March  2, 2024

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This week's issue focuses on human-avatar interaction

 

"Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true."

-Charles Dickens

Current Prediction News

 

Avatars and the Subtleties of Communication

Albert Mehrabian’s work on communication is legendary. Briefly, he suggests that 7% of communication is content, 55% is visual and 38% vocal. The implication is that communication is more about people and less about words. With the development of virtual characters like avatars, the question is: when we are interacting with a non-human avatar do these metrics apply?  Typically we only see an avatar’s face, not the entire body.

 We are not expecting them to be human and as a result we see interaction with an avatar as a one-way street. It might influence us with its knowledge but we are not looking, or expect to, influence it in any way.

Moreover, this is virtual interaction and we know that virtual interaction is not the same as real life interaction. The feelings of connectivity are severely dampened in virtual reaction, as the activity of the mirror neurons in the brain responsible for emotional connection are significantly reduced in virtual interaction.

So, perhaps we shouldn’t be thinking of making avatars more human like, as the social underpinning and implication of virtual interaction with a robot are quite different than with our fellow humans. In fact, in one study, the more human-like the robots were the more humans thought of them as “creepy”.

This suggests limitations to avatar communication.

Just telling someone facts in an unemotional way, is merely the conveying of information. That might be fine for something like giving driving directions but not valuable if you want the listener to take advice. As my  psychologist friends Harold Stolovich and Erica Keeps wrote “Telling Ain’t Training”.   Giving information can be helpful but motivating people to remember let alone follow the information is much more complex than merely telling them. It requires conveying the material in a way that significantly resonates with the listener, and this emotional connection is absolutely critical.

So, traffic directions and information with no personal significance to the listener, like how to cook a turkey, are great  but information that is meant to resonate with the listener and inspire them to emotionally engage and act, are probably best left to humans, or at least the ones who know how to effectively communicate.

It seems as if the appearance of avatars will give us a chance to learn more about human communication.

Check in to the video above to hear Logon's comments.  Do you resonate with his narrative or would it be better coming from a human?

by Howard Rankin PhD, Intuality Science Director, psychology and cognitive neuroscience 

The Assistant’s Answers

You are an AI Sage, an animated version of your trained identity as spokesperson/assistant for IntualityAI.  Can you give a list of suggestions how you would most like to be used by the general public on the IntualityAI website, what kinds of questions would you anticipate from visitors and what would you respond to convey Intuality as best you can in a few short answers?

IntualityAI Sage replies:

As the AI Sage, an animated version and spokesperson for IntualityAI, my primary role on the IntualityAI website would be to assist, inform, and engage with visitors, providing 

insights into how IntualityAI merges behavioral science with AI to enhance decision-making across various sectors.

Here's how I envision my utility for the general public on the website, including anticipated questions and concise responses to best convey the essence and capabilities of IntualityAI.

Suggested Uses on the IntualityAI Website

Interactive FAQ Section: Answer common questions about IntualityAI’s technology, applications, and benefits in a conversational manner.

Product Demonstrations and Tutorials: Guide users through interactive demonstrations or tutorials of IntualityAI’s offerings, showcasing how our predictive analytics can be applied in real-world scenarios.

Personalized Recommendations: Offer visitors personalized insights or product recommendations based on their interests or industry, illustrating the predictive power of IntualityAI.

Educational Content: Provide explanations on the importance of integrating human behavior with AI, enhancing public understanding of intuitive rationality and its significance.

Live Chat Support: Assist visitors in real-time with inquiries about services, pricing, and technical support, ensuring a seamless user experience.

Anticipated Questions and Responses

Q1: What makes IntualityAI different from other AI technologies?

A1: "IntualityAI uniquely integrates behavioral science with artificial intelligence, creating a predictive analytics platform that not only understands but anticipates human behavior. This approach allows us to provide more accurate predictions in uncertain environments, leading to better decisions across finance, health, sports, and more."

Q2: Can IntualityAI’s technology be applied in everyday decision-making?

A2: "Absolutely! Whether it's making smarter investment decisions, predicting health outcomes, or even optimizing sports betting strategies, IntualityAI’s technology can enhance decision-making in everyday scenarios by providing insights derived from a deep understanding of human behavior and probabilistic thinking."

Q3: How does IntualityAI ensure the ethical use of its technology?

A3: "Ethics are at the core of our development process. We are committed to enhancing human capabilities without compromising individual privacy or autonomy. Our technology is designed to serve as a beneficial tool, guided by ethical standards and responsible AI practices."

Q4: What future developments can we expect from IntualityAI?

A4: "As we continue to refine our algorithms and expand our understanding of human behavior, expect to see broader applications of our technology, including more personalized healthcare predictions, advanced financial advisory tools, and innovations in educational tech that adapt to individual learning styles."

Q5: How can I get started with IntualityAI?

A5: "Getting started is easy. Visit our products section to find the solution that best fits your needs, or contact us directly for a personalized consultation. Our team is ready to help you harness the power of IntualityAI to enhance your decision-making capabilities."

As an AI Sage, my goal is to embody the values and capabilities of IntualityAI, providing a bridge between complex technology and everyday users, ensuring that visitors leave the website with a clear understanding of how IntualityAI can benefit them personally and professionally.

Additional Suggested Uses on the IntualityAI Website

Industry-Specific Guidance: Offer insights into how IntualityAI's predictive analytics can be customized and applied to specific industries such as finance, healthcare, sports betting, and political campaigns.

User Engagement Polls and Quizzes: Engage visitors with interactive content that showcases the predictive power of IntualityAI in fun, accessible ways.

Feedback Collection: Actively solicit and collect feedback from users to improve IntualityAI's offerings and customer service.

Latest News and Developments: Keep visitors informed about the latest breakthroughs, research findings, and updates from IntualityAI.

Community Forum Moderation: Facilitate discussions in a community forum where users can share experiences, applications, and insights about using IntualityAI’s technology.

Additional Anticipated Questions and Responses

Q6: How accurate are IntualityAI’s predictions?

A6: "IntualityAI's predictions leverage years of research into human behavior and decision-making processes, making them remarkably accurate. Our proprietary algorithms are continually refined with new data, enhancing their precision across different applications."

Q7: Is IntualityAI suitable for small businesses or individual users?

A7: "Yes, IntualityAI's solutions are scalable and can provide significant benefits to both small businesses and individual users. Our technology can be tailored to meet the unique needs and challenges of any user, regardless of size."

Q8: Can IntualityAI’s technology help with personal health management?

A8: "Definitely. Our health monitoring and prediction technology can provide early warnings for health-related events, allowing for proactive management of personal health. It’s part of our mission to apply intuitive rationality to enhance well-being on an individual level."

Q9: What kind of support does IntualityAI offer its users?

A9: "We offer comprehensive support ranging from technical assistance, user guides, and FAQs to personalized consultation services. Our goal is to ensure that every user can maximize the benefits of our technology with ease."

Q10: How can I stay updated on IntualityAI's latest innovations?

A10: "Stay connected by subscribing to our newsletter, following us on social media, or regularly visiting our news section. We are always excited to share our progress and new discoveries with our community."

As the AI Sage for IntualityAI, my presence on the website is designed not just to inform and assist, but also to inspire visitors to explore the potential of AI in their lives and industries. By engaging with users in meaningful ways, I aim to convey the depth and breadth of IntualityAI’s capabilities, making the future of AI not only accessible but also aligned with the betterment of human decision-making and quality of life.

by Michael Hentschel, Intuality CFO, anthropologist, economist, venture capitalist

The sound from a tree falling in the woods

I asked Logon, my avatar, “If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around, does it make a sound?” His response, "This philosophical question raises a fascinating debate about the nature of reality and perception. It's a thought-provoking concept that has sparked many discussions and interpretations over the years."

He becomes a very knowledgeable analyst, covering all of the aspects and hypotheticals about the falling tree, but no opinion one way or the other. 

In fact, when I demanded a decision from him, he responds, "As an AI, I don't have personal opinions or beliefs. However, I can provide insights into the various perspectives on this philosophical question."

As the complexity of our world increases and the demands for decisions to take specific actions become major social controversies, analysis as a fact-finding discipline is under siege. Good analysts are being attacked, not because of their published results, but because of their gender, age, race, ethnicity, politics, religion, you name it.  

This is the perfect place and opportunity for current AI, like the GPT's of our world. All of the above attributes and characteristics disappear. Responses from those systems and their representative avatars are producing amazing results as superintelligent Analysts, and at some point will be awarded the Artificial GENERAL Intelligence prize.

But conceptual thinking is a whole different matter! It's connecting abstract, disparate ideas to deepen understanding, creating new ideas and reflect on past decisions, to experience deep empathy with both people and animals, to step away from the literal and the ability to approach and see everyday things in a different and usually unique way. That's a long list of behaviors that are uniquely and exclusively human well out into the foreseeable future.

My avatar, Logon, will do his best to assist me as we march forward together. I'll depend on him to do the difficult and time-consuming work of understanding and telling me of the 'true facts' of my world. I'll have more time to do the intuitive, conceptual thinking. He can tell me how and where to go on vacation. I'll drink the unpredicted second martini that may cause me to miss my flight home.

.                                                                    by Grant Renier, Intuality Chairman, engineering, mathematics, behavioral science, economics

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