# 275: Don't Do What the Computer Tells You (Repeat)

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2021-10-07
- Length: 1h 10m
- Episode: 275
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-10-07-275-dont-do-what-the-computer-tells-you-repeat
- Listen: https://embedded.fm/episodes/275-repeat

## Summary

Janelle Shane, founder of AI Weirdness, explains how character-level Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) generate nonsensical but humorous outputs like paint colors and ice cream flavors by predicting the next character in a sequence. She discusses the limitations of these models, such as short memory windows and the inability to understand context, which leads to absurd recipes and image generation artifacts in BigGAN. Shane warns against trusting AI for critical decisions, citing biased training data in hiring algorithms, and highlights that current AI lacks the complexity of biological brains, comparing them to jellyfish in terms of neuron count.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-10-07-275-dont-do-what-the-computer-tells-you-repeat#t=6) Introduction: Janelle Shane and AI Weirdness
- [4:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-10-07-275-dont-do-what-the-computer-tells-you-repeat#t=279) Generating Paint Colors and Candy Heart Messages with RNNs
- [13:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-10-07-275-dont-do-what-the-computer-tells-you-repeat#t=822) How Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) Work and Memory Limits
- [19:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-10-07-275-dont-do-what-the-computer-tells-you-repeat#t=1193) AI-Generated Cocktails and Cookie Recipes
- [24:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-10-07-275-dont-do-what-the-computer-tells-you-repeat#t=1463) Middle School Ice Cream Flavor Generation Project
- [33:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-10-07-275-dont-do-what-the-computer-tells-you-repeat#t=2012) Practical Guide to Running TextGen and CharRNN
- [40:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-10-07-275-dont-do-what-the-computer-tells-you-repeat#t=2420) BigGAN Image Generation and Counting Failures
- [48:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-10-07-275-dont-do-what-the-computer-tells-you-repeat#t=2906) AI Bias, Amazon Hiring Scandal, and Human Comparison
- [58:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-10-07-275-dont-do-what-the-computer-tells-you-repeat#t=3503) Optics, Holograms, and VR for Manta Shrimp
- [1:06:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-10-07-275-dont-do-what-the-computer-tells-you-repeat#t=4014) Conclusion: Book Announcement and Final Thoughts

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- AI Weirdness (other)
- Sherwin Williams (company)
- BigGAN (other)
- TextGen RNN (other)
- Char RNN (other)
- Amazon (company)
- NVIDIA (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [104. Recapping 2022](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-01-10-104-recapping-2022) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [Are LLMs Insufficently Lazy?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-03-are-llms-insufficently-lazy) (Oxide and Friends)
- [#464: Why LLM Unpredictability is a Liability in MedTech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2026-07-13-464-why-llm-unpredictability-is-a-liability-in-medtech) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [AI aren't sentient yet...right?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2022-06-20-ai-arent-sentient-yet-right) (The Amp Hour)
- [88. Dall-E, But Better](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-09-20-88-dall-e-but-better) (The Next Byte Podcast)

## Citing this page

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