Grant Wahl, AI and the Holidays | Daily Skimming Weekend

eyes on

Grant Wahl. Yesterday, one of America’s best-known football journalists died in Qatar. Wahl was in the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and the Netherlands when he collapsed. The cause of death is unknown, but a few days earlier Wahl reported that he was being treated for bronchitis. A CBS Sports contributor and former Sports Illustrated writer, Wahl has chronicled football for more than two decades, including at eight World Cups.

Earlier in the tournament, Wahl made headlines after he was briefly detained for attempting to enter a game while wearing a rainbow t-shirt in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community. (Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar.) And he was a vocal critic of the host country’s treatment of migrant workers and the lack of rights for women and LGBTQIA+ people. In a statement, US Soccer said he was “heartbroken” and that his belief in football’s ability to “advance human rights” will be “an inspiration to all”. Meanwhile, the State Department said it was “deeply saddened” by the news, and Wahl’s wife said she was “in complete shock”.

AI has entered the chat

Imagine this: Over the past week, social media has been flooded with avatars of your friends (from AI objective). And with screenshots of an AI chatbot generating A+ college essays, Netflix-worthy scripts, and computer code (from ChatGPT). While the AI ​​was there for decades, it has recently become more common. And has become much more advanced – but at what cost?

The story

Since launching its “magical avatars” feature last month, Lensa AI has skyrocketed to No. 1 in the Apple App Store. And ChatGPT gained over a million users in just five days. Both provide opportunities for creativity and innovation – and have the potential to save people a lot of time. But many are also wary of such extensive technology. Especially since, despite all their programmed intelligence, Lensa AI and ChatGPT have flaws.

Like what?

For starters, Lensa AI users have reported that the app has generated nudes, overly sexualized their images, or bleached their photos. It also rekindles questions about the ethics of AI art — and the safeguards that might need to be lifted to protect people from the inappropriate use of their likeness or intellectual property. Then there’s ChatGPT, whose information has some serious limitations. Ask him about anything that happened after 2021 and his answer might be questionable (if he even has one), since he can only access data from then on. Additionally, there have been instances where he produced offensive, biased or false answers – and presented them as fact. Even when ChatGPT works well, it can be bad: Journalists, programmers, and academics wondered if their jobs might soon be obsolete. Although some educators are worried, it will be even harder to detect cheating and plagiarism.

theSkimm

Recent advances in AI are causing a lot of excitement, but also raising concerns. All of this reminds us that as AI enters the mainstream, humans have a lot to learn. But there’s still plenty of time before the bots take over – and we promise it hasn’t been skimmed by ChatGPT.

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Break time

Downtime doesn’t have to mean doing nothing. Here is an idea to make the most of your weekend.

The holiday season has arrived. If you are hosting yours for the first or even the fifth time, you may be wondering how you will succeed. Between food, drink and decor, it can be a lot to manage. So to help you, check out these tips:

• Have a game plan. As in, a literal plan for board games. Because nothing like a good game of charades to get to know all your holidaymakers. Or, Two truths and a lie to get people to really open up.

• Minimize time spent in the kitchen. Not really. Keep things stress-free with quick and easy crowd-pleasing dishes (think: winter kale salad, chicken with roasted garlic cloves, foolproof popovers) and dishes that can be made ahead , such as the classic beef brisket and lasagne bolognese. Or, you can even create a menu entirely from pre-prepared snacks. And to end the evening on a sweet note, consider adding a holiday cookie or two.

• Serve a punchy punch. To avoid bartending all night, mix up one of these holiday punch recipes. (Or, if you’re looking for a non-alcoholic option, try this tea-tonic-sparkling water combo.) Of course, for something even more festive, you can’t go wrong with a bottle of champagne — as long as you drink it. open well. Another pro tip: stock up on wine glass charms to help your guests keep track of their drink.

• Create a fun and festive atmosphere. Tealight candles, mason jars, and greenery are simple items that will make your tablescape stand out. Plus, make sure you have the perfect party playlist on repeat.

…Oh and if you’re just a guest this holiday season, don’t forget to bring the host a little something to thank them for their hospitality, like some lovely candles or some fun books .

Psst: For a comprehensive overview of how to party like a pro (think: budgeting and a step-by-step live demo), pull out a notebook and hit the play button here.