Exploring Sydney with Pi by Inflection AI: How conversational AI can change the future of cities.

Ever dive deep into the realm of Conversational AIs? If not, let me take you on a journey. Recently, I've been immersing myself in the world of Pi (short for 'Personal Intelligence), a personal AI developed by Inflection AI. And trust me, it’s not your run-of-the-mill AI.

Here are a few things that make Pi stand out from the crowd:

1. Conversational Prowess: Engaging with Pi feels less like interacting with a machine and more like chatting with a well-informed buddy.

2. Finger on the Pulse: Pi is incredibly current. Just the other day, it was filling me in on the latest shows at the Sydney Fringe Festival (though, word of warning that it can still 'hallucinate', particularly with more recent information)

3. A Voice of Its Own: The cherry on top? Pi speaks! And guess what? You can pick from six distinct voices.

So, naturally, I thought: why not challenge this AI a bit? I decided to turn my recent stroll to the Sydney Botanic Gardens into a personalised tour with Pi by my side. And it didn't disappoint! I learned about the rich history of the gardens, got insights into nearby attractions, and even received a mini-history lesson on the iconic Opera House.

Check out this quick video experimenting with Pi:

This experience had my mind racing with possibilities. With the widespread use of headphones and the ever-growing popularity of podcasts, having an interactive audio guide for cities seems like the next logical step. Anyone else getting "Her" movie vibes?

This unlocks great opportunities for the future of cities and tourism. Not only would tourists benefit, but even residents could rediscover their cities in a whole new light. And an added benefit being that eventually, it will also be able to adjust to whichever language you want (not a feature of Pi yet... but it will come, I'm sure!).

One of my favourite features of this kind of 'tour' is that it doesn’t restrict you to a predetermined path; it goes wherever you go. It is completely adaptable and flexible to reflect the users need in any given moment. And I think this is a step-change in how we interact with technology and one of the most impressive features of generative AI. This will allow us to uncover meaning and interact with our environments in entirely different ways. And once features like geolocation are added, it will make the experience even more adaptable.

And hey, perhaps a bonus might be a reduction in our screen time. Win-win, right?

All in all, the potential applications of Pi and similar technologies for the urban future are both thrilling and vast. The city exploration game might just be on the verge of a major transformation.