Month: May 2023

I am intrigued by large language AI applications, but I admit I am confused. It is not so much trying to understand at a deep level how these services do what they do. I gave up on investigating the “how” question long ago. I am confused by pricing. What am I likely to have to pay say six months from now when we get past the free experimental stage? I understand that ChatGPT Plus is $20 a month. This seems like a lot. What makes it seem like a lot is the price I pay for the various services I pay for as an API allowing access through some other service.

It has taken me some time even to figure out which AI activity I use through some service other than ChatGPT or Bard, I actually am paying for. I know I have an OpenAI API account (so Bard is not included) and I know I have had to generate and attach licenses to other services. I should have labeled the licenses from the start. That would have made identifying where my charges come from easier. However, whichever services generate a cost, I can’t seem to run up much of a bill.

I am not a heavy user of AI services, but I do spend time each day exploring. So far, my bill for the month is a nickel. If the rate for ChatGPT Plus is the same as for the API use, I can’t imagine what it would take to run up a $20 bill.

For the curious, the following is the OpenAI Usage page allowing users to set a limit. I originally thought this limit was just a sum I would allocate and then utilize, but it turns out it is the limit I set for myself for a month. Obviously, this is far too high, but you pay only for what you use (sounds like a television ad). I have no idea how usage fees will be set in the future, but for now you get a lot of activity for little money.

I have tried to find clear descriptions of fees online, but I cannot find a useful summary of pricing and options. I did finally decided just to ask ChatGPT.

What is the difference between OpenAI API prices and ChatGPT Plus?

OpenAI API prices and ChatGPT Plus are two different products, with different features and pricing models.

OpenAI API is an artificial intelligence platform that provides developers with access to a wide range of state-of-the-art models, including natural language processing, machine learning, and computer vision. OpenAI API pricing is based on usage, with different rates for each API endpoint. Developers are charged based on the number of requests made to the API, with pricing starting at $0.001 per request.

ChatGPT Plus, on the other hand, is a specific natural language processing tool that uses the GPT-3 language model. It is designed for chatbot development, and includes features such as sentiment analysis, entity recognition, and conversational response generation. ChatGPT Plus is priced per month, with different pricing tiers based on the number of API calls and the level of support provided.

In short, OpenAI API provides access to a wide range of AI models with pricing based on usage, while ChatGPT Plus is a specific chatbot development tool based on the GPT-3 model with monthly pricing.

I was listening to a recent podcast from This Week in Tech (TWIT) and the program began as so many podcasts I listen to recently with a lengthy discussion of AI. Part of the discussion concerned the role AI tools will likely play in the election of 2024. Besides the concern that AI would likely be used to produce credible “deep fakes” before the election, the discussants raised an issue I had not considered. They predicted that AI will make political messages of all types so easy to produce that most people will simply be overwhelmed by messages and find it difficult to sort through this barrage to make meaningful personal decisions. I do have advice to offer on this issue (return to RSS and follow those you trust), but I will save longer advocacy for a future post.

The issue of being overwhelmed by content is not new, but the quantity is ramping up and AI content generation will likely make this trend even more significant. This post addresses this issue from the perspective of a content creator. I author three specific blogs with two focused on technology in education and one more general content. While I believe I have a credible background for commenting on technology in education and making recommendations and creating tutorials, when are my expertise and experience really that valuable? For example, why should a learner follow bloggers or search for relevant content when AI sources will generate credible tutorials and discuss this content with you when requested? I recognize that AI can drift off course and a tool such as ChatGPT is not a good source for recent topics because it was trained a year or so ago, but for established, factual content, AI does a credible job.

I do not intend to quit writing, but thinking about the issue of relevance is probably important. I do think there is still a role for experience and expertise. I also think there is an important role for analysis. Factual content should be easy for AI (yes I can point to specific examples of errors. Last night I asked BARD to provide a description of Target Field while I was at a Twins game. The service did a great job, but claimed that Target Field has a retractable roof which I can guarantee it does not have.), but when there is a substantial body of content for an AI service to access, factual errors will become rare for topics that generate consistent descriptions. 

Here is one observation that may be relevant. I find the data generated by my blogs interesting to consider. Which posts generate the most interest? Again, I think I have the credentials to write authoritatively about issues related to technology use in teaching and learning. However, the most popular post I have written by far was and continues to be about a visit my wife and I made to the Amish Greenhouses of southern Minnesota. I wrote this post in 2019 and I have comment on related issues since (what about photographing the Amish) and even this year this post remains the most popular thing I have written.

Why? I can only guess, but I think this post filled a unique niche providing information on a topic that continues to be difficult to find elsewhere. The Amish be a function of their personal beliefs are unlikely to use online sources to advertise their business ventures. You can find simple listening, but very little of any depth including images of just what these greenhouses are like. Gardeners in the Spring are interested in inexpensive places to purchase quality plants and the lure of visiting a location allowing interaction with people with a very different world view is an added benefit. As the weekends this time of year approach, the hit count of this post (and followups) jump dramatically. One of the more recent posts included a photo of the hand drawn map showing the farms with greenhouses and this evidently also was of significant value.

So? I guess I write because I like to write and the process teaches me interesting things about myself and the world. Sometimes, I hit on a topic that evidently provides a similar experience for others. 

We just returned from our annual trip to the Amish Greenhouses and I can’t resist including a few pictures. I always ask permission when I take photos that could potentially include people. The farmer who arrived to restock one 

I am a serious gardner and I start the seeds for my vegetable plants inside before transplanting. I am interested in how greenhouses go about their busness. I asked Google Bard about a specific topic that interested me. Because Bard is sometimes regarded as factually suspect, let me offer my personal observation on the question I asked. The vegetable plants sold by the Amish appear to be started at the greenhouses from seed. The flowers are either started from plugs or purchased as potted plants from greenhouse wholesalers.

Do the Amish raise their plants from seed?

The Amish do raise plants in their greenhouses from seeds. They also sell plants that they have propagated from other plants. In some cases, they may also buy plants from other growers.

The Amish are known for their commitment to quality and sustainability. They use only natural methods to grow their plants, and they do not use any pesticides or herbicides. They also take great care in selecting the seeds that they use.

The Amish greenhouses in Minnesota are a great place to find high-quality plants at an affordable price. The plants are grown with care and attention, and they are sure to thrive in your home or garden.

Here are some more details about how the Amish raise plants in their greenhouses:
They use only natural methods to grow their plants.
They do not use any pesticides or herbicides.
They take great care in selecting the seeds that they use.
The plants are grown with care and attention.
They are sure to thrive in your home or garden.

If you are looking for high-quality plants at an affordable price, I encourage you to visit an Amish greenhouse in Minnesota. You won’t be disappointed.