To avoid any influences on my viewpoint, I am writing this article before the presidential debate on September 10. Both candidates are using surrogates as they prepare. This strategy has not always worked well, and it was ineffective during previous debates.
Human surrogates can be problematic because they are unreliable unless the actor prepares himself for the role by immersing himself in the character.
A stand-in will not be as comfortable if they are attacked personally by someone for whom they work, reducing the effectiveness of their training dummy. A simulation tool such as Nvidia Omniverse that is backed by an AI conversational trained on past social media posts and the opponent’s behavior could produce a more accurate emulation.
The capability is not limited to presidential candidates, but also to those running for lower office, to debates held in Congress, to legal arguments during court trials, to discussions between managers who are trying to secure a portion of a single budget.
We’ll discuss the future debate preparation. Next, I’ll finish with my Product of the Month, Phantom Technology’s smart glasses that will be available early next. These glasses are designed to help reduce distractions by smartphones and PCs.
Why winning debates is important
It doesn’t matter if you are talking about business, politics, or legal issues. The ability to win debates is crucial.
OJ Simpson won the trial when the other side’s lawyer brought out a pair gloves that didn’t fit. Simpson’s legal team then created the brilliant phrase “if it doesn’t fit, you have to acquit”, winning the trial. If a mock trial was done correctly and with a stand-in that accurately represented OJ, it could have predicted the outcome and warned the prosecutors of the dangers in their path.
While I was studying for the bar, I went to moot court. It was fun but it was so different from a real court that it made it less useful.
Working groups at Palm and Microsoft believed that a phone similar to the iPhone that focused on consumer fun was the future for their respective companies. Microsoft lost this debate and Zune was one of Microsoft’s least successful products. Steve Ballmer’s eventual replacement as Microsoft’s CEO was a result of this debate (he was on Team Zune).
We all have debates, whether with our family, our neighbors, our friends, our co-workers or employers, our children, etc. Often we become angry and threaten, which leads to less-than-ideal results. So learning how to debate will help us better manage our futures. Debate competitions are helpful, but not many people participate.
Simulated Debates
There are many simulation tools. I am focusing on Nvidia Omniverse, because that is what I am familiar with. As AI progresses, a growing number of generative AI will be able learn from public actions of those you wish to influence. You could build more accurate jury models to improve the win ratios and identify the potential of loss. This would allow for a settlement deal that would be better than a losing trial.
It’s a good thing that you can still remember what I said when I was asked about my age during the debate between Walter Mondale and Ronald Reagan. It’s still funny today — even Mondale couldn’t help but laugh. This comment resonated beyond the debate and sparked conversations around our dinner tables for weeks. Decades later, we still bring it up.
With political candidates, especially those at the top, there is a wealth information available about their performance at events, conferences, debates, and other public presentations. AI could take this information and distill it down to a few different ways they may answer each question. You can even create AI simulations for the debate moderators. This will allow you to have a thorough dress rehearsal and increase the chance of a successful performance.
I believe that the first politician who masters this tool will be able dominate his or her field. What happens if the two sides both use this technique?
Wrapping up
If only one side uses a simulation program like Omniverse, it will change the game. But if both sides do, it gets interesting. You get candidates who are well-prepared and focused on issues that matter to the public, rather than drifting off into irrelevant topics. The debates are more engaging, entertaining and informative.
This preparation could also be used to inform debaters when they have a losing argument. Imagine, for instance, that you believed the majority of people were with you but the simulation showed your position to be unpopular. Either you’d change your position or lie.
Anyone with a PC or smartphone will be able to perform real-time fact checking. I can’t wait to be able to use it in my daily life. There are so many fakes out there. I’ve been scammed three or four different times.
We could all benefit from platforms where we can refine and practice our arguments without resorting slurs or other bad argument techniques. The question is not whether it will happen, but when.
Journey Lens Smart Glasses
AI human enhancements are one of the most important things to come. These products, backed up by AI, can enhance our lives. Last week’s Apple eventWe’ve seen several products that address sleep apnea or hearing loss. They also provide a better Siri experience.
Yet, no one has ever addressed the issue of improving focus. Although there are some people who have extreme difficulties in this area, I believe we all struggle with focus. We are surrounded with technology.
Recenty, I had to leave my phone at the spa and was forced to reflect on a number of issues. Distractions can range from family issues, especially with children, who need to interact face-to face to learn proper engagement, to accidents on the road because people are distracted by their phones.
The coming smart glasses and related application from Phantom Technology — called Journey Lens — is designed to provide a heads-up display, microphone, 2K camera, and speakers. You can designate the most important information with these features, so that you are not distracted by non-critical things like social media.
Journey Lens smart sunglasses for focus and well-being (Image courtesy Phantom Technology)
The smart glasses are priced at an affordable $200 (projected cost) plus custom lens costs. These glasses are far more functional than the Meta glasses which do not have a display.
They will provide an application that is gamified in order to train you to focus and avoid distractions. The camera records what you’re seeing but the app converts it into a description that is sent up to the cloud in case you want to ask about something you saw.
Imagine being able ask questions about what you’re looking at, or to provide more information about an incident or crime that you have witnessed while maintaining the privacy of those you’re looking at. I think there will still be problems with wearing these glasses at secure sites or in public restrooms, despite the protection. This suggests that geo-fencing is a necessary enhancement for near-term.
We find it difficult to concentrate, be productive and accomplish tasks when we use our personal technology. We need to report on what we see. this event These glasses would make me more productive and safer. They could also help me to keep others safe by reporting crimes or hazards more accurately. My Product of The Week is Journey Lens smart sunglasses.
