artificial intelligence New Members, Buildhub - information overload and AI

[ToughButterCup]

Self building and house renovation is a challenging process. Its disruptive, messy, expensive, upsetting, uplifting, funny, infuriating - but not necessarily in that order. This website is a fantastic resource - full of information, images,  reassurance,  leg-pulling, constructive criticism , technical advice  --- and words. 

 

Yes - words: millions of them.   

Millions of words  some relevant, others not. Some elegantly put, others tumble from upset lips into type and onto the screen. The Submit Topic  button pressed in haste. Simply put, a bit like Handle's criticism of one of Mozart's work, there are too many words here. Thats why it takes a good deal of time and effort to 'get-in-to-Buildhub'.

 

There's a new information handling tool on the block. AI. Artificial Intelligence. Duno about you, but  I need no excuse to try out a new tool, so here's a quick introduction to one (of many).

 

The end in mind is to help new members 'get-in-to-Buildhub' by using a publicly available information handling  tool called NotebookLM . I have deliberately not linked to it because I am sure there are other competing AIs that do the same job. I just haven't found them yet. And if you want to use it, you can search for it in the normal way. You may not like the company that makes it - to me that doesn't matter: what does matter though is for New Members (and others) to use a tool to make their visit to Buildhub as productive as possible.

 

The key thing is to promote the idea that AI can help New Members feel less overwhelmed by the Information Handling task posed by self-building.

 

Problem Statement

Your new to BH and you want to find out about Natural England's guidance about nutrient pollution  (other threads are available 😑) And you bump into @Bob the builder's thread on the subject  . It's six pages long - and you haven't got time to read it.

 

Using NotebookLM

 

Copy and paste the url (weblink , hyperlink) into NotebookLM

Press Go>

 

and this happens

 

• The text of the entire thread is summarised
• One button allows you to create a briefing document that summarise the thread AND LINKED DOCUMENTS
• The tool will create an audio version of the same discussion played in the format of a Podcast - it takes a minute or two, but you can put your earbuds in and listen to the article if you want

There's so much more to say about AI and Buildhub.  This post is already too long.

 

I'm merely introducing it as a POTENTIAL tool for members to use - or not as they see fit. Yes, it'll make mistakes. Yes, we all need to be cautious about the output. 

I would love people who use AI in their normal workflow to contribute to this thread if they have time. Please.

Anything that makes Buildhub easier to use. 

Ian

[Bramco]

Given the huge resource here - would it be possible to integrate Notebook LM or another AI tool into the search results, in such a way that as well as the list of search results, an AI summary is given. This would be extremely helpful.  

 

I'm thinking something like the paragraph you get above the list of reviews on Amazon - the AI there gives a good summary of what the reviews say.

[ToughButterCup]

18 minutes ago, Bramco said:

Given the huge resource here - would it be possible to integrate Notebook LM or another AI tool into the search results, in such a way that as well as the list of search results, an AI summary is given. This would be extremely helpful.  ...

 

It may be, but not without incurring significant cost on the BH staff - all of whom work for nothing.

 

For BH users, the 'new' workflow is not onerous and would be something like 

•  identify key threads :
• identify key external documents
• copy and paste those links and links to those documents into NotebookLM
• Let it do it's stuff
• Listen to the output 
• Read the output
• Check it.
• re-plan your information requirements

In other words the process is iterative - drilling as deeply or widely as you require

 

We can all try downloading a copy of NotebookLM and playing with it. I'm finding it hard to get out and do some work on the house.

[JohnMo]

The only issue I have with AI, you get the good stuff and the rubbish, all given you, youras if it's all correct. The not so rigorous reader (not doing correct due diligence) could easily go off on a tangent and do exactly the wrong thing.

 

Sometimes it's just easier, less time consuming, and you get the correct information first time, to just read the rules and regulations directly.

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, JohnMo said:

... all given you, you as if it's all correct. ..

 

Indeed blind trust and the Internet are not well matched partners John.   Same rules for AI as for reading Buildhub, then ...... ( your posts excepted tho'. )

Edited Monday at 15:45 by ToughButterCup