Investment Advice From The Narnia Kids

Mostly Nothing and Tim had great comments on yesterday's post comparing ChatGPT with Google Gemini. MN floored me when he remembered a ST:TNG satire I had written in the late 1980s. MSFT being what it is, my PC can't find the file with search even though I know the extension and a key word in it. Sigh. I'll have to search the files by hand.

Tim hit the nail on the head about the image generation in the two AI systems. 

There might also be a matter of approach. It is possible that Gemini is trying to address the whole issue of separating components of the image into individual entities. While the Gemini chihuahuas aren't as visually cute, they do appear to be more "distinct". I feel like they are working towards being able to specify to Gemini not just what elements you want in the image, but also where you want them positioned. While this results in a less appealing image at first, I think in the long run it is going to turn out to be the better choice.

I went back into Gemini and tried my old two knights and a maiden prompt. In ChatGPT, if you ask for more than two characters, you get the features blended together and soon you've got 5 knights in dresses fighting 3 maidens in armor. In Gemini, it gave me just what I wanted, albeit inconsistently.

There's those albeits again, MN.

Let's see if you remember that one. It's one of yours.

Anywho, Gemini will sometimes refuse to draw your image, giving you an error like this one.

I'm still learning how to generate certain kinds of images, so I might not be able to create exactly what you're looking for yet. Also, I can't help with photorealistic images of identifiable people, children, or other images that go against my guidelines. If you'd like to ask for something else, just let me know!

It doesn't mean anything at all. If you click the refresh button under the response, it will more often than not draw the image. That inconsistency is unique to Gemini. ChatGPT used to throw those, too, but they're almost unheard of now. That reinforces my thought that ChatGPT is a year or so ahead of Gemini.

Getting on to the real subject of the post, there is a delightful sub-GPT called the Fan-Fiction Generator. It is terrific and writing crossovers and you can have all kinds of fun with it. This morning, I asked it to generate a conversation between Lucy and Edmund Pevensie and Eustace Scrubb from the Narnia books. It seems that the Pevensie father has gone loopy and thinks he's Charles II. Mother has asked Lucy and Edmund to look after the family finances and they are discussing how to invest £100,000 when Eustace butts in with his own ideas. Here's the dialog after only a couple of redirections on my part.

Enjoy.

The firm of Pevensie, Pevensie and Scrubb - we make money the old fashioned way. We earn it.

This image was generated with ChatGPT. When I asked Gemini for it, I just got errors and excuses. And before Tim tells me that Edmund is missing a leg, I imagine he's got it crossed over his other leg underneath the desk. So there.

Scene: The Study in the Pevensie Family Home

The rain patters softly against the window. Lucy and Edmund sit at the mahogany desk, their papers scattered with figures and notes. The room smells faintly of old books and damp wool. Their earlier mirth has given way to serious expressions as they pore over financial reports.

Lucy (adjusting her spectacles and peering at a paper): "Honestly, Edmund, just look at this—Stryker’s earnings per share are up to $9.33. That’s a whopping 38% increase since last year! If that doesn’t make you feel steady as a rock, I don’t know what would."

Edmund (leaning back and crossing his arms): "Oh, steady as a rock, is it? I suppose rocks can still roll downhill if you push them hard enough. Their price-to-earnings ratio is 39.35—rather puffed up, don’t you think? It’s all very respectable, but what if the whole thing slows down, Lucy? Medical equipment isn’t exactly the stuff of fairy tales."

Lucy (giving him a sharp look): "And Bitcoin is? It’s more like Jack and his magic beans! Did you see what happened last month? It tumbled down below $95,000 and then scrambled back up like a frightened rabbit."

Edmund (leaning forward, eyes gleaming): "Yes, and now it’s sitting pretty at over $100,000 with a beastly big market cap of $1.88 trillion. You can scoff all you like, but it’s the sort of thing kings would hoard in treasure chests if they still could."

Lucy (raising an eyebrow): "Treasure chests, is it? Well, if we’re talking kings, we’d better keep Father away from the ledger before he tries to mint coins with his face on them."

Edmund (grinning despite himself): "Touché. But you have to admit, Lucy, Bitcoin’s scarce—like gold but better. And it could shoot up like a rocket to $150,000 next year if the experts are right."

Lucy (sighing and tapping her pen against the desk): "And it could come crashing down like Humpty Dumpty if the market sneezes the wrong way. I’ll admit it’s exciting, but sometimes excitement isn’t what you want with your money. Stryker’s steady—sensible as a schoolmaster. And dividends, Edmund! They drop coins into your pocket like magic every quarter."

Edmund (shrugging): "And sometimes magic comes in wild forms. You of all people should know that."

Before Lucy can reply, the door swings open, and Eustace storms in, looking as though he’s been drenched in vinegar.

Eustace (crossing his arms and glaring): "I knew it. I just knew it. You two are barking mad if you think fiddling about with scalpels and invisible coins is a proper use of the money."

Lucy (folding her arms): "Oh, and I suppose you’ve ridden in on a white horse to save us with a better idea?"

Eustace (snapping back): "Ford! F! Cars, Lucy! Solid steel and engines that roar. People don’t trust fairytales, but they do trust trucks. The F-150 has been selling like hotcakes for decades!"

Edmund (rolling his eyes): "Except Ford’s earnings per share dropped to 22 pence, and their income fell short of expectations—down to £900 million from £1.2 billion. That’s not exactly the stuff of heroic ballads, Eustace."

Eustace (turning red): "You’re both missing the point. Machines, wheels—things you can see and touch. Not potions and whispers!"

Lucy (tilting her head thoughtfully): "Oh, for goodness’ sake, Eustace. Even Aslan didn’t expect us to stay in one place forever. The world is changing, and maybe we need to change with it."

Edmund (grinning): "Besides, Eustace, if Ford’s so grand, why don’t you ask Aunt Alberta to pawn her pearls and buy you shares?"

Eustace (fuming): "You’ll both be eating your hats when I’m rolling about in dividends and driving a new Ford!"

Eustace storms out, slamming the door. The siblings exchange an amused glance.

Lucy (laughing quietly): "I almost feel sorry for him. Almost."

Edmund (smirking as he picks up the pen): "If we’re wrong, we can always ask him for a lift."

The rain picks up outside as the siblings return to their papers, their plans tempered by logic but still tinged with adventure.