April 30, 2024
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The Rebel Tech Newsletter is our safe place to critique data and tech algorithms, processes, and systems. We highlight a recent data article in the news and share resources to help you dig deeper in understand how our digital world operates. DataedX Group helps data educators, scholars and practitioners learn how to make responsible data connections. We help you source remedies and interventions based on the needs of your team or organization.

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IN DATA NEWS

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Introducing Devin, the first AI software engineer

Cognition Labs recently announced Devin, the first AI software engineer. It is equipped with common developer tools like the shell, code editor, and browser. Devin can build and deploy apps end to end, autonomously find and fix bugs in codebases, even train and fine tune its own AI models.

Have you heard about Devin? It’s AI claiming to be able to create quality algorithms, code and, of course, more AI. Here’s what Cognition AI, creator of Devin, said it can do:

🤖 Devin can learn how to use unfamiliar technologies.

🤖 Devin can build and deploy apps end to end.

🤖 Devin can autonomously find and fix bugs in codebases.

🤖 Devin can train and fine tune its own AI models.

🤖 Devin can address bugs and feature requests in open source repositories.

🤖 Devin can contribute to mature production repositories. ‍

🤖 They even tried giving Devin real jobs on Upwork and it could do those too.

And it was a lie. Cue the 25 minute YouTube video!

And I’m happy to see that the AI hype cycle was so short. It took less than 30 days for the unfettered truth about the infantile state of generative AI to be broadcasted.

But here’s the mind boggling part: Silicon Valley is steady trying to keep the AI hype wave alive. Cognition AI is a 6 months old company that raised $21M in February/March 2024 and then raised another $175M in April 2024 with a $2B valuation. How sway, how? For a product that’s deeply flawed and lacks ethical discernment. This isn’t a sound business investment. The math is NOT mathing. Am I the only one in this logic assessment? But the US, and arguably most of the world, should follow Silicon Valley’s lead in AI matters. This literally makes no sense to me.

Also what I find very irritating is that the Cognition AI founders named this AI thing, Devin – a more unisex name. When these tech companies name a digital assistant, they name them a traditionally-label woman’s name like Siri or Alexa. Isn’t this AI software engineer essentially a digital coding assistant? So why didn’t they name it Denise or Debra? It is because women coders are perceived as…while men coders are believed to be…You can fill in the blanks. Trustworthiness shouldn’t be implicitly assigned a gender. Tech companies have gotten this wrong for at least 2 generations by this point.

May this be your reminder to not believe the claims of every new AI release. Give it a few weeks, say 30 days, to the independently verified. It could save you from being engulfed in the AI hype/doom wave.

And eventually, in about 24-30 months, these tech companies will realize that an AI software engineer creates more waste in computation clock cycles, electricity, water consumption and costs than it would be to just hire 3-4 skilled human AI/ML engineers. The problem that they’ll run into is that human AI/ML engineers will be more insistent on maintaining ethical and responsible AI practices. They won’t be able to deactivate a person’s conscience.

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"The mechanical work associated with data consumes us. What we ignore is the impact that our actions with data is having and will have once data leaves our data/software team." pg. 28

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​HAPPENINGS & APPEARANCES

• The Black Women in Data Summit 2024 registration is now open. We’re already 12% booked. Grab your early bird ticket ($599) before June 15th at https://www.blackwomenindata.com/. Your organization can support by becoming a sponsor. Individuals can give also.
• Spent 1-week in Cali recording my first LinkedIn Learning course last week. There were 5 very busy days sharing my database management expertise. Can’t wait for the course’s release by July 2024! Of course, I had a little fun while doing the video segments.

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• Join me in Minneapolis on Friday, May 3rd! I’m speaking at the Sistech Conference by Moxy Foundation. I’m sharing my tips & hacks to staying current in tech.
• [NEW OPPORTUNITY] I’m offering an in-person, build-with-you, 2-day responsible AI data strategy work session on July 17-18 at the International Computer Science Institute in Berkeley, CA. It’ll be me, you and up to 24 other responsible AI leaders across industries: fintech, legal tech, health tech, edtech, HR analytics, etc. You’ll leave with an actionable plan for immediate implementation and shared repository of resources. Learn more about the combination of training and work sessions and enroll here. Hot breakfast and hot lunch included for both days.

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LAUGHING IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL

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Stay Rebel Techie,

Dr. Brandeis

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