The cost of AI

I am learning about the different options available for trying out and using AI. I know that many on the forum are diving into this realm and learning about it, so I look forward to hearing their feedback. I believe that these things directly relate to the future of Logos, because of the influence it has already had in decisions about pricing, subscriptions and software delelopment.

Given all the recent excitement regarding Microsoft's announcement of Copilot, and Apples announcements recently at WWDC, I decided to take a closer look at what is available.

OpenAI is essentially what is available right now, and both Microsoft and Apple have agreements to use OpenAI. Having not used ChatGPT, I do not know a lot about how it works. But the website is pretty simple. There is a FREE version, and a Plus version that is $20 / month.

Microsoft Copilot is essentially using ChatGPT. Apple also is using OpenAI, but is also developing its own AI servers and has already integrated many features.

Apple is integrating AI into its entire system. And it is all free. I am not sure if there are limitations as to how many times you can access these features.

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/06/introducing-apple-intelligence-for-iphone-ipad-and-mac">
ChatGPT will come to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia later this year, powered by GPT-4o. Users can access it for free without creating an account, and ChatGPT subscribers can connect their accounts and access paid features right from these experiences.

Availability
Apple Intelligence is free for users, and will be available in beta as part of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia this fall in U.S. English. Some features, software platforms, and additional languages will come over the course of the next year. Apple Intelligence will be available on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad and Mac with M1 and later, with Siri and device language set to U.S. English. For more information, visit apple.com/apple-intelligence.

Microsoft also is offering a free version with limited access, and a paid version that appears to correlate with the OpenAI offering. For example, ChatGPT Pro includes "DALL·E image generation". Microsoft has thrown together (released last year) a program called "Microsoft Designer" which uses AI to generate images, and is only available with Copilot Pro.

Apple is way ahead when it comes to image creation/editing, and AI is already being integrated. I took a picture of a small spider recently, and when I tapped "info" the photos app identified the species and provided links to articles about it, as well as numerous other photos it found online.

The primary difference in approach appears to be that Apple is building AI into the whole system. Microsoft is setting up paywalls that limit your access.

As stated above, the Co Pilot app is free, which correlates with the free version of ChatGPT.

But what if you want to do serious work using Co Pilot? Most people that do serious writing use Microsoft Word, correct? (yes I know not everyone will agree, but Word is what they teach and use in college).

I have *owned* Microsoft Office versions 2000, 2007, 2010 and still prefer 2010 to any of the new ones.
When I moved to MacOS a few years back, I purchased Home & Student 2019, and since have added another Home & Student 2021.

I would have preferred the whole Office Suite, but Home & Student was the only *purchase* available. All other options were monthly or annual subscriptions. I am very familiar with Word, and expert status with Excel, so I wanted them on my Mac computers, even with a long term strategy of dumping them and using the Apple programs Pages and Numbers. I love using Numbers as a spreadsheet because of the seamless way I can edit a spreadsheet on my phone while I am on the road. When back home, all updates are automatic through icloud.

It appears that even after having purchased numerous versions over the years, that now that I will still not be able to use the Microsoft Word or Excel programs with Co Pilot, even if I subscribe to Co Pilot.

It is not abundantly clear, but it appears on this web page that if you subscribe to Co Pilot Pro, it will work with Word and Excel, but only the web versions. No version of these programs that are owned will work. But if you *also* subscribe to Office 365, then it will all work together on your local computer.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot">
Disclaimer: Copilot Pro subscribers can use Copilot in the web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook in the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Chinese Simplified. Those who have a separate Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription get the added benefit of using Copilot in the more fully featured desktop apps. Excel features are in English only and currently in preview. Copilot features in Outlook apply to accounts with @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com or @msn.com email addresses and are available in Outlook.com, Outlook built into Windows, and Outlook on Mac.?

A Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription is required to access Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote on PC, Mac, and iPad. Copilot in Excel available in preview, in English only. A product license for Microsoft 365 Business Standard, Business Premium, E3, E5 or Office 365 E3 or E5 is required to purchase Copilot for Microsoft 365.

So if I want to use Copilot in Word or Excel, I need two subscriptions.

Microsoft 365 Personal    $ 6.99 / month
Copilot Pro                       $20.00 / month
===============================
Total                                 $26.99 / month

It is unclear whether I would be able to use the web version of Word to create documents, and then save them and edit them in my local copy of Microsoft Word ... I would assume this would be true.

It seems that for $6.99 / month that Microsoft 365 is giving you a lot of value. But I don't need it. The main features that I do not already have are Outlook and Onedrive, both things I would never use. And there is nothing I need in the latest Word or Excel that I cannot do with my old favorite, Office 2010.

A final observation is that Microsoft's monthly charges are high enough, how could it not drive even more people to MacOS?

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Comments

MJ. Smith

Then there are those of us who avoid OpenAI in favor of Gemini or other competitors.

John

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1301976#Comment_1301976

Then there are those of us who avoid OpenAI in favor of Gemini or other competitors.

Please elaborate. What does Gemini (Google) have to offer that is better than OpenAI? It looks like the price is the same at $20 / month for premium.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1301981#Comment_1301981

What does Gemini (Google) have to offer that is better than OpenAI?

In the reviews I have read, it is less prone to hallucinations and more prone to answer "I don't know". Pros and cons Google Gemini vs OpenAI ChatGPT: Which AI wins? | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)

Manuel R.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1301986#Comment_1301986

An interesting Paper on hallucinations (Beware of the language but it is scientifically established):

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10676-024-09775-5

Essentially all AIs have the same problem an can not tell facts or truth and always makes sth. up. People try to alleviate that problem by feeding additional information into the prompt but essentially that data has to be highly curated. Gemini was on the news recently because of dangerous advice.

GaoLu

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1302084#Comment_1302084

For the record, I am also leaning Gemini. The order is Gemini, OpenAI, with Copilot far down the list.

In an ecology class I once took, our excellent professor more or less randomly tossed colored toothpicks on the lawn. We made all kinds of anecdotal and statistical predictions.

Then we used string to create one-meter sections on the lawn. We ran around barefoot, recording toothpick counts for each section. Then we ran extensive statistics and analyzed them until algebra was running out of our ears. We re-ran the process multiple ways including counting crawfish in the creek. We compared our statistical data with that of actual experts who had surveyed crawfish in the creek. A friend and I raised red-legged frog tadpoles (with formal permission). And much more happened, one of which was the professor challenging us: "How do you know, in fact, that I told you the truth, or that I know the truth about how many toothpicks I actually threw on the lawn?"

In the end, I was convinced--statistics are reliable and magical.

But not always truthful. They can be honestly precise without being accurate or true.

"LLMs are designed to take a string of words as an input and strive to anticipate the subsequent sequence with the highest probability." --Vercel

Probability is a function of accurate data (yeah, on the internet...where?), neutral algorithms (mmm hmmm), human skewing (decision-making), objectivity (theoretically), subjectivity (interpreted by the consumer), Bayesian factors (subject to update), authenticity of randomness (deterministic or not), epistemology (how do we justify beliefs), metaphysics, God, etc.

So, AI can be very helpful. But accept what it spits back as an intelligent human, with a sensitive spirit. Spit out the bones. Consuming AI results can be a lot like eating herring, they make better bait than food.

(‾◡◝)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1302096#Comment_1302096

Spit out the bones.

But, how do we *know* what are "bones" and what are not? Perhaps one person's "bones" merely reflect their own personal biases based on their own "sensitive spirit" whereas, others disagree. In other words, is there universal/absolute agreement as to what constitutes a "bone" and thus whatever remains must, by default, be the truth? [A pox on anyone who suggests that AI can answer that question for us and thus leads us down an infinitely regressive hole]

As someone once asked, "What is truth?" [ironically enough while standing eyeball to eyeball with One who had just hours before declared Himself to be the Truth].

Anyone feel like you're just bobbing up and down on a sea of relative truth but never able to make it to the safety of dry land/absolute truth - i.e., always learning but never able to come to the truth?

The AI sermons are getting closer.

... and the camel pushes it's nose even further into the tent.

Antony Brennan

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1302084#Comment_1302084

Perplexity is another useful AI app and website. It provides references for almost everything it tells you.

John

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1302188#Comment_1302188

Revolutionary new AI device that gives answers to any question is only $15 on Amazon!

GaoLu

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1302231#Comment_1302231

Revolutionary new AI device that gives answers to any question is only $15 on Amazon!

Silly me. I clicked your link and was well rewarded. [:|]

But $15?!