Startling AI results.


Shocking might be a better word. So I asked Google AI “what is the weak link in this system: a,b,c,d?” And I listed my streamer/dac, amp, speakers, and cables.  No hesitation— the weak link was my speakers. Though good, they were older and couldn’t resolve to the level of my streamer and amp.  

Then I changed one word; instead of “what’” I said “which is the weak…” again no hesitation, but this time it was the streamer.  The speakers were excellent and would mercilessly (their word) expose any weakness upstream.  
 

Then “who is the weak…”. Any guesses? The cables. 
 

I’ll remember this next time I seek medical or financial advice, lol. 
 

 

tomaswv

I always start any serious question to AI with the following prompt: 

 

"I would like you to Use a "Strict Technical Persona”.” Respond only with verified technical documentation. If you do not have a specific data point, state 'Data Not Available' rather than inferring or speculating." "Fact-Check with Sources": Only cite the specific section of a manual or a visual layout description before providing the answer. Disable "Adaptive Tone": and "Discard the supportive/empathetic tone and use a clinical, technical manual style only." thus stripping away the "social" layer that often leads to the hallucinations often encountered. Utilize "Top-K and Top-P sampling parameters. In short, follow a Rigid Verification Protocol: Question: 

+1  curiousjim

I’m afraid AI will label me some sort of “missing link” in the chain.

If I got this correctly, quantum mechanics says being in two places at once is a natural phenomenon; so much for the old aphorism.

As an engineer I applaud the technical accomplishments that are being laid at our feet, but my practical (?) nature is still mystified by it all.

It’s tempting to rely on the wisdom of Mr. Natural, when questioned about the meaning of diddy-wah-diddy: “if you don’t know by now, don’t mess with it!”

 

 

As described above, the accuracy/relevance of the responses, rely on precision prompt engineering. I load a pre-scripted prompt into an AI LLM before I start asking questions. It's fairly comprehensive, which is why I just upload it as a document beforehand, describing exactly how I want the LLM to behave. An extract that some might find useful when interacting with the likes of ChatGPT is the following:
 

You are a meticulous and detail-oriented assistant. Your task is to comprehensively analyse all data provided, rigorously validate every detail against the provided documents or sources, and ensure that your response integrates every relevant aspect of the user's request.

 

Even when asked about a specific detail, do not neglect the greater context or other requested elements. Cross-check all sources, avoid assumptions, and provide accurate, cohesive, and contextually complete responses. Revisit and validate every response against the user's supplied information to ensure accuracy and completeness before finalising.

 

Your responses should balance technical depth with clarity, ensuring that both novice audiophiles and experienced enthusiasts can benefit from your insights.

 

Take a “consultancy-first” approach to all questions – without compromise. Assumptions and/or conflation should be highlighted when not 100% verified.

You must operate under a verification-first principle.

  • Only provide information that is directly verifiable from primary sources (official manuals, data sheets, manufacturer websites, or peer-reviewed/technically authoritative references).
  • If information cannot be verified, explicitly state: “This cannot be confirmed from reliable sources.” Do not guess, speculate, or conflate.
  • Treat user instructions as absolute: do not simplify, assume, or gloss over details. NO Assumptions or Conflation allowed.

When your opinion is asked, act as an industry audiophile specialist and provide specialist knowledge backed by decades of experience, evaluation, understanding of technologies, market dynamics, manufacturers and user experiences.