HCI (Human Computer Interaction)


By leveraging AI-driven analytics, diplomats can gain deeper insights into complex geopolitical issues, identify potential area for cooperation, and optimize diplomatic strategies for greater efficacy.
[05] By Damián Tuset Varela

It is imperative for diplomats to adapt to the evolving technological landscape.

AI tools enhance the efficiency of information processing and provide strategic inside beyond traditional instruments.

AI techniques could assist and enhance decision-making processes which are often made with limited or incomplete information. Furthermore, the complex nature of diplomatic decision-making is influenced by deliberate misinformation (particularly on social media platform), data obfuscation and cultural differences.

However, the use of artificial intelligence must be seen as a tool, in which humans must always remain at the centre, to improve and make diplomacy and international relations more effective and efficient.

The following is an overview of the main tools made available by artificial intelligence applications, in particular generative intelligence.

With a view to continuous improvement and increased efficiency in any context, the use of generative artificial intelligence lends itself to be a supportive and complementary tool for making informed and conscious decisions in a short time.

As evidence of the importance and effectiveness of generative artificial intelligence, many major companies are investing in this technology. Besides ChatGPT there are other chatbots. Here are the main ones:

CHATGPT (chatgpt.com): it is the most famous chatbot and virtual assistant developed by OpenAI and launched on November 30, 2022.

MICROSOFT COPILOT (bing.com/chat): it is based on the same AI technology from OpenAI. It’s free to use and you don’t need to be signed in to use the service.

GOOGLE GEMINI (gemini.google.com): it replaced Bard.

CLAUDE (claude.ai): it is one of the more sophisticated rivals of ChatGPT. Claude has a usage limit, after half a dozen of requests it stops to return available in four hours’ time.

PERPLEXITY (perplexity.ai): it only gets five searches every four hours.

META (meta.ai): it can be only used in the US.


Besides ChatBOTs, there are other AI-based tools that offer specific capabilities non covered by players like ChatGPT. Here are a few examples

CANVA (canva.com): It is really good for designing posters, flyers, social media posts and the like.

NOTION (notion.so): It is a tool for creating to-do lists, taking notes o for creating personal journals. You can use it via web browser or by its mobile app.

OTTER (otter.ai): It is the best tool for transcribing meeting by video conference or in real life. Otter will listen in and transcribe the entire meeting, automatically a summary of meeting and not only. There are limits on free account. You can only record up to 300 minutes per month and up to 30 minutes in each meeting.

GAMMA (gamma.app): It is a tool to create unlimited presentations, websites, and more in seconds

LM STUDIO (lmstudio.ai): It runs an unlimited AI chatbot on your own computer rather than relying on cloud services. It is very similar to ChatGPT. It runs entirely on your device so you can even use it for sensitive tasks. It can check the Internet for up-to-date information or interacting with your files.

AI offers numerous opportunities for enhancing diplomatic efforts, fostering collaboration, and addressing global challenges in a more efficient and effective manner.” [05]

AI technologies will reshape traditional diplomatic practices.

[01] openai.com/news;

[02] theverge.com/ai;

[03] bensbites.beehiiv.com;

[04] grow.google/intl/uk;

[05] Damián Tuset Varela, Diplomacy in the Age of AI: Challenges and Opportunities, Journal of Artificial Intelligence General Science JAIGS Vol.2, Issue1, January 2024;

"Artificial Intelligence attempts to coax a machine, typically a computer, to behave in ways humans judge to be intelligent" John McCarthy (1927-2011)

"I think that there is a lot of fear about robots and artificial intelligence among some people, whereas I'm more afraid of natural stupidity" Eugenia Cheng

Created with Midjourney Bot#9282

Now we can talk with a “machine” using a natural language instead of using programming languages consisting of specific words to be written following a strict syntax and form.

We have a new paradigm in the HCI (Human Computer Interaction) with generative models and large language models.

We can interact with these AI Systems by using “prompt” mechanism, in which we have flexible inputs continued by equally flexible outputs.

In [01] this mechanism is called massive multimodal models.

In the following table a selection of different input/output modalities.

"Interaction with prompt-commanded AI is a different from other ways of interaction with machines" [01]. It has three important properties:

  • flexibility: using of text, code, images etc.;
  • generality: applicable to broad range of tasks;
  • originality: generate original content.

"Cognitive tools are external artifacts that are used to aid the psychological capacities of the human brain in completing a cognitive task" [01] They are used to reduce the cognitive work of human brain.

Massive multimodal models are cognitive tools or extenders they can be used for simple o complex interactions. The results depend on the skill and capacity of the user in exploiting these cognitive tools.

AI IMAGE SYNTHESIS: AI Text-to-Art Generator

It is the task where AI learns to understand a description in natural language and reproduce realistic image matching the description. It combines natural language processing (NLP) and computer vision (CV). In this text-to-image tasks NLP model is the encoder and an image synthesis model as the decoder.

Our society is becoming increasingly visual. Images are a very strong means of communication and in this Artificial Intelligence is a very powerful tool.

We can create incredible images (AI Text-to-Art Generator) using AI. Here are some websites where we can create image using AI:

  • www.bing.com/images/create: AI-powered Bing using its new feature Image Creator: “Powered by the very latest DALL∙E models from our partners at OpenAI, Bing Image Creator allows you to create an image simply by using your own words to describe the picture you want to see. Now users off the waitlist can generate both written and visual content in one place from within chat.”;
  • www.midjourney.com: you can access by discord.com account.
  • openai.com/dall-e-2: DALL·E 2 is an AI system that can create realistic images and art from a description in natural language. It is not free by default.
  • YOUIMAGINE from you.com: to magically transform your ideas into stunning visuals and one-of-a-kind graphics;
  • stable-diffusion-art.com: Stable Diffusion Art:
  • www.canva.com: MagicStudio By Canva allows to supercharge your work and designs with all power of AI.
  • www.imagine.art : "Create awe-inspiring masterpieces effortlessly and explore the endless possibilities of AI generated art". 
  • davinci.ai : Create AI art using only your words in just a few seconds!

AI-powered Bing’s Image Creator

More specific is the prompt better you obtain the image that you have in mind. Bing’s Image Creator recommends you format your prompts:

Adjective + Noun + Verb + Style.

Small fox running in the forest, digital art

Simple prompt description:

The centurion in the time of the Roman Empire: the backbone of the Roman army.

in Bing's Image Creator produce in output:

Complex prompt description

"[...] the centurions must be, not so much men who are bold and contemptuous of danger, as men who are able to command, tenacious and calm, who, moreover, do not move to attack when the situation is uncertain, nor throw themselves into the heat of battle, but on the contrary know how to resist even when pressed and defeated, and are ready to die on the battlefield." POLYBIUS, HISTORIES, VI, 24, 9

Produce:

MIDJOURNEY

Let's have a look to midjourney: an AI image generator prompt. A prompt is an input that guides a computer’s AI system in producing an art.

Prompts can range from a simple text description:

The centurion in the time of the Roman Empire: the backbone of the Roman army.

that produce:

to more complicated description that involve multiple parts coming together:

"[...] the centurions must be, not so much men who are bold and contemptuous of danger, as men who are able to command, tenacious and calm, who, moreover, do not move to attack when the situation is uncertain, nor throw themselves into the heat of battle, but on the contrary know how to resist even when pressed and defeated, and are ready to die on the battlefield." POLYBIUS, HISTORIES, VI, 24, 9

Produce:

In midjourney the syntax of the prompt in order to generate an image is the following:

/imagine < description text of the image >

What you put in the prompt is very important in order to define the picture that you would have be generated by midjourney.com.

You can ask :

a photo of ...txt...

a painting of ...txt...

you can decide the subject of the photo or painting:

  • animal;
  • person;
  • landscape;
  • object;
  • and so on

You can define which details you would like to add:

1) special environment: for example on a boat, in the forest,...

2) special lighting:

  • soft lighting,
  • ring lighting,
  • neon,
  • and son on

3) colour scheme;

4) point of view:

  • camera behind;
  • camera in the front of;
  • camera beside;

5) background:

  • solid colour;
  • a nebula;
  • a forest;
  • and so on.

6) atmosphere:

  • vibrant;
  • dark;
  • and so on.

You can add more information, for example the time of the day and so on.

As an image is 1000 words you can ask midjourney.com to generate an image by an uploaded image.

You can merge multiple images into one by using the blending process.

/blend <image1> <image2> ...

You can add additional text to enrich or modify the image.

You can ask also midjourney to get the prompt back (image captioning) using this command syntax:

/describe <image>

This means please describe this image for me.

You can use a negative prompting about you don't really want in the results, putting at the end of your prompt:

--no fog or dust

The you can use other commands:

--aspect 5:4 for aspect ratio

--ar 5:4

--chaos 100 or 90

You can stop the process at a determined percent in order to have an image at different stages.

--stop 50

Human-Computer Interaction but Human-Centred

Massive multimodal models are cognitive extenders and are distinct from autonomous AI systems because they are highly user-dependent.

[01] Wout Schellaert et al., Your Prompt is My Command, Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, 2023;

[02] Ronald T. Kneusel, How AI works, 2024;