Alvia Lewis Frey: The intelligence seems a little artificial | Opinion

While doing research for some of my columns, Microsoft Bing often pops up with answers to questions.

I am intrigued by the information the artificial intelligence driven search engine quickly retrieves and dispenses.

I was so intrigued, I decided to do a bit of research on myself.

I started with, “Who is Alvia Lewis Frey?”

Bing quickly shared the following: “Alvia Lewis Frey is a columnist for the Pharos-Tribune based in Danville, IL.

The first part of the answer is true. The second part, not at all. The Pharos-Tribune is owned by Community Newspaper Holdings Inc., which is based in Montgomery, AL.

“Where does Alvia Lewis Frey live?” I typed.

“Alvia Lewis Frey lives in Bloomington, IN,” Bing wrote.

Oh, how I wish. Although I pine for the beauty and excitement of IU and Bloomington on a daily basis, I do not live there. Sadness.

Next question: “When did Alvia Lewis Frey graduate from Indiana University?”

“Alvia Lewis Frey graduated from IU in 2024. Congratulations to her on this significant achievement.”

Thank you for the graduation congratulations, but I did not graduate from IU in 2024.

Good grief. What gives?

Moving right along with the next question: “What does Alvia Lewis Frey write about?”

Bingo! This is where the world of artificial intelligence hit the jack pot.

“Alvia Lewis Frey, a talented journalist, penned insightful articles on various topics,” Bing wrote.

Bing proceeded to regal me with information about my writing style and gave examples.

“In her columns, she shares personal anecdotes and reflections,” Bing wrote. “For instance, she reminisces about her teenage years, her love for Jimmy Stewart, and her mother’s admiration for Frank Sinatra. She also humorously suggests that in a former life, she might have been a squirrel, referring to her tendency to squirrel away baby toys.”

The paragraph ended with the following: “Her writing covers a diverse range of topics, making her a valuable voice in journalism.”

Thank you, Bing. I love that an artificial intelligence driven search engine believes I am a talented journalist and a valuable voice in journalism.

Before collecting more erroneous information, however, I stopped asking questions.

Always best to go out on a high note.

And penning “insightful” articles just might be that note.

Alvia Lewis Frey is a local columnist.