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Author SHA1 Message Date
7afa7eaf46 Merge pull request 'recovering_an_archlinux_qemu_vm_in_proxmox' (#15) from recovering_an_archlinux_qemu_vm_in_proxmox into master
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Reviewed-on: #15
2025-07-01 17:12:23 +10:00
b5267eb3ac Human edit and pelican metadata 2025-07-01 17:12:06 +10:00
Blog Creator
9b9863c230 'Recovered VM: Chroot, Pacman, and Pain
'
2025-07-01 06:45:41 +00:00
9b7ccfb244 new kub config
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2025-07-01 14:21:09 +10:00
d9b402b2c6 Merge pull request 'matrix_ai_integrations_with_baibot' (#14) from matrix_ai_integrations_with_baibot into master
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Reviewed-on: #14
2025-06-30 17:18:13 +10:00
ace2b3e98b Update with Human Interactions 2025-06-30 17:17:46 +10:00
Blog Creator
ddf9ccd9aa 'LLMs, Matrix, Baibot, Home Automation, Fun' 2025-06-30 07:00:05 +00:00
Blog Creator
7e91a5d28f 'Integrate, Matrix, AI, Baibot, Locally' 2025-06-30 04:04:35 +00:00
Blog Creator
24b5477e4f 'LLM Matrix bot integration deployed' 2025-06-27 06:22:56 +00:00
e3bad5a747 Typos and updates
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2025-06-24 15:59:15 +10:00
33b6d70c95 Merge pull request 'the_failing_social_media_ban' (#13) from the_failing_social_media_ban into master
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Reviewed-on: #13
2025-06-24 14:39:37 +10:00
a260345f9b Going to try for this one 2025-06-24 14:39:20 +10:00
891158cc46 Update src/content/the_failing_social_media_ban.md 2025-06-24 14:30:54 +10:00
Blog Creator
51fc161e37 'Ban failed, tech doomed, parents empowered.' 2025-06-24 04:24:56 +00:00
Blog Creator
a378000602 'Add blog post: Understanding API Rate Limits' 2025-06-24 03:41:53 +00:00
Blog Creator
3bf1cfc297 'Standardize blog post formatting template' 2025-06-24 02:55:56 +00:00
Blog Creator
c01825ecad 'Standardize blog post format template.' 2025-06-24 02:27:18 +00:00
Blog Creator
c3db42b803 'Add guide sustainable gardening practices' 2025-06-24 02:00:19 +00:00
Blog Creator
68af58809f 'Ban ineffective, advocate parental controls' 2025-06-23 23:34:02 +00:00
Blog Creator
f1dc3e511e 'Ban ineffective, parents know best.' 2025-06-23 04:21:00 +00:00
Blog Creator
7443c82e88 'Fix: Analyze failing social media ban' 2025-06-22 03:47:31 +00:00
Blog Creator
176e6caeb5 'Ban ineffective, parental controls work better.' 2025-06-20 03:47:45 +00:00
307146b763 typo 2025-06-20 11:43:42 +10:00
ab8ad6ffae Human edits to the AI draft 2025-06-20 11:42:40 +10:00
Blog Creator
2cda84da5e 'Fix: Ban flawed, focus on education' 2025-06-20 01:17:04 +00:00
2905c2917f Update src/content/when_to_use_ai.md
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2025-06-06 13:33:36 +10:00
ec0798dff2 Update for clarity of the AI response
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2025-06-06 13:32:19 +10:00
f41dbc802e Merge pull request 'when_to_use_ai' (#12) from when_to_use_ai into master
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Reviewed-on: #12
2025-06-06 12:31:58 +10:00
e7f996306f Human edit and update 2025-06-06 12:30:42 +10:00
Blog Creator
22c521293f 'Clarify AI usage scenarios effectively.' 2025-06-06 02:28:07 +00:00
Blog Creator
74f8c8607b 'Add clarity on AI limitations.' 2025-06-06 01:57:04 +00:00
8c342d994e fix conflicts 2025-06-06 11:32:25 +10:00
Blog Creator
bcc41ed4c3 '```
git commit -m "AI: Know when to use it"
```

**Explanation of the commit message:**

*   **Concise:** It's short and to the point, adhering to the common 5-word limit.
*   **Descriptive:** It accurately reflects the content of the blog post – a discussion about when to utilize AI.
*   **Action-oriented:**  Implies a need for thoughtful consideration.
'
2025-06-06 11:30:38 +10:00
Blog Creator
fc48d9a4fd '```
feat: Add blog post on AI usage scenarios
```'
2025-06-06 11:30:03 +10:00
Blog Creator
191805461d '```
feat: Add blog post on AI usage scenarios
```'
2025-06-06 11:29:09 +10:00
Blog Creator
c2142f7f63 '```
git commit -m "AI: Know when to use it"
```

**Explanation of the commit message:**

*   **Concise:** It's short and to the point, adhering to the common 5-word limit.
*   **Descriptive:** It accurately reflects the content of the blog post – a discussion about when to utilize AI.
*   **Action-oriented:**  Implies a need for thoughtful consideration.
'
2025-06-06 11:28:17 +10:00
Blog Creator
9c92d19943 '```
feat: Add blog post on AI usage scenarios
```'
2025-06-06 11:27:23 +10:00
aead9151c0 Update src/content/when_to_use_ai.md 2025-06-06 11:26:13 +10:00
14636a4d3b update so pelican can use - must remember 2025-06-06 11:26:12 +10:00
d6d6f1893e stray w 2025-06-06 11:25:43 +10:00
abf6f3feda fix push settings 2025-06-06 11:25:43 +10:00
7a4d06bbef cleanup of kube stuff 2025-06-06 11:25:43 +10:00
efad73a1a4 wrap the password 2025-06-06 11:25:43 +10:00
50af2eccb3 kube pipeline manual step and kubectl yaml 2025-06-06 11:25:43 +10:00
e9a7daf5b3 Change workflow push to master only 2025-06-06 11:25:43 +10:00
eac2f648c0 Update src/content/when_to_use_ai.md
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2025-06-06 10:29:51 +10:00
79d53d3462 update so pelican can use - must remember
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2025-06-06 10:17:13 +10:00
6dd6e92d93 Merge pull request 'stray -' (#11) from kube_deployment into master
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Reviewed-on: #11
2025-06-06 10:00:37 +10:00
3db9f63246 stray w 2025-06-06 09:59:47 +10:00
6552ba503b Merge pull request 'fix push settings' (#10) from kube_deployment into master
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Reviewed-on: #10
2025-06-06 09:53:14 +10:00
202c787f19 fix push settings 2025-06-06 09:52:38 +10:00
61324ff499 Merge pull request 'kube_deployment' (#9) from kube_deployment into master
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Reviewed-on: #9
2025-06-06 09:32:18 +10:00
859c40c55c cleanup of kube stuff 2025-06-06 09:31:43 +10:00
92dd043b35 wrap the password 2025-06-06 09:29:24 +10:00
761265a467 kube pipeline manual step and kubectl yaml 2025-06-06 09:25:31 +10:00
Blog Creator
1f4b7100bc '```
All checks were successful
Build and Push Image / Build and push image (push) Has been skipped
git commit -m "AI: Know when to use it"
```

**Explanation of the commit message:**

*   **Concise:** It's short and to the point, adhering to the common 5-word limit.
*   **Descriptive:** It accurately reflects the content of the blog post – a discussion about when to utilize AI.
*   **Action-oriented:**  Implies a need for thoughtful consideration.
'
2025-05-30 07:43:58 +00:00
Blog Creator
3ed8f91303 '```
All checks were successful
Build and Push Image / Build and push image (push) Has been skipped
feat: Add blog post on AI usage scenarios
```'
2025-05-30 07:18:43 +00:00
8 changed files with 414 additions and 60 deletions

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@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ jobs:
- name: Create Kubeconfig
run: |
mkdir $HOME/.kube
echo "${{ secrets.KUBEC_CONFIG_BUILDX }}" > $HOME/.kube/config
echo "${{ secrets.KUBEC_CONFIG_BUILDX_NEW }}" > $HOME/.kube/config
- name: Set up Docker Buildx
uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
@ -43,3 +43,19 @@ jobs:
platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
tags: |
git.aridgwayweb.com/armistace/blog:latest
- name: Deploy
run: |
echo "Installing Kubectl"
apt-get update
apt-get install -y apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl gnupg
curl -fsSL https://pkgs.k8s.io/core:/stable:/v1.33/deb/Release.key | gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/kubernetes-apt-keyring.gpg
chmod 644 /etc/apt/keyrings/kubernetes-apt-keyring.gpg
echo 'deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/kubernetes-apt-keyring.gpg] https://pkgs.k8s.io/core:/stable:/v1.33/deb/ /' | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/kubernetes.list
chmod 644 /etc/apt/sources.list.d/kubernetes.list
apt-get update
apt-get install kubectl
kubectl delete namespace blog
kubectl create namespace blog
kubectl create secret docker-registry regcred --docker-server=${{ vars.DOCKER_SERVER }} --docker-username=${{ vars.DOCKER_USERNAME }} --docker-password='${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}' --docker-email=${{ vars.DOCKER_EMAIL }} --namespace=blog
kubectl apply -f kube/blog_pod.yaml && kubectl apply -f kube/blog_deployment.yaml && kubectl apply -f kube/blog_service.yaml

24
kube/blog_deployment.yaml Normal file
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@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
name: blog-deployment
labels:
app: blog
namespace: blog
spec:
replicas: 3
selector:
matchLabels:
app: blog
template:
metadata:
labels:
app: blog
spec:
containers:
- name: blog
image: git.aridgwayweb.com/armistace/blog:latest
ports:
- containerPort: 8000
imagePullSecrets:
- name: regcred

13
kube/blog_pod.yaml Normal file
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@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
name: blog
namespace: blog
spec:
containers:
- name: blog
image: git.aridgwayweb.com/armistace/blog:latest
ports:
- containerPort: 8000
imagePullSecrets:
- name: regcred

13
kube/blog_service.yaml Normal file
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@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
name: blog-service
namespace: blog
spec:
type: NodePort
selector:
app: blog
ports:
- port: 80
targetPort: 8000
nodePort: 30009

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Title: Intergrating Ollama and Matrix with Baibot
Date: 2025-06-25 20:00
Modified: 2025-06-30 08:00
Category: AI, Data, Matrix
Tags: ai, kubernetes, matrix
Slug: ollama-matrix-integration
Authors: Andrew Ridgway
Summary: Integrating a Local LLM to a personal matrix server all the fun AND data sovereignty
### _Human Introduction_
I've been experimenting with AI and integrations I'm particuarly excited by the idea of using LLM's to integrate between different systems (Stay tuned for a blog [MCP](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/introduction) at some point in the future!)
Below I've thrown together some notes and had AI build a very quick how to on a cool little project that took next to no time to put together that I thought might be interesting for the group.. Enjoy!
# Matrix AI Integrations with baibot: A Fun Journey into Home Automation and LLMs
Alright, so Ive been messing around with this cool project called **baibot**, which is a locally deployable bot for integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) into Matrix chatrooms. If youre anything like me, you run your own Matrix server to keep things private and under control—whether its for family communication or interacting with the tech community. But one day, I thought, “Why not have my LLMs right where Im already managing everything else?” Enter baibot.
**Setting Up My Own Matrix Server with baibot**
First off, Ive got a home Matrix server running Element. Integrating baibot into this environment makes sense because it allows me to connect directly via the same platform. The key was getting the configuration right using examples from [baibots GitHub](https://github.com/etkecc/baibot/blob/main/docs/sample-provider-configs/ollama.yml). For instance, connecting to an Ollama gemma3 model with a specific prompt ensures its lighthearted yet responsive:
```yaml
base_url: http://<my_ollama_ip>:11434/v1
text_generation:
model_id: gemma3:latest
prompt: 'You are a lighthearted bot...'
temperature: 0.9
max_response_tokens: 4096
max_context_tokens: 128000
```
This gives me precise control over the bots behavior, ensuring each instance in Matrix rooms behaves exactly as intended.
**Deploying to Kubernetes**
To ensure reliability, I used Kubernetes. Here's a breakdown of the key files:
* **Deployment.yaml**: Manages pod replicas, security contexts, and volume mounts for persistence.
```yaml
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
labels:
app: ridgway-bot
name: ridgway-bot
spec:
replicas: 1
strategy:
type: Recreate
template:
spec:
containers:
- image: ghcr.io/etkecc/baibot:v1.7.4
name: baibot
volumeMounts:
- name: ridgway-bot-cm
mountPath: /app/config.yml
- name: ridgway-bot-pv
mountPath: /data
volumes:
- name: ridgway-bot-cm
configMap:
name: ridgway-bot
- name: ridgway-bot-pv
persistentVolumeClaim:
claimName: ridgway-bot-storage
```
* **Persistent Volume Claim (PVC)** ensures data storage for baibot.
```yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: PersistentVolumeClaim
metadata:
name: ridgway-bot-storage
spec:
accessModes:
- ReadWriteMany
resources:
requests:
storage: 500Mi
```
The deployment script handles namespace creation, config maps, PVCs, and waits for the pod to be ready before copying data.
**Integrating with OpenWebUI for RAG**
Another cool aspect is integrating baibot with **OpenWebUI**, which acts as an OpenAI-compatible API. This allows me to leverage models Ive created in OpenWebUI that include knowledge bases (RAG). The config here uses OpenWebUIs endpoints:
```yaml
base_url: 'https://<my-openwebui-endpoint>/api/'
api_key: <my-openwebui-api-key>
text_generation:
model_id: andrew-knowledge-base
prompt: 'Your name is Rodergast...'
```
This setup lets me access RAG capabilities directly within Matrix chats, all without writing a single line of code. Its like having my very own AI research assistant right there in the chatroom.
**Future Steps and Challenges**
Now that baibot is up and running, Im already thinking about expanding its use cases. The next step might be integrating it with **Home Assistant** for alarm notifications or other automation tasks. However, my current setup uses an older gaming PC, which struggles with computational demands. This could lead to a rearchitecting effort—perhaps moving to a dedicated server or optimizing the hardware.
**Conclusion**
Baibot has been a fantastic tool for experimenting with AI integrations in Matrix. By leveraging existing infrastructure and OpenWebUIs capabilities, Ive achieved full control over data privacy and customization. The next frontier is expanding these integrations into more practical applications like home automation. Stay tuned for updates!
**Final Thoughts**
Its incredibly rewarding to see how open-source projects like baibot democratize AI access. Whether youre a hobbyist or a pro, having tools that let you run LLMs locally without vendor lock-in is game-changing. If youre interested in diving deeper, check out the [baibot GitHub](https://github.com/etkecc/baibot) and explore its documentation. Happy coding!

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Title: Recovering Archlinux Qemu VM in Proxmox
Date: 2025-07-01 20:00
Modified: 2025-07-01 20:00
Category: SysAdmin
Tags: System Admin, Proxmox, Qemu, Arch, Kubernetes
Slug: recovering-arch-vm-proxmox
Authors: Andrew Ridgway
Summary: An absolute nightmare of a day trying to recover my kube cluster from a silly update error
### Human Edit
This is probably the most amazing run of the blog creator, I've started using the new gemma3n and also upgrade the box ollama runs on so it can run slightly bigger models. Using phi4 and gemma:27b has produced some amazing results see below
I *did* need to update some of the pacman stuff as it conflated to seperate issues so bear in mind I have made some little edits in that place but otherwise... this is straight from the mouth of the llm. Enjoy!
# Recovering an Archlinux QEMU VM in Proxmox: A Day in Hell and Back Again
Well that was a morning. Today I wanted to try and fix my Longhorn installation in Kube... (again 😥). It turns out, things didn't go as planned.
## The Unexpected Downfall
I went to perform my usual update and reboot... except today for whatever reason, the upgrade decided to fail to install the kernel and left me with an unbootable system.
### Dropping into Grub Rescue
At this point I dropped back down to grub rescue mode (which is always fun). Honestly? I hate that environment! And then it hit me: these systems are just QEMU disks, right? Surely I can mount them, chroot in, and fix the install.
## The Quest for Recovery
It took 2 hours of frantic Googling through Proxmox and Arch forums until I stumbled upon something... almost magical.
### Mounting QEMU Disks Made Easy
I found an amazing suite of tools to make mounting these qemu disks a breeze. Check out this [guide](https://www.howtogeek.com/devops/how-to-mount-a-qemu-virtual-disk-image/) for all the details on libguestfs-tools and guestmount.
#### Mounting in Action
```bash
sudo apt install libguestfs-tools
sudo guestmount --add /var/lib/pve/local-btrfs/images/100/vm-100-disk-0/disk.raw --mount /dev/sda3 /tmp/kube_disk/
```
### Enter Chroot Land
Now that I've got my disk mounted, it's time to chroot in. But hold up! I need it as root this time.
#### Setting Up Arch-Chroot
```bash
sudo apt install arch-installation-scripts
arch-chroot /tmp/kube_disk/
```
### Pacman: The Hero We Deserve (But Need Permission)
Oh boy, pacman threw 23 million permission errors my way. Last year they changed it to work rootless by default… but I found out you can turn off the `DefaultUser` flag in `/etc/pacman.conf`. Here's how:
```bash
# Disable DefaultUser temporarily for this session (or remove if permanent)
pacman -Syu
```
I did have a couple issues installing the kernel (which is what got borked in the update)
```bash
# Sometimes some files got written so use overwrite to get rid of them
# be warned this *could* be destructive
pacman -S linux --overwrite "*"
```
### Clean Up and Exit
Once we're done, we need to exit the chroot. Remember that crucial step: umounting correctly.
```bash
exit
sudo umount /tmp/kube_disk/
```
## The Reboot Saga (And How Not To Do It)
Reboot was supposed to be a smooth sail… but I made one fatal mistake.
### Corruption Nightmare
I didn't unmount before starting the VM. This led me down an unfortunate path of corrupting my btrfs partition beyond recognition and having to rebuild not just my master node, but *entire* cluster! Backups saved the day... barely!
#### Lessons Learned
* **Never** reboot without first properly umounting.
* Seriously need more backups for those images. 🚀
## Conclusion: A Cluster-Fucked Day Turned Into a Learning Experience
All in all it was chaos, but hey learning happens at 2 AM after midnight reboots and frantic Googling. Hope this helps anyone else stuck with Proxmox woes! 🚀

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Title: The Failing Social Media Ban
Date: 2025-06-19 20:00
Modified: 2025-06-20 20:00
Category: Politics
Tags: politics, social meda, tech policy
Slug: social-media-ban-fail
Authors: Andrew Ridgway
Summary: The Social Media ban is an abject failure of policy. Education and the use of the much better existing tools is the key
## 🎯 The Goal: A Legal Framework to Protect Kids
The Australian governments or should I say Julie Inman's plan to ban social media for teens has sparked on going debate. While the intention is noble—protecting minors from online risks—its clear the technical and legal hurdles are massive. This government concept of relying on “facial aging” or “Proof of Age” APIs are prone to privacy violations and data breaches. Parents already have tools that let them make decisions about their childrens tech use without needing to hand over photos of their ID. The governments current approach is mired in bureaucracy and the tech world does not thrive in that environment. Instead of trying to outsource the problem to consultants, the government should **educate parents on the tools already available**.
## 🧩 The Problem: Tech Giants Wont Do It
The governments plan to enable Inman's vision is to use facial recognition or “age-based” filters. This was flawed from the start. These systems are expensive, unreliable, and not designed for the scale of a national rollout. Even if a company like Meta or Google could do it, theyd **never** do it for the same reason: **There is no money in the equation**. The only alternative is to outsource to consultants, but those consultants are not equipped to handle the complexity. The governments plan is a joke, no one is going to build a system thats 100% accurate, secure, and compliant with privacy laws and those that, maybe, could have no insentive to. No amount of chest thumping by The E-Safety Commissioner will change this fact and throwing frankly meaningless pieces of paper from our legislative assembly will do little more than make them laugh
## 🛠️ The Tools Parents Already Have
Parents ([Is it parents? is it in fact fiefdom creation on behalf of Julie Inman?](https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/rowland/media-release/record-investment-improve-safety-australians-online)) must give up on the idea of the government fixing this. , parents should be using the **tools already in their homes**. These tools are **free, secure, and effective**. Some examples include (and I use in my own home):
* **Fritz Box Parental Controls** (https://en.fritz.com/service/knowledge-base/dok/FRITZ-Box-7530/8_Restricting-internet-use-with-the-FRITZ-Box-parental-controls/) - Allows blocking of websites and apps, setting time limits, and creating user profiles.
* **Microsoft Family Safety** (https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/microsoft-365/family-safety) - Provides screen time limits, content filters, and activity reporting.
* **Nintendo Parental Controls** (https://www.nintendo.com/au/apps/parental-controls/) - Allows managing game time, content restrictions, and communication settings on Nintendo devices.
* **Google Family Link** (https://families.google.com/familylink/) - Enables remote monitoring, app management, and location tracking for children's Android devices.
* **Apple Family Sharing** (https://support.apple.com/en-au/105121) - Allows sharing purchases, subscriptions, and location information with family members.
These tools let parents **block apps, limit screen time, and monitor online activity** without needing to share sensitive data. They offer parents full control over what is available and are not dependant on some arbitrary list governed in legislation (which is in an of itself an indicator of how backwards this legislation is)
## 📚 The Real Solution: Education, Not Tech
The governments plan is a **mistake**. Instead of trying to build a new system, parents should be **educating themselves on the tools already available**.
### 🔄 Flexibility for Every Family
* **Approved apps**
* **Blacklisted content**
* **Screen time limits**
* **Privacy controls**
These tools let parents **make decisions tailored to their childrens needs**. No one-size-fits-all approach. It gives parents autonomy over their online decision making whilst better respecting everyones privacy, including the childs. Already Julie is making calls to expand the list, this is unacceptable, it is no one but MY choice what is acceptable in my house and for my family.
## 🧩 Why the Governments Plan Fails
The governments plan is a **disaster**. Its not about fixing the problems of social media use in teens, its about giving the perception they are doing something about it using archaic methods and tools that don't go to the root cause. The tools parents already have are **better, cheaper, and more secure**. The only way to make this work is for the government to **stop trying to solve a social problem with tech** and **focus on the real solution: education and parental autonomy**. Stop Letting Julie create her cartel and create her own version of the Chinese firewall
## 📝 Summary: The Right Tools, Not the Tech
The governments plan is a dead monkey. Instead of trying to build a system thats 100% accurate and secure, parents should be using the **tools already in their homes**. These tools are **free, effective, and preserve privacy**. They let parents **make decisions about their childrens tech use on a true case by case basis** without needing to hand over sensitive data.
## 🧩 Final Thoughts
The Government's plan, at the behest of Julie Inman, is a **disaster**. Its not about fixing the problem with social media, its about creating the perception they are solving a problem that is already solved. [The E-Safety Commissioner has made clear her plans are to take control out of our hands when it comes to what we can do online](https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/online-industry-asked-address-esafetys-concerns-draft-codes-0#:~:text=Online%20industry%20asked%20to%20address%20eSafety%27s%20concerns%20with%20draft%20codes,-Share&text=Australia%27s%20eSafety%20Commissioner%20has%20asked,safeguards%20for%20users%20in%20Australia.) Parents should be using the **tools already in their homes**. The real solution is not to expect a government to fix this, but to **educate themselves on the tools that already exist**. Until we accept that this is our responsbility the problem will continue propogate because the only place it can be fixed is in the home and not my Julie Inam.

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@ -1,5 +1,16 @@
Title: When to use AI
Date: 2025-06-05 20:00
Modified: 2025-06-06 08:00
Category: AI, Data
Tags: ai, python
Slug: when-to-use-ai
Authors: Andrew Ridgway
Summary: Should we be using AI for ALL THE THINGS!?
# Human Introduction
Well.. today is the first day that the automated pipeline has generated content for the blog... still a bit of work to do including
1. establishing a permanent vectordb solution (chromadb? pg_vector?)
2. Notification to Matrix that something has happened
3. Updating Trilium so that the note is marked as blog_written=true
@ -12,43 +23,60 @@ Anyways, without further ado, I present to you the first, pipeline written, AI c
---
# When to use AI 😄
*A journalist, software developer, and DevOps experts take on when AI is overkill and when its just the right tool*
# When to Use AI: Navigating the Right Scenarios
When I was building a spreadsheet called “shudders,” I was trying to figure out how to automate the process of mapping work types to work requests. The dataset was full of messy, unstructured text, and the goal was to find the best matches. At first, I thought, “This is a perfect use case for AI!” But then I realized: *this is the kind of problem where AI is basically a humans worst nightmare*.
Okay, so I've been getting this question a lot lately: "When should we use AI?" or even more frustratingly, "Why can't AI do this?" It's like asking when to use a hammer versus a screwdriver. Sometimes AI is the perfect tool, other times it's better left in the toolbox. Let me break down some scenarios where AI shines and where it might not be the best bet.
So, lets break it down.
## The Spreadsheet Dilemma: Where AI Can help, and where it hurts
### 🧠 When AI is *not* the answer
**Scenario:** Mapping work types to categories in a spreadsheet with thousands of entries, like distinguishing between "Painting," "Repainting," "Deck Painting," or "Stucco Repainting."
AI is great at pattern recognition, but its not great at *understanding context*. For example, if I had a list of work types like “customer service,” “technical support,” or “maintenance,” and I needed to map them to work requests that had vague descriptions like “this task took 3 days,” AI would struggle. Its like trying to find a needle in a haystack—*but the haystack is made of human language*.
**Where AI Helps:**
The problem with AI in this scenario is that its *not good at interpreting ambiguity*. If the work types are vague, the AI might mislabel them, leading to errors. Plus, when the data is messy, AI cant keep up. I remember one time I tried to use a chatbot to classify work requests. It was so confused, it thought “customer service” was a type of “technical support.” 😅 The result? A spreadsheet full of “unknown” entries.
* **Fuzzy Matching & Contextual Understanding:** AI excels at interpreting relationships between words (e.g., recognizing "Deck Painting" as a subset of "Painting"). However, traditional methods with regex or string manipulation fail here because they lack the nuanced judgment needed to handle ambiguity.
### 🧮 When AI *is* the answer
**Where AI Struggles:**
There are some scenarios where AI is *definitely* the way to go. For example, when you need to automate repetitive tasks, like calculating workloads or generating reports. These tasks are math-heavy and dont require creative thinking. Lets say you have a list of work orders, each with a start time, end time, and duration. You want to calculate the average time per task. AI can do that with precision. Its like a calculator, but with a personality.
* **Precision Over Ambiguity:** Calculations requiring exact values (e.g., average durations) are better handled by deterministic algorithms rather than AIs probabilistic approach.
Another example: if you need to generate a report that summarizes key metrics, AI can handle that. Its not about creativity, its about logic. And thats where traditional programming shines.
**Traditional Methods Are Easier for Deterministic Problems:**
### 🧪 The balance between AI and human oversight
* **Formula-Based Logic:** Building precise formulas for workload analysis relies on clear, unambiguous rules. AI cant replace the need for human oversight in such cases.
AI is a tool, not a replacement for human judgment. While it can handle the *analyzing* part, the *decisions* still need to be made by humans. For instance, if youre trying to decide which work type to assign to a request, AI might suggest “customer service” based on keywords, but the final decision depends on context.
## When AI Shines: Contextual and Unstructured Tasks
So, in the end, AI is a *helper*, not a *replacement*. Its great for the parts that are repetitive, but the parts that require nuance, creativity, or deep understanding? Thats where humans step in.
**Scenario:** Automating customer support with chatbots or analyzing social media sentiment.
### 🧩 Final thoughts
**Why AI Works Here:**
AI is like a superpower—great at certain things, not so great at others. Its not a magic wand, but its a tool that can save time and reduce errors when used right.
* **Natural Language Processing (NLP):** AI understands context, tone, and intent in unstructured data, making it ideal for tasks like chatbot responses or content analysis.
* **Pattern Recognition:** AI identifies trends or anomalies in large datasets that humans might miss, such as predictive maintenance in industrial settings.
So, when is it time to say “AI, nope”? When the data is messy, the tasks are ambiguous, or the results need to be human-approved. And when is it time to say “AI, yes”? When you need to automate calculations, generate reports, or handle repetitive tasks that dont require creativity.
**Why Traditional Methods Don't:**
### 🧩 Summary
* **There is no easily discernable pattern:** If the pattern doesn't exist in a deterministic sense there will be little someone can do without complex regex and 'whack a mole' style programming.
| Scenario | AI? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Ambiguous data | ❌ | AI struggles with context |
| Repetitive tasks | ✅ | AI handles math and logic |
| Creative decisions | ❌ | AI lacks the ability to think creatively |
## Hybrid Approaches: The Future of Efficiency
In the end, AI is just another tool. Use it when it works, and dont let it define your workflow. 😄 *And if you ever feel like AI is overstepping, remember: its just trying to be helpful. Sometimes its not the best choice. Sometimes its the only choice.*
While traditional methods remain superior for precise calculations, AI can assist in setting up initial parameters or generating insights. For example:
* **AI Proposes Formulas:** An LLM suggests a workload calculation formula based on historical data.
* **Human Checks Validity:** A human ensures the formulas accuracy before deployment.
## Key Takeaways
1. **Use AI** for tasks involving:
* Unstructured data (e.g., text, images).
* Contextual understanding and interpretation.
* Pattern recognition and trend analysis.
2. **Stick to Traditional Methods** for:
* Precise calculations with deterministic logic.
* Tasks requiring error-free accuracy (e.g., financial modeling).
## Conclusion
AI is a powerful tool but isnt a one-size-fits-all solution. Match the right approach to the task at hand—whether its interpreting natural language or crunching numbers. The key is knowing when AI complements human expertise rather than replaces it.
**Final Tip:** Always consider the trade-offs between precision and context. For tasks where nuance matters, AI is your ally; for rigid logic, trust traditional methods.
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