Day 17 - Current Events

Note: I’ve created a Discord discussion area for AI communities I steward: https://discord.gg/KuSEBM73nY. It’s free, don’t pay money to use it. Ignore “Nitro” ads. If you’re new to Discord, search YouTube for tutorials. Sorry if it’s not your discussion platform of choice! Discord has a number of great AI servers, though. If you’re into AI, getting into Discord will be good for discussion, and starting on my server will be a good beachhead.

We’re closing in on the final days of Pete’s AI Homework. This is a good chance to try other LLMs, if you haven’t already. These all have a free tier and are worth testing for many of the homework exercises, not just this one. They all have paid tiers, you may want to pick one and subscribe if you feel the capabilities pay for themselves. Different models really do have different strengths and weaknesses. Find the one that suits you best!

• Claude - my favorite, I think it’s the most “thoughtful” and often the “smartest.”

• ChatGPT - most popular, a great all-around LLM.

• Perplexity - search and citation-oriented LLM, great at research, but remember to always check sources, don’t just rely on the fact that there are sources.

• Gemini - good adjunct, sometimes the best for certain tasks.

Okay, let’s try LLMs for current events. Use an LLM that has web search capability (those above all do).

Try these prompts in the same conversation:

• Catch me up on the last two weeks of tariff drama in the US. [Note how I've specified a time dimension, to narrow the web/news search and focus on current events.]

• Who has significant input into President Trump's tariff policies? [Dive into more particular detail that interests you.]

• Who is Peter Navarro? Is he anti-globalism? [Feed back some of the information I found so far, continue with expansions and explanations that interest me.]

• I feel like the US had become the dominant force in the global economy, and that this is a step back from power into economic isolationism. (I have my thoughts on who that benefits, besides the US proper, but I won't share them right now.) [Test my understanding, explain how my feelings might align / conflict with reported news and opinions.]

That’s it! Feel free to tackle other questions you find most interesting.

I asked Claude 3.7 Sonnet to provide some more background on LLMs and current events. Claude wrote what follows; I take responsibility for publishing it.

When comparing LLMs for current events analysis, consider examining:

1. Information retrieval quality: How comprehensive and relevant is the information they provide about breaking news?

2. Source transparency: How clearly do they attribute information and provide access to original sources?

3. Perspective balance: How effectively do they present multiple viewpoints on contentious issues?

4. Context provision: How well do they place current events within historical and global contexts?

5. Follow-up capabilities: How effectively do they handle follow-up questions that deepen understanding?

Modern LLMs equipped with web search functionality represent a significant capability improvement. Rather than being limited to information from their training data, these models can now retrieve current news, analysis, and developments happening in real-time around the world.

This capability transforms how we interact with information in several key ways:

• Real-time knowledge access: LLMs can now search for and synthesize the latest information on rapidly developing situations

• Deeper exploration: They can follow research threads by retrieving additional context based on your follow-up questions

• Balanced perspective: When properly prompted, they can present different viewpoints on complex issues

What makes LLMs particularly valuable for navigating current events isn't just their ability to search the web, but how they process and present that information. Unlike traditional search engines that return lists of links, LLMs can:

1. Synthesize information from multiple sources

2. Identify key stakeholders and their positions

3. Provide historical context for current developments

4. Help test your understanding against reported facts

The best way to understand this capability is to try it yourself. Here's a practical exercise to experience how an LLM can help you navigate current events through web research.

Homework Assignment: Exploring Current Events Through Guided Research

For this exercise, try carrying out this conversation with an LLM that has web search capabilities. Notice how each question builds on previous information and helps deepen your understanding:

1. Start broad: "Catch me up on the last two weeks of tariff drama." (Note how specifying a time dimension narrows the web search and focuses on current events)

2. Dive deeper into specifics: "Who has significant input into President Trump's tariff policies?"

3. Follow interesting threads: "Who is Peter Navarro? Is he anti-globalism?" (This feeds back information you've discovered and allows for expansion on points of interest)

4. Test your understanding: "I feel like the US had become the dominant force in the global economy, and that this is a step back from power into economic isolationism. How does my understanding align with reported news and analysis?"

What you'll notice is that this approach creates a research experience that feels more like working with a knowledgeable research assistant than simply searching for information. The LLM helps guide you through complex topics while maintaining awareness of the conversation's context.

This capability becomes particularly valuable when trying to understand nuanced current events. Rather than simply absorbing headlines or being limited by filter bubbles, you can:

• Ask for multiple perspectives on contentious issues

• Request clarification on complex economic, political, or social concepts

• Test your own hypotheses against reported facts

• Identify key figures and their historical positions on issues

LLMs excel at making connections between different pieces of information and presenting them in accessible ways, which helps develop a more comprehensive understanding of complex situations.

While this capability represents a significant advancement, it's important to recognize some limitations:

• Information quality depends on available sources

• LLMs may not always effectively distinguish between factual reporting and opinion

• Search results can sometimes contain outdated or contradictory information

• Complex geopolitical situations often require nuanced understanding beyond what automated searches can provide

The best approach is to use LLMs as a starting point for research, not the final authority—they can guide your exploration and help you process information more efficiently.

As LLMs continue to evolve, their ability to serve as research partners for navigating current events will likely become increasingly sophisticated. For now, they offer a valuable new tool in our information ecosystem—one that helps bridge the gap between raw information and actionable understanding.

And that’s a wrap!

Explore other news and current events with your LLM. Information is power. Being informed is a critical civic responsibility.

~ Pete