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> The very first thing they show this new machine doing is helping people shop for clothes using AI. Shopping with AI is something I wish actually worked, but instead it doesn't. I've been using ChatGPT and Claude to try to help me cross-shop, solution/ideate, and figure out a path forward with various things: whole home dehumidification / HVAC updates, car mods, whole home water filtration systems, door locks, kitchen and office lighting updates, exercise equipment, et al. As a whole, that experience has shown me that AI tools are /okay/ (but not "good") at recommending products that I can then go research more on my own. The tools are /TERRIBLE/ at confirming fitment or really doing anything that will give me the confidence to go from "this is interesting" to checking out in a shopping cart. ChatGPT has at least gotten better at bailing out, and now mostly recommends I send an email to a vendor to confirm fitment or that I hire a professional and recommends someone in my area rather than answering my questions well. As an avid DIYer and fairly handy/competent generalists, I have no desire to hire someone to do anything unless I can't help it, I'd rather figure it out on my own but the information to do so is often lacking or hidden away. My hope was that AI tools could synthesize information from manufacturer's datasheets and install instructions which are hidden away and targeted at pros/distributors, with listing information from retail sites, to verify fitment, compatibility, and fitness for purpose, so that it could make a proper holistic recommendation. I wasn't even able to get it to give me proper torque specs for bolts on my car, but was able to find them by digging far enough in Lemon Manuals (https://lemon-manuals.la/). On the whole, I would say AI tools are pretty shit at helping me spend my money effectively, and so are ads. It's an exceptional amount of work and time I have to invest to find the right things to buy, and I don't see any progress towards this situation getting better. I think Google is on to something with there being an addressable need, but I have no faith that Gemini and their approach will actually work and be useful. It's mostly a gimmick right now that results in poor outcomes that are only acceptable to people who lack the competence and discernment to know the difference. |