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Small-Scale Question Sunday for April 7, 2024

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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Since people keep talking about/recommending them, how do you use an LLM? I mean, most everything I search online is paywalled, and the free "AI tools" I've tried weren't very impressive (and ended up either shut down or paywalled)?

Could somebody give some ELI5-level guidance and/or recommendations?

Summarizing dense, relatively inscrutable material when I don't have the time to read it for myself.

Quick diagnosis of issues with minor appliances or mechanical issues. I don't trust them for medical purposes. Describe the year make and model of your car and any weird noises or behavior it is making.

Song recommendations (i.e. here's a list of songs I like, give me more on this theme)

Nigh instantaneous proofreading and editing of professional letters, documents, or similar.

Quick feedback loop for brainstorming ideas or quickly 'prototyping' concepts you have had difficulty envisioning or expressing.

Right now they don't have much 'agentic' uses (I'd really like one that can e.g. order pharmacy refills or schedule oil changes for me) but I think the basic capabilities are there.

I think you misunderstood my question. I don't mean a list of use-cases like this, I mean how do you do these things you list?

Explain like I'm five — or, alternately, a sixty-something Boomer. What URL do you enter in your browser, or software do you download. How do you use the resulting page or program?

Go to www.chatgpt.org/chat, you won't have to sign up or log in. Then type in the box.