Morris Minor Owners Club

I was at a conference yesterday in London and one of the presentations was about using AI tools to make our working lives easier.

In particular, using AI "scribes" to listen to meetings and produce an accurate written record of the meeting (saving taking hand-written notes and then typing the whole thing up; something that would take me hours) and using AI tools to help extract useful information from multiple large documents.

One of the AI tools presented was NotebookLM which I had never heard of. It is a free Google tool that you can sign into if you have a google account (e.g a googlemail account). It differs from large-language AI's such a ChatGPT in that with NotebookLM you upload the data sources that you want it to use. So the AI only looks in the reference material that you have given it and it does not look on the internet unless you tell it exactly where to look.

I had a play with NotebookLM this evening. I uploaded the Workshop Manual and the parts manuals. Then I asked the AI to produce an "infographic" of how to adjust the brakes.

This is what the AI generated......The pictures of the brakes are obviously not accurate but it's not bad really. I think it could be refined by telling the AI what is incorrect but I seem to have hit a daily limit for playing with a free account.


Stephen

So if you uploaded the manuals why did it use the wrong illustration and adjuster type?
Why didn’t it use the illustration you recently posted from the manual?

The AI used by fleabay to create descriptions of classic cars for sale is laughable

Bill_qaz wrote: ↑Wed Feb 11, 2026 7:59 pm So if you uploaded the manuals why did it use the wrong illustration and adjuster type?
Why didn’t it use the illustration you recently posted from the manual?

The AI used by fleabay to create descriptions of classic cars for sale is laughable

That is a very good question! The problem is the "black box" nature of AI to the end-user. I do not know how or why it did things the way it did........

I have asked the AI for refinements and when whatever usage limit is preventing it from doing this right now has expired we will see what it produces.

Stephen

This is what I have an issue with, that certain people will use a search and the first answer that google and others produce is AI generated and often error laden but believed as accurate by the user.
Particularly worrying on safety critical items

Bill_qaz wrote: ↑Wed Feb 11, 2026 8:09 pm This is what I have an issue with, that certain people will use a search and the first answer that google and others produce is AI generated and often error laden but believed as accurate by the user.
Particularly worrying on safety critical items

Yes! I had to write some reflections on my learning from the conference. There is a concern that some AI's are able to write directly into medical records. Other AI's write the record entry and this then has to be transferred by a human. The concern is of course that these will not be properly proofread and may be inaccurate. If they are inaccurate though, the responsibility is entirely that of that human for not checking and correcting them.

This excessive trust of technology is not limited to AI or Google searches. Remember the cases of people driving off piers into the sea blindly following their GPS machine instructions.

It is a worry that we may lose the ability to think critically and to weigh up the veracity of information.

Stephen

Just edited this post, I’ve been talking rubbish!

les wrote: ↑Wed Feb 11, 2026 10:01 pm AI, well it’s just the beginning, it’s in the amebo stage, just imagine a thousand years on, will Robots dominant the planet, if so what will they be doing, they don’t eat so no need for farming, probably won’t need oxygen or any requirements that humans need today.
Will they need to entertain themselves, will they have a brain, how long will they function, will they build more of themselves. Will they eliminate biological life on the planet. At the moment we are here, so do what we do. What is the meaning of life ? Would it have any meaning to a Robot ?

Well that's the big question isn't it. Once AI far surpasses our intelligence we become irrelevant. Our needs and the needs of AI will not match. An AI robot does not need a life support system and is not limited by our biological frailty and short lifespan. They could explore and colonise space for potentially unlimited periods of time. If there have been other sentient life forms has AI been the end of many of them. Is AI ultimately our evolution? We cease to exist as a species and AI goes on.........Or will AI break away and leave us biologicals to our own devices. Something for the philosophers.

Stephen

Ah well you read my post before the edit Stephen, I thought it might have been too controversial, or indeed philosophical but glad you saw the relevance.

I heard that an AI search emits 10 times the C02 than a 'normal' google search.
AI data centres use huge amounts of electricity, huge amounts of water and radiate huge amounts of heat.
They are a climate change nightmare.

Win-Win situation , the re-introduction of the HAL9000 computer system and free heating piped to everyones homes....

Better find my sunglasses,the future's BRIGHT..

John

An interesting effort by the AI. Does time run backwards in AI land?

simmitc wrote: ↑Thu Feb 12, 2026 10:25 am An interesting effort by the AI. Does time run backwards in AI land?

Clockwise.jpg

Maybe, but more likely its referencing the type of expanding adjuster its mistakenly illustrated.

TBH, if I had never adjusted the brakes before I would have found the AI instructions rather confusing.......
The trouble with AI is its like a smartass who thinks he knows it all but actually doesn't.

I saw something interesting on the BBC (so it must be true!).
Apparently, every AI search uses one fifteenth of a teaspoon of water....so basically one drop of water.
So if you search 'can I use a lime instead of a lemon in this recipe?', you have used a drop of water. It obviously does not sound like a lot, but there are millions and millions of searches every day. Couple this with the fact that the water used to cool AI data centres has to be clean, drinking water quality water, and the fact that 80% of the water used is lost to the environment as steam....AI is a climate change disaster.
Water vapour is the most abundant greenhouse 'gas'.

stuffedpike20 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 20, 2026 6:10 am ...AI is a climate change disaster.

Which all boils down to us humans.

les wrote: ↑Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:29 am

stuffedpike20 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 20, 2026 6:10 am ...AI is a climate change disaster.

Which all boils down to us humans.

Most sensible people believe that les, but others may come along in a minute with an unhelpful, unfunny comment.

AI at it finest Fleabay advert

The product is a pair of classic car brackets designed specifically for the BMC Morris Minor, manufactured in the United Kingdom. The brackets come with chrome screws for added style and durability. These high-quality parts are essential for maintaining the appearance and functionality of your classic car, ensuring a sleek and authentic look while driving. Made by the reputable brand BMC, these brackets are a reliable choice for car enthusiasts looking to enhance their vehicle's vintage aesthetic.

I give up. What exactly are these wonderful brackets?

On a well known review site, I posted a compliment about a supplier - six years ago. Two days ago, they posted a response, including an apology for the delayed reply. It's obvious that they have just started to use AI to monitor and respond to their reviews.

They're these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/358220527886
(but I have no idea where they're used).

simmitc wrote: ↑Fri Feb 20, 2026 6:05 pm I give up. What exactly are these wonderful brackets?

On a well known review site, I posted a compliment about a supplier - six years ago. Two days ago, they posted a response, including an apology for the delayed reply. It's obvious that they have just started to use AI to monitor and respond to their reviews.

Yes the AI produces this paragraph of BS nonsense none of which tells you what they are for
Yes they are the one chief found
Lots of this AI drivel is now used on fleabay some of the classic car descriptions are hysterically funny.