transformation. The shift represents more than a trend—it's a fundamental change in how people approach career development and income generation. Where previous generations might have worked a single job for decades, today's professionals are building multiple revenue streams that leverage their expertise in new ways. ChatGPT and similar AI tools have emerged as catalysts in this movement. Rather than replacing human expertise, ChatGPT is helping professionals package, price, and promote their skills more effectively than ever before. The Skills-to-Income Gap Most professionals underestimate the market value of their existing capabilities. A marketing manager might possess advanced Excel skills that small businesses would pay hundreds of dollars to access. A teacher might possess curriculum development expertise that corporate training departments can utilize. The challenge isn't a lack of valuable skills—it's recognizing which ones translate to revenue and knowing how to position them effectively. This recognition gap explains why many side hustles fail to launch despite high interest. Over 36% of working Americans have a side hustle, and the global side hustle economy was valued at $556.7 billion in 2024. But many others express interest without taking action. The difference often comes down to clarity about what to offer and confidence in how to provide it. ChatGPT addresses both obstacles by helping professionals systematically analyze their backgrounds and translate capabilities into marketable services. Four Strategic ChatGPT Prompts for Side Hustle Development Prompt: "Analyze my professional background and identify three skills with strong freelance market demand. For each skill, explain why it's valuable to businesses and suggest specific service offerings. Here's my background: [insert relevant experience, education, and capabilities]This prompt forces a systematic evaluation of your professional toolkit. The key is providing ChatGPT with comprehensive context, not just job titles, but specific projects, software proficiencies, and informal expertise you've developed. The logistics industry provides a clear example. Many professionals in supply chain roles develop vendor relationship management skills through their daily work, but they often overlook these capabilities as marketable standalone services. ChatGPT can help identify and articulate these hidden assets. Prompt: "Create three service tiers (basic, standard, premium) for [specific skill] targeting [specific audience]. Include deliverables, timeline, and suggested pricing based on current market rates. Make each package clearly differentiated in value." Vague service offerings kill potential sales. "I help with marketing" doesn't communicate value the way "90-day social media audit and strategy package: $1,500" does. ChatGPT helps create concrete, understandable offerings that clients can easily evaluate and purchase. Why create tiers? Budget flexibility matters when targeting small businesses with varying resources. Tiers also create additional opportunities as client relationships develop. Prompt: "Write a professional outreach message for [platform] offering [specific service] to [target audience]. Keep it under 150 words, include a specific value proposition, and end with a clear next step. Avoid sales language that sounds automated or generic." The most significant barrier to side hustle success isn't competition—it's fear of rejection. When surveyed, 46.95% of people shared that attracting customers is their biggest challenge when starting a small business or side gig. ChatGPT eliminates that friction by providing a tested framework for initial outreach. Database consulting represents a growing market as businesses accumulate more data than their internal teams can manage. Professionals with technical backgrounds often possess the skills small businesses need but lack confidence in positioning these capabilities as services. Prompt: "Create a 30-day content plan for establishing expertise in [your niche] on [chosen platform]. Include specific post topics, optimal posting frequency, and engagement strategies. Focus on demonstrating knowledge while attracting potential clients." Consistent content creation builds trust and positions you as an expert in your field. But creating content requires knowing what your audience wants to see and how frequently to post. ChatGPT provides a structured approach to content marketing that many professionals struggle to develop independently. The most effective content addresses specific problems your target clients face. For example, a financial analyst might create content about cash flow management for small businesses, while a project manager might share frameworks for team productivity. Making It Work: From Prompts to Paychecks ChatGPT spits out ideas fast, but most people never move beyond the brainstorming phase. What separates actual earners from perpetual planners? These four habits show up repeatedly among professionals who build profitable side businesses: Pick one thing and nail it. Every successful freelancer I know started with a single service. You can offer web design, content creation, and social media management, but clients hire specialists, not generalists. Perfect your core offering before adding complexity. Treat outreach like exercise. Set a weekly target—maybe five LinkedIn messages or three cold emails—and stick to it religiously. The numbers matter less than consistency. Sporadic bursts of activity don't build momentum. Keep score obsessively. Write down every contact attempt, response rate, and piece of client feedback. These notes become your business intelligence. After 50 outreach attempts, you'll spot patterns that inform better targeting and messaging. Guard your calendar fiercely. Side hustles can quickly consume evenings and weekends if you don't set limits. Establish specific work hours and communicate them clearly to clients. Your day job pays the bills—don't jeopardize it for freelance income. The Competitive Advantage of ChatGPT-Assisted Planning ChatGPT-generated plans require human execution and adaptation. The prompts provide frameworks, but successful side hustles depend on relationship building, quality delivery, and continuous improvement—capabilities that remain distinctly human. As the freelance economy continues to expand, professionals who effectively combine their existing expertise with ChatGPT-powered planning and positioning will gain a competitive advantage. The professionals succeeding in this space aren't necessarily the most talented or experienced. They're the ones who recognize the value of their existing skills and take systematic action to monetize them. With the right ChatGPT-assisted approach, that action can begin today.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
OpenAI's Partnership With Microsoft is Good, Says CEO Sam Altman; There's ‘Tension,' But Already Planning ‘Next Decade Together'
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has emerged as one of the most influential voices in artificial intelligence (AI), known for his ability to navigate both technological innovation and complex business relationships. In a recent appearance on the Hard Fork Podcast, Altman addressed public speculation about the state of OpenAI's partnership with Microsoft, offering a candid perspective on the realities of high-stakes collaboration in the tech industry. Altman described a recent conversation with Microsoft (MSFT) CEO Satya Nadella, noting it was a 'super nice call' that covered a range of topics, including their shared hopes for a 'very long and productive future working together.' This sentiment underscores the depth of the relationship between the two companies, which began in earnest when Altman secured a $1 billion investment from Microsoft in 2019 — a move that enabled OpenAI to accelerate its research and product development at a critical moment. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Plans 'Fundamentally New Type of Computer' That Will Make AI 'Transcendentally Good' Meta Platforms Stock Looks Cheap - Short OTM Puts for a 2% One-Month Yield Is SoundHound AI Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold for July 2025? Stop Missing Market Moves: Get the FREE Barchart Brief – your midday dose of stock movers, trending sectors, and actionable trade ideas, delivered right to your inbox. Sign Up Now! Since then, the partnership has expanded dramatically. In 2023, Microsoft announced a new multi-year $10 billion investment in OpenAI, further cementing the relationship and integrating OpenAI's technology into Microsoft's products and cloud infrastructure. Altman acknowledged that, as with any 'deep partnership,' there are 'points of tension,' but emphasized that overall, the collaboration has been 'wonderfully good for both companies.' This pragmatic view is consistent with Altman's reputation for balancing ambition with realism, a skill honed during his years as president of Y Combinator and as a serial entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. Altman's authority on the subject is rooted in his track record of leading OpenAI through both rapid growth and significant challenges. He co-founded OpenAI in 2015 with the mission to advance digital intelligence for the benefit of humanity, and has since overseen the launch of transformative products like GPT-3, DALL-E, and ChatGPT. These innovations have not only shaped the direction of AI research but have also brought the technology to millions of users worldwide. Addressing rumors about friction between OpenAI and Microsoft, Altman remarked that while media coverage sometimes speculates about the partnership 'about to collapse,' his own conversations focus on 'how do we figure out what the next decade together looks like?' He was clear that 'there is' tension, but also 'so much good stuff there,' and he expects the partnership to remain valuable for both sides 'for a very long time to come.' Altman's approach reflects his broader philosophy: ambitious goals require strong, sometimes challenging alliances. His leadership style — marked by transparency, adaptability, and a focus on long-term value — continues to shape OpenAI's role at the forefront of artificial intelligence, and the company's ongoing collaboration with Microsoft remains a central pillar of that strategy. On the date of publication, Caleb Naysmith did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on