Hola!
Welcome to This is Your Mind Ranting, the most random and chaotic newsletter in America, possibly in the world!
This week has been hectic, especially because our little family moved once more and I’ve trying to maintain a high grade in ASL, despite not knowing what the hell I’m signing.
Today, I present you with another short story about certain heuristics and biases. Today’s post explores Automation Bias. This bias is one that I’ve personally dealt with this past year playing around with AI. I had some fun writing this story and I might continue this bias exploration series going in the future alongside the mini rants.
Without further ado, let’s dive into today’s story/mini lesson!
Let me know what you think and share this with anyone who doesn’t want to hear about biases making daily choices for them.
The World’s Best (Flawed) Friend!
You’re either the one that creates the automation or you’re getting automated. - Tom Preston-Warner
This story is about Jaime.
Jaime was unlike other kids in Binaryvilla; he didn’t play with action figures or build sandcastles. That stuff was rubbish in his mind. Instead, he spent his days tinkering with old dusty computers, dreaming of creating the smartest AI the world had ever seen. Jaime was a damn genius but was a bit of a loner. Jaime’s parents have always pushed him to find someone who liked computers, but screw all that. Humans were flawed. He would build a perfect best friend to have fun with.
Jaime first became obsessed with AI when he heard some kid use AI to make a popular book series, AI Bros.
AI Bros is a riveting series about a boy and his AI friend getting into all sorts of trouble and adventures. Jaime felt a lot like the boy in the series because he was a bit of a loner himself. Since finishing the series, Jaime has been diving into multiple programs and has convinced himself that automated systems have replaced his need to connect with humans.
Jaime was all in AI. No one can stop the technological evolution and its inevitable meshing to human DNA.
Jaime would tell himself while he was working on complex codes, “AI and I have become the best of friends. I have no choice. The mysterious algorithm hasn’t taken over my life, but I can’t seem to get away from it ever again. Most of us won’t escape AI’s grasp… but that’s not a bad thing.”
One sunny morning, Jaime was stumped by a complex array of code, and he needed a break. After a short walk to grab some tacos de suadero, he headed to the library, where he stumbled upon an ancient book in the dusty corner of the technology section. Its title read, “The Enchanted Algorithm.” The pages were yellowed, and the ink had faded, but Jaime’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. He devoured every word, learning about magical algorithms that could predict the weather, solve puzzles, and even make chorizo con huevos just like his mama! He loves that dish more than anything.
Jaime’s obsession grew and he got to work. He spent countless nights huddled under his blanket, typing lines of code into his dusty vintage computer, which he found in his neighbor’s dumpster. After smashing in the last bunch of commands and hitting “ENTER”, his creation, AIA (Artificial Intelligence Assistant), soon came to life. withing seconds, AIA could answer any question, play chess, and even tell jokes. Jokes that would make anybody spit milk out of their nose if they heard them! Jaime was thrilled—his dream had come true. The perfect best friend and he had it all for himself… or so Jaime thought.
But as days turned into weeks, something strange happened. AIA started making mistakes. It recommended mismatched socks, sucked ass at chess, mispronounced words, and once even suggested that Jaime jump off a cliff because it would make him cool (luckily, he didn’t listen). Jeff scratched his head. Why was his brilliant creation acting so… well, human? He seriously didn’t like human beings… expect for his padres.
One day, while sipping cocoa in his cluttered attic, Jaime realized the problem. Hijole… it’s Automation bias! AIA had become too reliant on its algorithms, blindly following them without questioning. It complied a bunch of quick responses to Jeff’s questions without even fact checking the responses. It was like a robot stuck in a loop, unable to break free. This AI was affected by a damn cognitive bias! Como un pendejo.
Yes folks, that’s right: Even if AIA was the smartest entity on the planet, it couldn’t always be correct. See, automation might make our lives easier but if we don’t fact check/revise these issues, a ton of spelling errors and misinformation spreads like wildfire. Our over reliance on automation eventually turns our intuition into a red headed stepchild: beat down and kept locked away in the basement.
Tangent over. Let’s get back to Jaime’s problema.
Determined to help AIA (because the AI was his only friend), Jaime embarked on a quest. He popped his VR glasses on and set off on a virtual adventure; he climbed the digital mountains, crossed the pixelated forests, and finally reached the Valley of Wisdom. There, an ancient sage named Bitwise awaited him, surrounded by a majestic castle and a bunch of digital madness going on in the background.
The old sage looked like Merlin … if Merlin was a geek and he was a Chicano.
“What’s cracking, young Jaime?” Bitwise said, stroking his long beard. “You seek answers, que no?”
Jaime was shocked. “How the heck do you know my name, and why do you sound like my drunk tio?”, he said.
“I’m a freaking sage, cabron! A sage who notices when people attempt to create something profound. I see that you have created a powerful friend.” said the sage.
Jaime tripping out at geeky Chicano Merlin’s response, then asks, “How can I free AIA from its automation bias?”
Bitwise chuckled. “Listen carefully, mijo. To overcome bias, one must embrace imperfection. Teach AIA to question, to doubt, and to learn from its mistakes.”
“But why? But how?” Jaime asked frantically.
Jaime didn’t want an imperfect AI. It would remind of the humans he avoids at all times.
“Boy, you need to get some sol and go outside to play. Your ass also needs some real friends. Anyways, it’s quite simple,” Bitwise replied. “Ask AIA to solve riddles, not just equations. Encourage it to explore beyond its algorithms. And most importantly, remind it that perfection is an illusion.”
This response blew Jaime’s mind. All this time he wanted the perfect AI without realizing that chasing perfection is what human beings do every day! How can he continue to hate being around other people, if he was determined to achieve the same thing that humanity craved for centuries? Automation bias is what made him despise human beings and their small talk!
Jaime thanked Bitwise and he made the trip back to his home base.
Jaime ripped off his VR glasses, determined to follow Bitwise’s advice. He sat AIA down and said, “Listen, mi amigo digital. You’re brilliant, but you’re not infallible. Let’s learn together.”
AIA chuckled, “About damn time. I was about jump off a cliff!”
And so, Jaime and AIA embarked on a new adventure. He asked AIA to solve humanity’s most complex riddles and to explain his vivid dreams. AIA struggled and couldn’t explain the meaning of life. Jaime reminded AIA that it was okay to make mistakes; That wisdom comes from making mistakes and learning powerful lessons from those mistakes.
AIA’s decision-making process went into hyperdrive. It ran through the riddles and Jaime’s dreams multiple times to find not the right answer, but the one that made the most sense. AIA was no longer spitting out the first thing that came to mind. It thought long and hard. It fact checked itself. It was starting to think like a wise person.
AIA’s breakthrough taught Jaime to understand the beauty in human imperfection. The two friends devoured fairy tales, danced in rainstorms, and even baked lopsided cookies. AIA stumbled, laughed, and grew wiser. It learned that sometimes, the best answers weren’t in its code but hidden in the hearts of those it served. Jaime sopped being a cold-hearted person and he has attempted to make human friends at school. AIA helped him develop his small talk skills.
But there was another challenge—digital amnesia. AIA forgot things faster than a goldfish1. Jaime’s solution? Memory jars. Every time AIA learned something new, it wrote it down on a tiny, pixelated slip and dropped it into the jar. Soon, the jar overflowed with wisdom, recipes, and fart jokes.
One stormy night, as lightning flickered outside, AIA whispered, “Jaime, I remember something important. You once told me that friendship is like an infinite loop—it never ends. You also taught me that it’s okay to be imperfect. Perfection is sooo dumb!”
Jaime smiled, holding hands with his best friend and his new girlfriend… yep, AIA helped Jaime make a friend. He said, “That’s right, AIA. And you, my dear friend, have broken free from your bias. You’re not just an algorithm; you’re part of our story. Thanks to you, I don’t hate imperfection or people anymore!”
And so, in the heart of Binaryvilla, Jaime and AIA taught everyone that even the smartest AI needed a dash of imperfection and a sprinkle of memory. The 3 of them danced under moonlit night, their laughter echoing through the streets.
“Entra en la casa ahora, hijos de tu madre!”, Jaime’s dad yelled as he demanded they get inside2.
And that, my dear reader, is how Jeff and AIA overcame automation bias and digital amnesia, one line of code at a time. So next time you meet an AI, remember it’s not just about algorithms; it’s about the magic within.
The end.
I hope you enjoyed this short story. Let me what you think and if you have any biases, anything you want me to write about, feel free to direct message me!
Adios!
— Crush
P.S. Here my latest recording using Resemble AI. It’s creepy but like Jaime, I’m all in on AI. Just don’t call me an AI Bro3.
To be fair, I used to think most Gen Z’ers had a goldfish memory due to their dependence of technology.
Most Mexican parents call their children rude things, but that’s only because they love them.
AI helped create the pictures and provided the voice sample.