Author: vrradmin

Guillermo del Toro says AI is an Insult

Guillermo del Toro recently opened up to Decider about his feeling on AI. It turns out that he sees it as an insult to life itself, or at least that’s what his quote stated. He’s echoing the sentiments of Hayao Miyazaki when he said largely the same thing. While del Toro has been out talking about his newest movie, Pinocchio, it only stands to reason that he would be asked about the concept of AI. He’s the kind of director who still shoots stop motion and practical effects and you have to respect him for that.

He doesn’t like to use computers to make his movies. In fact, here’s what he said about art and AI: “I consume and love art made by humans. I am completely moved by that. And I am not interested in illustrations made by machines and the extrapolation of information. I talked to Dave McKean, a great artist. He told me his greatest hope is that AI cannot draw.” That should tell you everything you need to know about where he’s coming from, and it makes sense. His movies may be dark, but they’re also about human emotion, from the very start to the very end.

Hayao Miyazaki is very much in the same camp. He was featured in a 2016 documentary titled “NHK Special: Hayao Miyazaki — The One Who Never Ends” when he started talking about AI. Here was his take away: “Whoever creates this stuff has no idea what pain is whatsoever. I am utterly disgusted. If you really want to make creepy stuff, you can go ahead and do it. I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all. I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself.” After being informed that one animator was attempting to create a machine that “draws pictures like humans do,” Miyazaki fired back, “I feel like we are nearing to the end of the times. We humans are losing faith in ourselves.”

It’s not tough to see where they’re coming from and there’s nothing wrong with that sentiment at all. So, what did del Toro actually have to say? Well, here it is: “AI can interpolate information but it can never draw. It can never capture a feeling or a countenance or the softness of a human face. If that conversation was being had about film it would hurt deeply and…as Miyazaki says, it’d be an insult to life itself.”

So, there you have it. According to these two filmmakers, AI has no place in art. You can agree with it, or you can disagree. The only thing that matters is whether or not you support movies that use AI. If you enjoy it, then please buy your tickets. If you don’t, then simply avoid them. It doesn’t have to get any more complicated than that. AI is still going to be used in movies, regardless of the feelings of the people still using real people and that’s just a fact.

Data Mining and AI

Data mining sounds like a dirty term that you should try to avoid at all costs. Most people believe that their personal conversations and browsing habits are being recorded all the time. To a certain extent that’s true, but it may not be as big a problem as you think it is. Data mining is being used all the time to improve AI to try and make your life easier, at least when it comes to the products you by. Being able to turn your lights on and off with an AI assistant is just a fun side effect of that.

What is Data Mining?

So, first off, let’s define data mining. Zyte just released an article that talks all about data mining and how it’s used. According to their definition, “data mining means sorting through extensive data sets to get the valuable information you or your business need. It’s a component of the overall data science and analytics process.” That data is then used by the companies harvesting it or sold to other companies. They then use it to show you ads for products they think you might want, based on that data and that’s the long and short of it.

Data Mining creates AI

Data mining and AI are not the same things. According to John McCarthy, Professor Emeritus of Computer Science at Stanford University, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is defined as “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs.” That means that data creates the AIs. This information is being used to build artificial intelligence that can be beneficial to your life. It requires a combination of data analytics, data mining, and machine learning. Once the AI model has been built, new data can be input to generate predictions, without having to repeat the process manually.

It drives Competition

With so much data mining going on and AIs being created by it, then created to get it, it only makes sense that there’s going to be a lot of competition for it. Let’s pretend that a person is newly pregnant. That person is going to be spending a whole lot of money on that baby for the next few years. Any company that makes those products wants to get in there as early as possible to create a brand loyalty to what they make. Any company than can be made aware of the pregnancy through AI and data mining is going to have the upper hand.

It can’t be Stopped

No matter how uneasy it makes you, there’s really no way around it. Data mining is here to stay and so is AI. The best thing to do is to come to terms with it and use it to your advantage. Those companies that want to get into your life are going to be offering you lots of deals to get you on their side. Be smart about it and take advantage of what they’re offering. Then jump ship when the deals dry up and take up different offers.

AI in the Military

Of all the uses you can get out of AI, one of the most commonly used assets it creates is in the military. It’s being used every single day, all over the world, to save the lives of both soldiers and civilians on the battlefront and other places. Most people don’t realize it, but the creation of AI was largely funded by the military. Both DARPA and the D.o.D. funded studies to create what we now know as artificial intelligence. That shouldn’t be a surprise, either. They’re also responsible for research leading to the Hubble telescope, microprocessors, the internet, fiber optics, Kevlar, and a whole slew of products and technology. Whenever the military comes up with an idea they think they can use, they fund its research and develop through private companies. Once the end result is reached, the military is free to purchase it for their own needs and the private companies keep the patents.

This has fueled tech growth for decades, but it’s not all wine and roses. It also happens to be a part of the military industrial complex that President Dwight Eisenhower warned the nation about! That’s a totally different article for a totally different platform, though. Now we’re just going to be talking about how the modern military utilizes artificial intelligence!

Threat Assessment

Being in combat isn’t any fun. There are more than enough people who will tell you that. That’s where AI can play a major role in avoiding it through threat assessment. Dataconomy recently released an entire article on it and here’s what they have to say: “With this technology, soldiers may identify dangers more quickly and receive guidance on how to deal with them. Army aircraft and ground vehicles now have intelligent sensors. It is one of the most important examples of how artificial intelligence is used in the military.”

Training

Then there’s the training of soldiers and AI is a massive part of that right now. The military is able to put their soldiers on the front lines and let them experience combat while carrying out their duties and they never have to expose them to any sort of danger. It’s being used extensively in the Air Force. It’s possible to train pilots in VR run by an AI. The end result is a pilot that’s ready to face any situation without jeopardizing his life or a multi-million dollar aircraft.

Cybersecurity

It’s no surprise that lots and lots of people try to break into the military’s network on a daily basis. That’s why AI is being implemented to stop them. The American army recently requested research into cybersecurity technologies powered by artificial intelligence that may protect personnel and communication networks. It is one of the most important examples of how artificial intelligence is used in the military. They can assess a digital threat and shut it down before it causes any damage. That allows them to keep on running while the person trying to hack them gets locked out.

Transportation

The military is nothing if not mobile. Men, women, and material have to be transported all over the world at a moment’s notice. That’s another area where AI is making a huge impact. As stated on Dataconomy: “Soldiers must navigate their vehicles through uncharted territory or terrain with few roads or other modes of mobility. Research is being done to add AI to autonomous vehicles so military personnel can get some help with their travel.” If AI can take that job over, there are fewer risks to the soldiers and the things they’re transporting. It’s a very obvious way of moving around both a battlefield and getting things where they need to go in peacetime.

AI is Everywhere

These are just a few examples of how the military is using AI. Most of the cutting edge operations are hidden being classified reports and operations. The truth is that we don’t know how deep into the military AI has made it. The only thing we do know is that it’s a major part of it and will continue to grow in its importance. That’s also true in the civilian world. AI is everywhere and it’s not going anywhere. When it’s coming installed on everything from your phone to your microwave, you can be sure that it’s never going to disappear. It’s here to make our lives both easier and more difficult We just have to figure out how to get the most of it in our daily lives.

History of AI

AI is everywhere, from your phone to your washer and dryer. It’s steadily becoming a bigger part of our lives as time goes by and there’s no way to stop it. You just have to embrace it and use it as best you can. It doesn’t matter how you feel about your data being mined by certain companies. AI is still going to be in almost everything you purchase for the rest of your life. So, how did it get this way? Let’s take a look back and see how AI became such a large part of the human condition. Here’s a brief history of AI.

AI Started in 1922

That’s right, AI came into existence way back in the year 1922. It seems hard to believe, but it’s true. You just have to realize that it was nowhere near the technology it is today. It all started when a toy by the name of “Rex” was introduced to the marketplace. This was a small wooden dog for children. It had a little doghouse and all the child had to do was call its name. The toy would then activate and come out of whatever sleep mode it was in so the child could play with it.

Audrey

Audrey was the next major leap forward for AI. The name was an anagram for “Automatic Digit Recognition machine.” It occupied a six- foot-high relay rack, consumed substantial power, had streams of cables and exhibited the myriad maintenance problems associated with complex vacuum-tube circuitry. It could recognize the fundamental units of speech, which are called phonemes. All it did was recognize digits spoken aloud. That means it was used for automatically dialing for telephones. Where you now say, “Siri, call….” You would have had to recite the person’s full number to this AI.

Eliza

Then we get to the 1960s and see the advent of Eliza. This was a chatbot developed at MIT by Professor Joseph Weizenbaum. It was created to “demonstrate that the communication between man and machine was superficial.” This AI used pattern matching and substitution methodology into scripted responses to simulate conversation, which gave an illusion of understanding on the part of the program. This was also the time when the “Eliza effect” was coined as a term. It described the tendency of humans to assume that computers are analogous to humans, just like when you call Alexa a “her.”

Harpy

Moving on to the 1970s, we get a project that was funded, in large part, by the U.S. D.O.D. and DARPA. It was a five-year study of a Speech Understanding Research program, aiming to reach a minimum vocabulary of 1,000 words. Companies and academia including IBM, Carnegie Mellon University and Stanford Research Institute took part in the program. The end result was Harpy, which had mastered about 1000 words, equivalent to a three year old. That’s pretty impressive, but nowhere near as sophisticated as the AI learning that you can use today. It’s still fascinating to look back at the baby steps you have to take to get where you’re going!

Simon

Now we’re in the extreme 90s and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are delighting children everywhere and making their parents miserable. It’s also the time when the very first smartphone was created. It came out in 1994 and was named Simon. It really laid the foundation for smart virtual assistants as we understand them in the modern day. Then, 1997 came and Dragon’s Naturally Speaking software could recognize and transcribe natural human speech without pauses between each word into a document at a rate of 100 words per minute. That’s a massive achievement and made AI an actual candidate for something you can use in your home without major levels of frustration.

SmaterChild

SmarterChild was launched in 2001 on platforms like MSN Messenger and AIM. It was a text-based application that was able to play games, look up facts, talk to users, and check the weather for you. If you want to look at something that was as close to the modern digital assistants you get today, this was it. It would only be a matter of time until they started shipping it as default parts of your products.

Siri

That would happen in 2011 when Siri started being shipped as an installed part of every iPhone. It first come out on the iPhone 4S and it’s been a mainstay ever since. Now you can choose from multiple brands of AI and use them to make sure your coffee gets made on time!

The Future of AI

The future of AI is looking very bright and you probably just can’t get past the sense that it’s going to play a major role in your life at some point. The simple fact is that it’s already playing a major role. AI is being used to process your packages, schedule your days, and even decide if you deserve a traffic ticket. There’s no part of our lives that won’t be touched by AI in the future. The best thing to do is simply embrace it and see where it all ends up leading.

There was a recent article published by Forbes that talked about the future of AI in depth. They went into great detail about what we can expect our future lives to be like. It’s a fascinating subject, as long as you’re able to keep the actual conjecture to a minimum. There are plenty of real-world trends that you can look at today to see where AI will be in the future. While we won’t go into the kind of depth they do, we will talk about the major points about where the technology is going to be taking us. The more we know about the future, the better we’ll be able to accept it when it comes.

AI and ML will be change Science

AI and ML at linked to each other in ways that most people don’t even realize. While AI stands for artificial intelligence, ML stands for machine learning. Both of these things require a manufactured program to learn on its own and make its own decisions. That’s where the exciting part really lies. When you can hook an AI up to a product equipped with ML, there’s really no limit to how far they can evolve and figure out problems without human intervention.

Or, as Forbes puts it: “With AI and machine learning (ML), we can expect to see an enormous magnitude of improvement in what can be accomplished. There’s a certain set of ideas that humans can computationally explore. There’s a broader set of ideas that humans with computers can address. And there’s a much bigger set of ideas that humans with computers, plus AI, can successfully tackle. AI enables an unprecedented ability to analyze enormous data sets and computationally discover complex relationships and patterns. AI, augmenting human intelligence, is primed to transform the scientific research process, unleashing a new golden age of scientific discovery in the coming years.”

AI will Change Foreign Policy

Artificial intelligence is going to be everywhere, and that means everywhere. There won’t be a single facet of human civilization that it doesn’t touch. That includes the foreign policy of entire nations. As they put it: “We are likely to see serious government investment in AI. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has publicly embraced the importance of partnering with innovative AI technology companies to maintain and strengthen global U.S. competitiveness.” That’s going to have a major impact on how the world gets along.

The National Security Council on Artificial Intelligence has already released a list of recommendations for the U.S. Government. They clearly state that the United States should greatly accelerate its artificial intelligence innovation, and that won’t just affect how we deal with other countries. That means that entire industries will be created to make these things happen. This has all happened before, with the space race, being one big example. Just think about what the U.S. was before the 50s and 60s and what it was like afterward. They’re two different countries and the race to space fueled a lot of it.

AI will Rule the Next-gen

When we talk about next-gen here, we’re not talking about the next generation of human beings. We’re talking about the next generation of technology. The metaverse is currently being created by human beings, but it’s only a matter of time before that changes drastically. Just look at this this quote: “Next-generation consumer experiences like the metaverse and cryptocurrencies have garnered much buzz. These experiences and others like them will be critically enabled by AI. The metaverse is inherently an AI problem because humans lack the sort of perception needed to overlay digital objects on physical contexts or to understand the range of human actions and their corresponding effects in a metaverse setting.”

So, as it turns out, human beings aren’t actually capable of continuing to create the metaverse because they don’t have the perception necessary for it. Just imagine a piece of factory equipment that’s designed by humans but can no longer be maintained or improved by them. It’s grown so complex that other machines have to be created to do those things. Humans have built a machine that they’re not smart enough to fix. That’s an incredible notion and it’s all happening right now.

Climate Crisis and AI

Finally, we’ll end on the most important note. That’s the fact that AI is going to be instrumental in combating the current climate crisis. The things we’re doing right now just aren’t effective at fixing the problem and we need new solutions if we’re going to survive as a species. As Forbes puts it, there’s “One potential new approach involves prediction markets powered by AI that can tie policy to impact, taking a holistic view of environmental information and interdependence.”

There’s really no telling if that strategy will make a lasting impact, but it’s the best bet we have as a planet. If things keep going the way they are, we’re going to be in trouble. Maybe humanity’s greatest creation can work to save it from itself. Maybe it’s all a waste of time. Either way, AI is the future, no matter how long that future may last. It’s already everywhere and it’s growing in scope every single day. There’s never going to be a better time to embrace it than right now. Learn how to use AI to the best of your ability and you’ll be much better equipped to thrive in a future that will run on it.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2022

I’d like to wish everyone out there a very happy holiday season! Thanks to those who have visited our site. I temporarily suspended the ability to comment but will have that feature available in the new year.

We are very excited about 2023. We plan on posting at least twice a week with topics we feel will be relevant, informative and captivating. We hope you’ll offer your own posts and we look forward to having engaging conversations with everyone.

The Members Area and the Sign Up Buttons will be functional by the first of the year. Then we plan on creating a way for the community to interact in Virtual Reality through the site to further their ability to find VR Relationships.

The VRR Team

Tips for VR Streaming

If you’re going on a VR date and you want to show yourself in the very best light, then there are a few different things you can do to make sure you look great on camera. You have to remember that you’re still going on a date, even if it’s in the virtual world. VR Relationships can help you find that special person, but it’s up to you to make sure you show them the real you. Here a few simple things you can do to give yourself every chance of getting a second VR date.

Clean your Room

The very first thing you have to do is clean your room. It doesn’t matter what space you’re going to be broadcasting from. It should look neat and be well-kept. The person you’re meeting up with is going to have a 360˚ view through your VR camera. You don’t want them to have to deal with being in a messy space. The cleaner you can make it, the more relaxed your date is going to be. That’s going to make it easier to talk to them and get to know them while you’re together and that’s your main goal.

Dress Up

It’s very important that you treat your VR date just like one that’s in person. That means you have to dress up for any occasion that you would normally be going to. If you’re going to be eating together then you have to dress for a fancy restaurant. If you’re watching a movie together then you have to dress for a theater. If you just show up in ratty sweats, then you’re going to make a bad first impression. The more effort you put into your appearance, the better your date is going to go for you.

Be ready for Anything

You don’t know how far your date is going to go until you get there. That’s why it pays to be ready for anything. Unless you’ve already set your boundaries for your first date, anything can happen. Be ready for it and you won’t have to kill the mood for any reason. If you end up getting intimate on your first VR date, then you have to be open minded about it. This is an experience that you don’t have all the time. Just have fun with it and your first date will be much more likely to turn into a second date.

Let VR Relationships introduce you to New People

Finally, you have to be able to let VR Relationships introduce you to new people from all around the world. That’s really what it’s all about. You get to meet people you would never come across in the real world. That’s what makes it all so exciting. When you find the person who seems to have been made for you then you’ll never be happier. Use the opportunity to your fullest advantage and you’ll never regret it. There’s a really big world out there and the person who’s perfect for you is somewhere in it.

Meet Safely on VR Relationships

Dating can be scary a lot of times and that’s especially true when you’re meeting someone for the very first time. You never know how things are going to go or what’s going to happen. That’s why most people meet up in public places for the very first time. That can get expensive if you’re actively going on lots of first dates. That’s why VR Relationships can offer you a safe place to meet up and you don’t even have to leave your home. All you need is a willingness to meet your potential life mate in the digital world.

Get to know Each Other

When you meet up with someone at a bar or in a restaurant, actually getting to know them can be a challenge. You have to deal with lots of people and other people all around you. None of that is an issue when you meet up in the virtual world. VR Relationships can offer you a space to talk and really get to know each other in a quiet and safe environment. There’s no better way to get to know someone than by talking to them about every subject you can think of.

You’re not going to feel like you have to impress them when it’s just the two of you. You can be yourself and that makes all the difference on a first date. Just make sure to be honest and open about the things you like and the things you dislike. It’s much easier to do that when you’re in the comfort of your own home and not in a public space. VR dating is the way to make that happen and it’s not difficult to do. It will change the way you look at dating as a whole.

Embrace the Future

Virtual reality isn’t going anywhere. It’s going to be heavily embedded in the future of humanity and there’s no escaping it. It makes much more sense to simply embrace it, and VR Relationships is one way to do that right now. You can meet other people from all over the planet and get to know them in a safe, virtual space. No topics are ever off limits and that’s going to let you explore anything you want with another person. It grants you a level of freedom that you just can’t get anywhere else, and you’ll never want to go without it ever again.

The future is going to expand on virtual reality to a point where you won’t be able to remember a world without it. It’s up to you what you do with it. The more you use it in your everyday life, the less time you’ll be able to spend without it. There are people waiting to meet you for the very first time right now. Put yourself out there and see what happens. You never know how exciting someone new will be until you meet them and start talking to them in VR.

VR Accessories for Dating

There’s really no limit to just how far things can go in VR and that’s also true when it comes to VR dating. There are new VR accessories coming out all the time and many of them can be used to enhance your dating experience. It doesn’t matter if you’re going on your first date or meeting up with your spouse in the digital world. These accessories will allow you to live out any date that you’re on by making it feel as close to the real thing as possible. Here are just a few of the VR accessories you can use on your next VR date.

Boom Mic

You can’t go on a successful date if you can’t hear what the other person is saying to you. That’s why you need a quality boom mic attached to your headset. These microphones can pick up any audio and send it right to your date. You’ll be able to carry on full conversations, whether you’re just spending time together or playing a game. There’s really no better alternative to a professional microphone when you’re trying to talk to someone in the virtual world and it’s key in dating.

Comfort Kit

If you’re going to be spending hours with someone on a VR date, then you need to make sure that you’re going to be comfortable. That’s where a comfort kit really comes into play. These padded accessories will fit right on your VR headset. It will allow you to spend as much time in the virtual world as you want without having to take a break. The longer you can spend with your date, the better you can get to know them and start building your relationship. There’s no substitute when you’re serious about spending time with someone you care about.

VR Treadmill

Nothing says date night more than a casual walk around town. It’s something that new couples have been doing for centuries. Now you don’t even have to leave your house to do it. All you need is a VR treadmill and you can take a walk anywhere in the world, or in another galaxy. It’s also perfect for times when you want to game with your date. Just pick your adventure of choice and you’ll be able to play together in a realistic environment. Nothing creates stronger relationships than going to war with each other.

VR Shoes

Now that you’re using a VR treadmill to walk around and game with your date, you might want to consider getting a pair of VR shoes to give you the best possible experience. They’re created specifically to help your feet slide over the treadmill to make movement as easy as possible. It’s one of those products that you’ll never understand how you lived without them after you start using them. They’ll allow you to spend hours on your feet without dealing with fatigue from having to adapt your walking style to your equipment.

VR Camera

Nothing will make your VR date feel more real than being able to see the person you’re on it with. That’s why it’s a very good idea to consider a VR camera. These will let you broadcast in 180˚ or 360˚ so you can really be in the same room as your date. They come is lots of different price ranges so you can get the one that’s best for you. It will make you feel like you’re with your date in the flesh and that’s going to make it all worthwhile. Give a VR camera a shot and you’ll love the outcome.

Protector Case

You never want anything to happen to your VR gear and that’s why you should invest in a good case. These are made to fit any headset that you have. You can safely store all of your gear in one place so you never lose track of it. A hard case is a much better option than a soft one because of the additional protection it offers. It’s really one of the best decisions that you can make for yourself. No matter what kind of headset or VR gear you have, you’re going to want to protect it with the right kind of case.

Your Date

It doesn’t matter what kind of gear you have if you don’t have a very special VR date to go along with it. VR Relationships is here to help you find that special person! Just open yourself up to the possibilities and let love find you!

Falling in Love in VR

There’s a lot to be said about the act of falling in love with someone. It’s something that only happens a few times in your life. When it does, you want it to last as long as it possibly can. It’s also something that usually happens in person. In fact, many people will instantly disbelieve you if you tell them you fell in love through virtual reality. It happens, though. It’s also happening more and more often. Falling in love in VR is not only possible, but it can let you fall deeper in love than in person.

Touch Is Important

One of the most important aspects of falling in love is touch. Nothing feels quite the same way as your lover’s arms around you. It allows us to create a physical memory that makes us yearn for the other person. This is now something that can happen in virtual reality. There are haptic accessories, and even a fully haptic suit, that can let you touch your partner from the other side of the world. This kind of technology is still new, but just like VR itself, it will soon be a part of everyone’s home.

Togetherness in a Digital Space

No matter how important touch happens to be, simply being together is even more crucial. Relationships used to grow as two people found time to be together. Now it’s possible to be together all the time. All you need is a digital connection, and you can talk and be with each other all day long. That makes it very easy to get to know each other and find out why you enjoy being with them so much. This is part of the mission statement of VR Relationships.

We provide a digital space that people can use to come together and fall in love with each other. You get to meet brand new people you never would have been able to come across in any other environment. Once you meet them for the first time, you can spend as much time with them as you want, no matter where you live or how busy you happen to be. It’s never been more possible to start a relationship with someone based on how you feel about each other, rather than where you are in the world. All it takes is a willingness to open yourself up to new possibilities in VR dating.

Play Out a Relationship

Naturally, none of this is to suggest that love is all it takes to spend the rest of your life with someone. There are very real aspects to human nature that will affect every part of your relationship. Just because you enjoy being with someone doesn’t mean that you can live with them. Once again, this is where VR dating can really change your life.

It’s possible to practically live out an entire relationship with someone in the virtual world. You can try living together and see how things go for you. You get to spend time together in one space and see how things would work out in real life. This is something that’s happening all around the world and it’s only beneficial. It makes it possible to identify potential personality conflicts and address them before they become a problem. Nothing like that has ever been possible before. It allows you to spend your time together and skip right over all of the stress that comes along with a relationship moving onto a more serious level. It’s a brand-new world of VR relationships and it will continue to get brighter.

Sex in VR

Sex is always going to be a massively important part of any relationship, especially when it’s just starting. You have to know that you’re physically compatible and that’s where distance can be a real problem. Luckily, it’s possible to have sex in VR that’s close to the real thing as possible. Haptic accessories, like the one mentioned above, are key to the experience, but that’s not all. VR cameras make it very possible to broadcast live video to each other while you explore your desires. It’s fully possible to carry out an entire relationship, from meeting to marriage, in the virtual world. That’s why it’s so important to be ready for it whenever it comes. The next person you meet on VR Relationships could be the one for you. There’s never been a better time in history to fall in love with the person who was meant for you.