Is AI Limiting The Knowledge Base On 914 World? Options

[JeffBowlsby]

intelligence is something else. its a spark that ignites the future.
or at least suggests a way around a problem.
lateral thinking.

Speaking of the future of 'professionals'...a shot across the bow.

https://mymodernmet.com/professional-degree...ture-education/

[wonkipop]

intelligence is something else. its a spark that ignites the future.
or at least suggests a way around a problem.
lateral thinking.

Speaking of the future of 'professionals'...a shot across the bow.

https://mymodernmet.com/professional-degree...ture-education/

yep.

same story down here. been that way for a while.

funny thing is when the (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif) hits the (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hitfan[1].gif) who do they come looking for to sort out the deprofessionalised bozos/project managers/cost engineers/"building designers" etc and the problems they create as a form of creativity.
i don't earn anything like a living from architecture, never have, but where i make good money lately is coming in as the guy who puts out the oil rig fire. i think i have a future as a "red adair" of construction industry using biodynamic organic intelligence. can't see keyboards growing legs and strategically placing "dynamite" so to speak. i'm sure the day will come but i don't think supercharged google is it just yet (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

[DennisV]

If I see Sarah Connor running down the street in my time on this planet, I'll know that AI has gone too far.

I've asked ChatGPT to develop EFI systems for air-cooled engines, including detailed breakdowns of wiring and detailed lists of all the parts needed for the work as well as where to get them. The list included radiators and coolant plumbing fittings.

It still frequently fails for me on even simple things. Here's a ChatGPT drawing for how to wire an inline fuse. Forget the misspellings. One lead no terminal. One lead wrong terminal. Definitely potential for bad outcomes if you accept its responses as fact.



I've had Claude double down on a wrong answer. Tell me to check for myself, and provide a resource that contradicts it's own wrong answer.

[windforfun]

Even HAL couldn't think straight.

[windforfun]

intelligence is something else. its a spark that ignites the future.
or at least suggests a way around a problem.
lateral thinking.

Speaking of the future of 'professionals'...a shot across the bow.

https://mymodernmet.com/professional-degree...ture-education/

That's total horse shit.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

[SirAndy]

... I guess Andy and Co. can confirm or debunk my suspicions, by looking at statistics on new posts. I certainly hope I am wrong about all of this.

@Osnabruck914
You are not wrong, i've seen a big dip in Google search result impressions and click-throughs over the last 1.5 years.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[wonkipop]

Even HAL couldn't think straight.

open the pod bay doors HAL.

[GregAmy]

open the pod bay doors HAL.

"I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that."

[FlacaProductions]

The most interesting thing I've used ChatGPT for lately is to plan a driving trip.

I will need to move our 67 911 from L.A. to Indiana at some point in the next year, probably.

I fed it this:
Plan a driving trip for me in a 1967 Porsche 911 from (XXX) to (XXX). Tell me when to go so that the daily high temperature stays below 72 each day, with the lowest amount of elevation change but stay on freeways and interstates. Complete the trip in 7 days and suggest the best hotels and restaurants of note along the way.

It gave me a great plan (with justifications and options) that I have continued to refine by adding more requests.

It has now offered me:
✅ Printable PDF of all three maps
✅ Versions with hotels and restaurants pinned for each night
✅ A weather-optimized route by month
✅ A low-RPM / vintage-car-friendly version avoiding long climbs

"Here is a low-RPM, vintage-911-friendly version of your cross-country trip — built specifically to avoid long or steep climbs, avoid sustained high-speed grades, minimize elevation changes, and stay on major freeways so you can cruise at steady, relaxed RPMs.

This is effectively the gentlest possible route across the country for an air-cooled 1967 Porsche 911."

So...it's doing a lot of consolidation of what previously would have taken multiple searches and a lot of consolidation work by me. I think it's pretty cool for this example.

[VaccaRabite]

... I guess Andy and Co. can confirm or debunk my suspicions, by looking at statistics on new posts. I certainly hope I am wrong about all of this.

@Osnabruck914
You are not wrong, i've seen a big dip in Google search result impressions and click-throughs over the last 1.5 years.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

I have to wonder how much of that is AI, VS Facebook groups replacing internet forums.

I would bet it more Facebook then AI making the forums like this one dip.

As things progress, though, I do see AI replacing FB and Forums for the most part, with forums becoming niche groups for the "older" crowd (and by that I mean older millennials and above).

Zach

[rjames]

I agree with Zach that it's more likely that Facebook is the reason for less traffic here. Younger people and anyone operating mostly from a phone aren't going to websites much anymore.

It's much easier (lazier) to just ask a question on a Facebook group then to spend any time looking for an answer on a web site. Even though 90% of the answers that come back end up being wrong.

[Osnabruck914]

Thanks for the disturbing data, Sir Andy. Can you elaborate on what an "impression" is? Over my paygrade.

Osnabruck914

[tomeric914]

The most interesting thing I've used ChatGPT for lately is to plan a driving trip.

That's pretty cool and I agree that it does a good job at consolidating information. Keep in mind that it may not be consolidating "good" information!

My most interesting use of ChatGPT was to create a tattoo. I'm an engineer, not an artist, but was able provide great detail for what I wanted and ChatGPT drew in seconds what I described. I added refinements (ie. make this smaller, move that left) and it did. Truly mind blowing.

[TRP]

When talking about Google Search, an impression is every time a link to your site has shown up in the Google Search Results Page (GSRP). Every time a person clicks that link from the GSRP, your 'clicks' go up. A sites effectiveness with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps to drive up both impressions and hopefully clicks to your site, this is all very relevant when a site depends on ad revenue impressions / increased traffic for sales revenue.

With the advent of AI and AI Agents the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) world has been turned on its head. SEO is quickly being challenged by Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), which focuses on optimizing content on your site to be used by AI Agents to answer questions, often asked on Google or other agentic sites. The end goal here is that the agentic sites should be showing links to the site where the (hopefully accurate) information was found.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Root_Werks]

I would agree with what some have said. Not certain AI is reducing activity on this forum more than decreasing numbers of 914 owners and tech-savy shade-tree mechanics as well as FB groups for chatting.

I think forums in general are not utilized as much as they were 10+ years ago.

Probably more my age, but I still use forums like the Samba, 914 World etc. Wife and I don't do FB or other social media platforms. Hopefully forums stick around another 20+ years.

[SirAndy]

Thanks for the disturbing data, Sir Andy. Can you elaborate on what an "impression" is? Over my paygrade.

Impression means Google showed a link to 914world on their results page.
Click means someone actually clicked on that link.


From the chart you can see that first dip in impressions and clicks around October 2024 and then a second dip in just impressions in September of this year but the clicks stayed about the same (which is really weird actually).

Also worth noting that the chart has two different scales, clicks on the left and impressions on the right.

For the last few months we're around 13000 impressions and around 450 clicks.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[wonkipop]

Thanks for the disturbing data, Sir Andy. Can you elaborate on what an "impression" is? Over my paygrade.

Impression means Google showed a link to 914world on their results page.
Click means someone actually clicked on that link.


From the chart you can see that first dip in impressions and clicks around October 2024 and then a second dip in just impressions in September of this year but the clicks stayed about the same (which is really weird actually).

Also worth noting that the chart has two different scales, clicks on the left and impressions on the right.

For the last few months we're around 13000 impressions and around 450 clicks.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

the drop off in impressions is around the same time both years.
approx sept.
almost makes you think its linked to an annual economic cycle?
or seasonal. end of summer? cars get put away and folks minds turn to winter.
i'm figuring most google inquiries etc are largely USA located?

[iankarr]

I suspect that competition is having more of an impact than AI. There are so many places to get our 914 "fix" today. Facebook has hundreds of groups. 914 world on FB seems pretty active and I've seen tons of cars and parts for sale on marketplace, too. Not to mention the how-to content on YouTube (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) It's true that our average age is creeping up, and younger people who are into these cars are probably more likely to turn to social media platforms than an online forum. AI is no doubt having an impact, but the way we seek and consume content is undergoing dramatic chanes.

[GregAmy]

Concur.

I pay the hosting and domain fees to keep alive three long-time racing forums so that we don't lose the institutional knowledge.*

One forum has zero activity, one has some activity, and one has a bit more activity. 100% of the responses I see are by people that I know are 45+ years old (most older).

'Member how we used to get annoyed when someone new would come into a forum and ask a question that has been asked a thousand times before? And we'd reply "use the search function!" or "Read the Manual!" That's social media.

"Times change". But I'll still come here for the quality of knowledge this forum provides. - GA

*But we get a TON of robots activity, so all that knowledge is getting scraped. Maybe at some point I should stop spending the $30/yr to keep each forum alive...

[jd74914]

And here is another thing - that makes me glad to be middle age now. By about the time I'm looking at retirement in a decade or so, AI is going to be gutting most white collar jobs. There will be new types of jobs that open up - there always are - but its going to be rough for younger Millennials I bet as they get into their 50s.

This worries my wife and I a lot as younger millennials-at 37 with at least ~20 years of planned work left