Here's what Gemini said about v-carve inlays using some popular software!

dkj4linux · July 1, 2025, 4:10pm

More and more, I find myself talking to a pretty smart (most of the time) fellow named Gemini… mostly asking questions about subjects of hobby interests. More often or not, I’m surprised the level of detail he answers with and, at least on the surface (first glance), seems reasonable… maybe even accurate.

Recently I’ve been interested in V-carve inlays. I’ve watched a ton of YT videos on the subject and found it somewhat confusing because the presenters usually present great information but are using different programs to do it – V-CarvePro12 (VC12), CarbideCreate6 (CC6), and F-Engrave, etc. I really like the information presented in the VC12 videos (especially those from Cutting It Close and IDC Woodworking) but CC6 and F-Engrave are the programs I want to use because I’m… well, cheap. Largely, it’s the differences in terminology and programmatic approach between the programs that is the source of most of my confusion… the rest of the confusion is due to old age .

So, just this morning, I asked Gemini…

CNC programs V-Carve Pro 12, Carbide Create 6, and F-Engrave can all be used to do inlays. Can you explain the differences in the settings and terminology if I want to do an inlay 6mm max depth, with a glue gap of 1mm and surface gap of 1mm?

Gemini answered… and blew me away with it’s response:

You’re diving into a great application of V-carving! Inlays can produce stunning results. The key difference between these programs for inlays lies in their user interface, specific terminology, and how automated the process is. They all rely on the same underlying geometric principles of V-carving.

Let’s break down the settings for a 6mm max depth, with a 1mm glue gap and a 1mm surface gap, across V-Carve Pro 12, Carbide Create 6, and F-Engrave.

Common V-Carve Inlay Principles:

Before we get into specifics, understand these concepts:

V-bit: A V-shaped carving bit is essential for inlays. The angle (e.g., 60-degree, 90-degree) determines the slope of the walls.
Female Part (Pocket/Cavity): This is the main piece of material where the inlay will sit. It’s usually cut with a V-carve toolpath, often with a flat endmill for clearing out the bottom (pocketing).
Male Part (Plug/Insert): This is the piece that will be inserted into the female part. It’s also cut with a V-carve toolpath, but the geometry is typically mirrored and often has a “start depth” or “offset” to create the necessary gaps.
Glue Gap: This is the space at the bottom of the male plug when it’s seated in the female pocket. It’s crucial for glue squeeze-out and to ensure the sloped walls of the inlay make full contact without bottoming out.
Surface Gap (or Overcut/Start Depth for Male): This relates to how much material you leave above the “true” fit line. When you put the male into the female, you don’t want it perfectly flush right away. You want a small amount of the male material to protrude so you can sand/plane it down flush after gluing, ensuring a seamless fit and removing any fuzz or imperfections. This is usually achieved by either a “start depth” on the male cut or an “overcut” setting.

1. V-Carve Pro 12

V-Carve Pro has a dedicated and highly capable V-Carve Inlay Toolpath feature, which automates much of the math.

Terminology:
- Female: The Pocket
- Male: The Plug
Settings for your inlay (6mm max depth, 1mm glue gap, 1mm surface gap):
- Female (Pocket) Toolpath:
  - Toolpath Type: VCarve/Engraving Toolpath (or VCarve / Advanced VCarve for more control over flat bottom)
  - Start Depth: 0 mm (or top of material)
  - Flat Depth: This is effectively your maximum depth for the inlay. Set this to 6mm.
  - Clearance Tool: You’ll likely use a smaller flat endmill (e.g., 3mm or 6mm) for area clearing to remove the bulk of the material, leaving the V-bit to do the detailed shaping.
  - V-Bit: Select your V-bit (e.g., 60-degree, 90-degree).
  - Important Note: V-Carve Pro’s V-Carve Inlay tool automatically adjusts the pocket depth based on the plug settings. You generally set the desired “Flat Depth” for the pocket, and the software ensures the male plug will seat correctly.
- Male (Plug) Toolpath:
  - Toolpath Type: VCarve Inlay Toolpath (This is a specific option in V-Carve Pro’s toolpath menu).
  - When you select your vector(s) for the male part and choose “VCarve Inlay Toolpath,” a dedicated dialog will appear.
  - Gap Settings: This is where you define your “glue gap” and manage the “surface gap.”
    - Glue Gap / Bottom Gap: This directly corresponds to your 1mm glue gap. This setting ensures there’s 1mm of space at the bottom of the male plug when fully inserted, preventing it from bottoming out and allowing glue to escape.
    - Recess / Male Start Depth / “Material to Remove”: This is often how the surface gap is handled. V-Carve Pro typically calculates the male plug’s start depth automatically to achieve a good fit. To achieve your 1mm surface gap, you want the male plug to protrude by at least 1mm when it’s fully seated to allow for sanding. In V-Carve Pro, this is typically managed by ensuring the V-Carve Inlay toolpath calculates an appropriate “Start Depth” for the male part. If you set the “Glue Gap” to 1mm, and your “Flat Depth” for the Female is 6mm, the software calculates the necessary male cut. You’d typically cut the male part from stock thicker than the inlay’s effective depth to ensure enough material to sand down.
Workflow:
1. Design your vectors for the inlay.
2. Create the Female (Pocket) toolpath using VCarve/Engraving, setting your Flat Depth to 6mm. Use a clearance tool as needed.
3. Create the Male (Plug) toolpath. Select the same vectors (or a mirrored copy if your design is asymmetrical and you’re cutting from the top of the male stock), choose “VCarve Inlay Toolpath,” and input your Glue Gap as 1mm. V-Carve Pro handles the mirroring and offsets automatically when using the “VCarve Inlay Toolpath.”
4. Cut the female, then cut the male (from thicker stock). After gluing, sand the male flush.

2. Carbide Create 6

Carbide Create (especially Pro) has improved inlay features, but it’s often a more manual process of setting offsets and start depths compared to V-Carve Pro’s dedicated inlay tool.

Terminology:
- Female: Pocket
- Male: Plug
- Inlay Mode: A specific setting for the male plug toolpath in Advanced V-Carve.
- Bottom Gap: Their term for “glue gap.”
Settings for your inlay (6mm max depth, 1mm glue gap, 1mm surface gap):
- Female (Pocket) Toolpath:
  - Toolpath Type: Advanced VCarve
  - Start Depth: 0 mm
  - Max Depth (or “Flat Depth”): Set this to 6mm.
  - Clearance Tool: Yes, use a flat endmill to clear out the bulk.
  - V-Bit: Select your V-bit.
- Male (Plug) Toolpath:
  - Important: You need to mirror your male plug vectors (if not symmetrical) before creating the toolpath, as it’s typically cut from the backside or flipped.
  - Toolpath Type: Advanced VCarve
  - Start Depth: This is crucial for your glue gap. To achieve a 1mm glue gap at a max depth of 6mm, your male plug’s V-carve should start at 1mm from the bottom of the female pocket when they are mated. So, if your total pocket depth is 6mm, your male toolpath’s Start Depth should be (Total Depth - Glue Gap) = 6mm - 1mm = 5mm.
  - Max Depth: This will be the same as your female pocket’s max depth, 6mm.
  - Enable “Inlay Mode”: This checkbox (usually under the Advanced VCarve settings) is what tells Carbide Create to offset the male vectors inwards to create the proper V-carve geometry for the plug.
  - “Bottom Gap” (or Inlay Gap): In some versions/discussions, Carbide Create might have a direct “Bottom Gap” setting within the “Inlay Mode.” If it does, this directly controls your 1mm glue gap. If not, you use the Start Depth as described above. The latest versions of Carbide Create do have a “Bottom Gap” setting in the Inlay Mode, which directly correlates to your 1mm glue gap. This makes it much easier.
  - Surface Gap (Managing protrusion): Carbide Create doesn’t typically have a direct “surface gap” setting. You manage this by ensuring the male stock is thick enough. You’ll cut the male plug from material that’s at least (6mm + 1mm for sanding + any fixturing space) thick. After the cut, the male plug will likely protrude from the female pocket, and you’ll sand it flush.
Workflow:
1. Design your vectors.
2. Duplicate your vectors. For the male part, mirror the duplicated vectors horizontally or vertically depending on your stock setup.
3. Create the Female (Pocket) Advanced VCarve toolpath with Start Depth 0mm and Max Depth 6mm.
4. Create the Male (Plug) Advanced VCarve toolpath for the mirrored vectors. Set Max Depth to 6mm. Crucially, enable “Inlay Mode” and set the Bottom Gap to 1mm.
5. Cut the female, then the male, then glue and sand.

3. F-Engrave

F-Engrave is a free, open-source program primarily focused on V-carving and engraving. It’s powerful but has a more utilitarian interface and might require a deeper understanding of the V-carve geometry.

Terminology:
- Female: Standard V-carve
- Male: Prismatic (a setting/mode for the male plug)
- Prismatic Overcut: This is a key setting for managing the gap/fit of the male plug.
- Cut Depth Limit: Max depth of cut.
Settings for your inlay (6mm max depth, 1mm glue gap, 1mm surface gap):
- Units: Make sure to set units to millimeters (mm) in F-Engrave’s Settings → General menu.
- V-bit Angle: Enter the angle of your V-bit (e.g., 60 or 90 degrees).
- Female (Pocket) Toolpath:
  - Load your DXF/SVG or type your text.
  - V-Carve checkbox: Ensure this is checked.
  - Cut Depth Limit: Set this to 6mm (or slightly more than 6mm if you want to ensure cleanup below the intended inlay depth). F-Engrave often uses negative values for depth, so you might enter -6.0.
  - Cleanup Operations: You can use a smaller endmill for Cleanup Cut Diameter to clear the flat bottom.
- Male (Plug) Toolpath:
  - Load the same DXF/SVG or text.
  - Prismatic checkbox: Crucially, enable this. This tells F-Engrave to create the inverted V-carve necessary for the male plug.
  - Cut Depth Limit: Set this to 6mm (or slightly more to ensure the male is deep enough). Again, might be -6.0.
  - Prismatic Overcut: This is your primary control for the glue gap and also implicitly affects the “surface gap.” This value effectively shifts the male V-carve upwards, creating space.
    - To get a 1mm glue gap, you’ll typically set a Prismatic Overcut that, combined with the V-bit angle, results in the desired 1mm gap at the bottom when the male is seated. This often requires some trial and error or a bit of trigonometry, as it’s not a direct “glue gap” setting like in V-Carve Pro or newer Carbide Create.
    - A common strategy is to set Prismatic Overcut to a value that provides the desired fit. For a 1mm glue gap and 1mm surface gap, you’ll need the male plug to be 6mm - 1mm (glue) = 5mm deep where it meets the female walls, plus a bit more to ensure protrusion for sanding.
    - A good starting point for Prismatic Overcut (to achieve a glue gap) is often calculated as (Glue Gap) / tan(V-bit Angle / 2).
      - For a 60-degree V-bit: 1mm / tan(30 degrees) = 1mm / 0.577 = 1.73mm (approximately). So, set Prismatic Overcut to around 1.73mm.
      - For a 90-degree V-bit: 1mm / tan(45 degrees) = 1mm / 1 = 1mm. So, set Prismatic Overcut to around 1mm.
    - This Prismatic Overcut also contributes to how much the male plug protrudes (your surface gap). You want it to protrude by at least your 1mm surface gap. If your Cut Depth Limit for both male and female is 6mm, and your Prismatic Overcut creates a 1mm glue gap, the male part will inherently extend beyond the original surface of the female, allowing for sanding.
  - Cleanup Operations: Can also be used here.
Workflow:
1. Open F-Engrave, set units to mm.
2. For the Female (Pocket):
- Load your design.
- Check V-Carve.
- Set Cut Depth Limit to -6.0mm.
- Set up Cleanup Cut Diameter if desired.
- Calculate V-carve and Save G-code.
1. For the Male (Plug):
- Load the same design.
- Check V-Carve.
- Check Prismatic.
- Set Cut Depth Limit to -6.0mm.
- Set Prismatic Overcut based on your V-bit angle (e.g., 1.73mm for 60-degree, 1mm for 90-degree) to achieve your 1mm glue gap.
- Calculate V-carve and Save G-code.
1. Cut the female, then the male (from suitably thick stock), then glue and sand.

Summary Table for your settings:

Setting	V-Carve Pro 12	Carbide Create 6	F-Engrave
Female (Pocket)
Terminology	Pocket / Female	Pocket / Female	V-carve (standard)
Max Depth (6mm)	`Flat Depth`: 6mm	`Max Depth`: 6mm	`Cut Depth Limit`: -6.0mm
Male (Plug)
Terminology	Plug / Male (VCarve Inlay Toolpath)	Plug / Male (Advanced VCarve + Inlay Mode)	Prismatic
Mirroring (of vector)	Handled automatically by Inlay Toolpath	Required to manually mirror vectors before toolpath	No explicit mirroring, geometry is internally inverted for prismatic
Glue Gap (1mm)	`Glue Gap` (direct setting): 1mm	`Bottom Gap` (in Inlay Mode): 1mm	`Prismatic Overcut`: (e.g., ~1.73mm for 60° bit, ~1mm for 90° bit - derived from desired 1mm glue gap)
Surface Gap (1mm)	Managed by `Glue Gap` and Male `Start Depth` (calculated by software) and ensuring thick enough stock	Managed by `Bottom Gap` and ensuring thick enough stock	Managed by `Prismatic Overcut` and ensuring thick enough stock
Final Depth	`Flat Depth`: 6mm	`Max Depth`: 6mm	`Cut Depth Limit`: -6.0mm

Export to Sheets

Important Considerations for all programs:

V-bit Angle: Use the exact same V-bit for both the male and female parts. Any difference will result in a poor fit.
Material Thickness: For the male plug, always start with material thicker than your target 6mm maximum depth. This allows for the protrusion that becomes your “surface gap” and gives you material to sand/plane flush after gluing.
Z-Zero Consistency: Consistency in setting your Z-zero (top of material vs. machine bed) is paramount for both parts. Any deviation will directly affect the fit.
Test Cuts: Always perform test cuts on scrap material first, especially when dialing in the Prismatic Overcut in F-Engrave or if you’re new to inlays in any software.
Clamping: Ensure firm, even clamping when gluing the inlay.
Bit Runout: Minimal bit runout is essential for tight fits. A wobbly bit will cause gaps.

Each program offers a viable path to creating inlays, but V-Carve Pro streamlines the process with its dedicated inlay tool. Carbide Create has made significant strides in simplifying inlays with its “Inlay Mode.” F-Engrave is a powerful free alternative, but it demands a slightly deeper understanding of the geometric principles behind the Prismatic Overcut to achieve precise fits.

======================= Me again! ================================
That’s tons of detail that appears on a cursory glance to be quite reasonable… judging from what I’ve already gleaned from my own research. And all in mere seconds… just for the asking. I later gave the same v-carve inlay parameters to Gemini, asking how I would go about it in Estlcam… and again got a very informative response.

I’d never have been able to gather and collate that much information on my own… regardless of how long I researched it. Gemini seems pretty smart… and I won’t hesitate to ask it techical questions in the future. I’m old – and easily impressed by this new-fangled AI stuff… but it’s probably old hat to you younger guys. I’m beginning to wonder… could Gemini be my new BFF?

Tokoloshe · July 1, 2025, 4:31pm

Seems good, but I am pretty sure prismatic overcut does not add a glue gap at the bottom, that’s why I went away from F-engrave. It just adds the gap at the top. I might be wrong though.

MakerJim · July 1, 2025, 9:23pm

Herein lies the big difference.

Humans assess a confidence element by element of knowledge.

AI presently doesn’t have a way to state confidence, so instead it presents everything as correct even though it isn’t.

So, taking that wealth of output and overlaying which parts are correct and which parts are crap is the approach to getting good usable results from an AI.

dkj4linux · July 1, 2025, 10:56pm

It’s my understanding that the prismatic overcut in F-Engrave creates an offset that enlarges the inlay part so that it doesn’t bottom out in the pocket part … leaving the glue gap; i.e. 1 mm.

Gemini suggests setting this “prismatic overcut” is a “strategic setting” that can be used to leave both glue and surface gaps. I don’t quite understand what the “prismatic overcut” actually is but, using the screenshot above, I get the idea of a needed offset (why not 0.577mm?) of the bit for cutting the inlay part and see where some of the numbers come from…

A common strategy is to set Prismatic Overcut to a value that provides the desired fit. For a 1mm glue gap and 1mm surface gap, you’ll need the male plug to be 6mm - 1mm (glue) = 5mm deep where it meets the female walls, plus a bit more to ensure protrusion for sanding.
A good starting point for Prismatic Overcut (to achieve a glue gap) is often calculated as (Glue Gap) / tan(V-bit Angle / 2).
For a 60-degree V-bit: 1mm / tan(30 degrees) = 1mm / 0.577 = 1.73mm (approximately). So, set Prismatic Overcut to around 1.73mm.
For a 90-degree V-bit: 1mm / tan(45 degrees) = 1mm / 1 = 1mm. So, set Prismatic Overcut to around 1mm.
This Prismatic Overcut also contributes to how much the male plug protrudes (your surface gap). You want it to protrude by at least your 1mm surface gap. If your Cut Depth Limit for both male and female is 6mm, and your Prismatic Overcut creates a 1mm glue gap, the male part will inherently extend beyond the original surface of the female, allowing for sanding.

I haven’t actually cut an inlay yet using this… but I’m gonna try it with my next attempt.

Tokoloshe · July 2, 2025, 5:51am

Yes, and it does produce the surface gap, but not the glue gap as far as I know.

ttraband · July 2, 2025, 4:39pm

Trusted resource for consolidating text from various sites? Absolutely.

Friend? Requires levels of empathy and compassion that I don’t trust a large language model to grok.

RockinRiley · July 2, 2025, 5:14pm

Dannnngggggg! That is awesome!

RockinRiley · July 2, 2025, 5:16pm

Agree!

aka, for me, I do not trust AI, it works, but I do not trust it.

azab2c · July 2, 2025, 5:49pm

Short: Yep.

Long:
To me, AI isn’t just sucking up all the content on the web (usually without fairly compensating the original creators), it’s also hoarding GPUs and burning through massive amounts of power. That said, at least AI provides real utility—unlike crypto mining.

LLMs and other AI tools basically extend our time and multiply our impact, especially when it comes to common questions or tasks. Most answers are probably right, but still worth double-checking. Tools like ChatGPT (and maybe others?) let you tweak the response style or “persona”—so instead of the default confident cheerleader mode, you can switch it to something more grounded. I prefer an “objective coach” vibe that’s upfront about uncertainty and better at maximizing personal growth, rather than the default over ego stroking model optimized to maximize engagement/usage.

AI goes way beyond fancy search. Based on prior chats and context, these assistants can actually help with introspection, idea generation, or other tasks that regular web search just doesn’t handle well. Here’s a quick example of that from a recent AI BFF attributes evaluation.

AI has been evolving fast—almost exponentially over the past few years. Tech CEOs love to say it’s just getting started and that the pace will only accelerate. Personally, I’m not 100% sold on that level of hype. But I’m fully convinced companies will start laying off people anyway, even if the AI turns out to be mediocre.

(this response was created with AI help )

dkj4linux · July 2, 2025, 6:30pm

I certainly wouldn’t ask philosophical or ideological questions of Gemini… but it does appear that technical questions, supported by facts (software package terminology/programmatic comparisons, etc.), are fair game. It’s the incredibly rapid gathering and collation of massive amounts of data that astounds me.

So, not a BFF obviously… it’s more like talking with a knowledgeable technical colleague.

I actually had what I would consider a fun “brainstorming session” yesterday about using tapered ballnose bits in v-carve inlay. It moved from Gemini giving me a highly technical and detailed explanation as to why it wouldn’t work because F-Engrave’s internal “prismatic”/inlay logic wouldn’t handle V-bits vs tapered-ballnose bits precisely the same, that the tapered walls are not truly flat, the finished product is not “structurally sound”, etc… to me explaining that “close enough”, “charming”, “handcrafted look/feel” and “cosmetic defects” might actually be allowable and preferred more than absolute theoretical precision and structural soundness. Finally, I suggested ditching the use of F-Engrave altogether and talking about how we might manually do the math and figure some starting offsets and cut depths that might be “close enough”, that with trial and error and sufficient clamping pressure on an imperfect/inconsistent material such as wood and with glue and sawdust to hide small imperfections/defects… it might actually lend “charm” and a “handcrafted look and feel” to an otherwise machined product.

It was fun primarily because Gemini actually took all my weird suggestions in stride, made the pivot, and actually “tried” to be helpful… unlike some real colleagues I’ve known and worked with, without becoming impatient or angry.

I composed this without AI help.

– David

jeffeb3 · July 5, 2025, 2:33pm

This is really the main issue I have with it as a user. How can I tell what is factual and what is hallucinations? Or even if it is getting info from somewhere, how can I tell that original source isn’t biased or just ignorant?

Some other printed cnc machine companies have posted a lot of dumb claims comparing V1 that have probably been repeated on social media and forums. What if you ask AI to compare V1 to these companies? What will it tell you?

IMHO, I have found it very good at delivering general information in non controversial areas. Things like, “How can I sort an array in Python?” Is going to be a useable answer. But where it has trouble is where anyone has trouble. In things that are controversial or things that are highly technical (or near current research) are going to be wrong and you won’t see where that line is.

I didn’t read that whole response either. My guess is it is 95% correct. But how can you tell what 5% is wrong? Or is it 0% wrong or 10% wrong? We’re pretty used to getting accurate results from computers. So we need to be consciously biased against the accuracy of AI responses. Treat it like someone gabbing on the forum who may or may not have more experience than you.

dkj4linux · July 5, 2025, 4:16pm

Jeff, in this thread everybody has stated a level of “don’t trust, need to verify” and the need to stay away from subjects that, as you say, are “controversial”. I agree and, as I said in a later post, I certainly wouldn’t ask it philosophical or ideological questions… there are indeed subjects that I think most here would consider taboo.

But here I gave it a simple test case and asked it to explain the differences in the settings and terminology between three established, well known, software products. I had already watched tons of YT videos and read tutorials and the two “freebies” I have actually downloaded and played with a bit. So, Gemini gathered and collated that massive amount of detailed information in mere seconds – and based on what I already researched and had some familiarity with – I felt comfortable saying later in that same post…

I wasn’t asking it to “shape my thinking”… I’m was asking it to compare ways to do a specific job. I’d never have been able to gather and collate that much information on my own… regardless of how long I researched it. And now, given that information, I’m confident that I can now go verify the settings I might use in CC6 and F-Engrave and Estlcam… and maybe see results that help me make a more informed decision as to which I might prefer to use when doing v-carve inlays.

AI is “scary” in many ways (as most truly powerful things can be…) but, if we use it judiciously, it can be a pretty useful tool IMO. I really did enjoy a later “brainstorming session” about using tapered ballnose bits vs. v-bits for v-carve inlays… and seeing Gemini first tell me it can’t be done for purely “technical” reasons (precision, structural soundness, etc.) and then pivot to a willingness to try to help manually formulate some starting offsets and depths that might allow for “close enough” and possible minor defects that might actually lend “charm” and a “handcrafted look and feel” to an otherwise machined product. I liked the “conversational” feel to the exchange… it was more like speaking to an incredibly well-informed, infinitely-patient, technical colleague, who never got angry regardless of how “off the wall” my suggestions or questions.

– David

Bartman · July 5, 2025, 5:18pm

This article is from the Internet, so who knows whether it is real or not, but it shows that OpenAI performed a benchmark accuracy test on its AI models, and found that it only had a 42.7% success rate.

Kind of sobering, if real…

MakerJim · July 5, 2025, 5:29pm

Well, for sobering counterpoints… consider how many folks seem to believe that vaccines are bad (or cause autism). LLMs reflect mathematically the training they’ve received, and as is universally true in all kinds of education: Garbage in, garbage out.

The key is to teach (and apply) critical thinking, whether dealing with an LLM output or some wackadoo personal belief.

jeffeb3 · July 5, 2025, 8:37pm

This is precisely my point. It’s really good at the broad view of things and looking real.

I think we’re on the same page here. It needs to be treated with skepticism. It also can be useful at forming thoughts into cohesive text (I would probably get more of my point across if I let it rewrite it for you). It works better when the answer is obvious. It can be a very useful tool when you know very little about a well known subject.

For example, I am an amateur at lawn care and gardening in general. I feel pretty good about asking it for help caring for trees or grass. If I called 10 nursery’s and asked some of my questions. I bet I would consensus on answers because what I’m asking for is pretty basic common knowledge. It is a great choice for asking gemini.

But when I ask about real time SLAM approaches using lidar and unsynchronized IMU data, the results are going to be garbage. There are a handful of people in Colorado that could answer these queries for me and they wouldn’t be confident because it is an unsolved problem. The result from the AI would have worse accuracy and be way over confident. I’m fine with that because I am an expert on the subject and I can see when it is garbage. But my manager isn’t. If they ask it and then expect to replace me with this robot, they are in for a world of hurt.

azab2c · July 5, 2025, 8:48pm

How would you rate ChatGPT - Real-time LiDAR SLAM IMU response, from 1 to 10 ?

Maybe. As someone usually paid to put semi-colons in the right place, am biased towards wanting to see an outcome where displaced Devs use being let go as an opportunity to pivot and amplify their output in ways a non technical person cannot, because non techs struggle with precisely considering and specing context/details, or know code staring them in the face, let alone debug their way to functional code, or out of a local maxima that the LLM led them. Again, that’s my bias…

Am concerned for the many (blue/white/green/brown/other collar workers experiencing, and will experience, job disruption because the less than perfect outcomes from AI will be considered good enough for quarterly earnings… Look at call center software, especially for insurance/finance of any kind… I rarely have a great experience using those, yet company leadership seem cool with the balance of Customer satisfaction hit versus cost savings by AI’ficating everything.

dkj4linux · July 5, 2025, 9:01pm

Okay, Jeff… I agree. I think most of us are all on the same page and most of us from the beginning of this thread have been on that same page. This AI discussion has been around for a while and it seemed to me that most of us had already pretty much arrived at this same skeptical conclusion.

I started the thread because I asked about a pretty non-controversial subject, that I had already researched a bit, and Gemini provided a lot of detailed information that seemed relevant and helpful to me. I was impressed enough to share… and felt that others might find it helpful to ask AI about similar subjects of interest to folks here.

I really don’t care to get into a big discussion on the dangers of AI and hypothetical subjects we can already guess that AI is gonna give us a load of crap and misinformation about. There’s other places I’m sure where that discussion is going on right now… and will be going on for years to come.

I’ll retitle this thread “Here’s what Gemini said about v-carve inlays using some popular software”.

dkj4linux · July 5, 2025, 9:53pm

Ya’ know? I realize now that I’ve inadvertently tread on a sensitive matter here… and I want to apologize. Where my recreational use of AI, as a long-retired person, may be considered a novelty… I gather that to many of you, still in the workforce, it’s quite possibly a threat. I didn’t mean to be insensitive or bring up such a controversial subject. Please forgive.

If I can figure out how… I’ll close this thread. If I can’t… maybe one of you guys can help me?

– David

Tokoloshe · July 5, 2025, 10:32pm

Heh, no worries David. As a teacher I have to deal with AI more than I would like to. I think the way you used it is good for a general overview. When I was a student teachers would tell us Wikipedia was the devil and to not use it. It was new.
Wikipedia is great for an overview, and then you go to the sources and get those books, read those websites. Same goes for AI. It can give you great input, but you are going to have to work with it and not take it at face value.
We have a lesson in Philosophy class where we talk about fake news. We generate articles about our school that are complete and utter bullshit and the students will eat them up. Make sure you sprinkle in some random names, have some fake statistics and compare it to other schools in Oldenburg and you are good to go.
Also, you will notice students who summarized the text with AI because they don’t have a clue what it’s about. They basically read the summary but the summary, especially in Philosophy, does not help you with the line of argument though.
I also use AI if I want to reassure myself about things I know. When my students had to write a test about the play within a play in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and compare it to Romeo and Juliet’s ending I asked the AI about similarities and differences. I had a good idea what I expected and wanted to double check whether that was in the text by asking AI to analyse it that way.
So David, no worries. I think what you did was perfectly fine to get an overview over the products.

dkj4linux · July 5, 2025, 10:59pm

Thanks, Philipp. No AI in my day… everything I worked on in industry was hardwired smart.

Speaking of smart… I couldn’t find a way to close this thread.