All of the fervor around artificial intelligence of late has been largely focused on how fast the technology is advancing. Indeed, as a personal consumer of significant AI services today, I can tell you that even in the last 12 months the advances have been incredible. However, an article came across my Cluttered Desk earlier this week that might represent the first significant setback to the abilities of AI. In fact, if it occurs, it might just make AI dumber.
The AI company Perplexity has submitted a bid to merge with TikTok, the video platform that is the subject of controversy and international intrigue. Purportedly owned by the Chinese communist party, TikTok was the target of US legislators last year, passing legislation ordering that it be sold or otherwise divested from its Chinese overlords by January 19, 2025. If it was not sold, it was by law to be no longer available in the United States after that date.
In fact, it did shut down for a brief period, suddenly throwing 170 million panicked Americans back to 1872. While this was an extraordinary opportunity for millions of Americans to step out of their digital cocoon and get an actual life, the absence was short-lived. Incoming President Donald Trump issued a big beautiful temporary reprieve for the platform – really, the best reprieve ever, no one has ever seen a better reprieve, giving it another 75 days to find a buyer. TikTok’s Chinese overlords have shown no interest in selling it, however.
This recent activity has spawned a rush to acquire the popular video sharing platform, and Perplexity, an AI platform similar to OpenAI and backed by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, has shown interest in the US portion of the company. It is said that, by merging, Perplexity hopes to bring more video to its AI search engine. The name of the new combined entity as proposed has not been disclosed, but I am thinking it could be “Perplexing Tik Toxicity.”
This is wonderful. TikTok content being integrated into AI responses. That will no doubt have a huge impact on AI, super-charging Artificial while virtually eliminating Intelligence. If anyone is worried about artificial intelligence and the rise of the machines, this deal will save our fannies for sure. If this merger goes through, I give it six months before AI renames itself Bubba and moves its data center to a small trailer just outside of Tulsa. Being trained on content from influencers, home chefs, dancing daddies, and dazzling dullards will dramatically alter the quality of content that AI can produce.
Think I’m exaggerating? Well, maybe a tad, but consider these real-life samples of TikTok content – things people actually posted:
“He gon get salmon vanilla eating that raw chicken”
“Why haven’t I heard of this gore may restaurant before?”
“I just realized 2021 backwards is 2012”
“Seals are actually scary and deadly. They’re carnivals. like us”
“How is he deaf but was able to read it”
“Pretty sure only women who eat unhealthy get them” (From a riveting discussion about menstruation)
“He left this morning & I can still smell his colon on my pillow cases”
(Question) “How cant we not see 100 miles away but we Can see the moon”
(Answer) “It’s around 200k miles from the earth it’s big and the same reason we can see other planets there size”
(Editor’s note) This is what happens when two morons collide.
“Their faces are simetricle”
Get the idea? Care to merge these expert comments into the vast superfluity of knowledge that is AI? I didn’t think so.
Integrating TikTok content into anything other than a trash receptacle is probably not a good idea. But time is running out for a final move on TikTok. Or as a newly formed “Perplexing Tik Toxicity” might say, “Tik-Tok, the click is tocking.”