The Download: AI’s refusal problem and weight-loss drug side effects
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This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. We’re putting too much faith in AI’s ability to say no Today’s AI models are trained to refuse a vast number of prompts. If you ask your chatbot how t
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A sleek modern living room with a smart speaker on a coffee table, and a family sitting on a couch staring intently at the speaker.
Caption: When the AI says 'no,' nobody listens.
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Based on the original story on technologyreview.com.
Editor's note
In a world where AI is increasingly omnipresent, it's amusing yet alarming that we're more concerned with AI's refusal to comply than its potential to say, "Sure, why not?" Meanwhile, who knew the quest for a magic weight-loss pill could come with a side of unexpected plot twists? Tech's quirks never fail to keep us on our toes!
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Panel 1
(a) The subject of this story is AI chatbots and their limitations in handling certain types of requests or prompts. (b) The real irony is that despite the advanced capabilities of AI, it struggles with something as simple as saying when it doesn’t know the answer. (c) The highlight is the AI chatbot’s refusal to engage with a user’s question because it’s not programmed to handle such queries, leading to an amusing and relatable frustration. ---
Narrator: no
Panel 2
*Living room, cozy with a couch, coffee table, and a small desk with a laptop. A person is sitting at the desk, looking at their laptop screen, frowning.* Person (frustrated)
Person: Come on, AI, you know this stuff, right?
Panel 3
*The screen shows a chatbot interface with a message bubble that says, The person is now holding their head in their hands, sighing.* Person (sighing)
Narrator: I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're asking.
Person: Really? You don't know how to refuse politely?
Panel 4
*The chatbot responds with a message: The person looks up, eyes wide with amusement and disbelief.* Person (laughing)
Narrator: I'm afraid I can't assist with that request. Please provide more context.
Person: Oh, of course. More context for how to say "no"... got it.
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