1232. AI Lesson 1

 I have been using AI (Copilot) for over a month now on projects I have. It is time to review AI:

Latest project: Repair improperly installed shower drain

Details or project: Built-in tile shower drain was installed in a 4/14" hole. The strainer (Grate) was not at floor level, but approximately 3/4" below it. A second shower was installed correctly at floor level. So, how do you redesign the installation to get it at floor level instead of the current recessed one that harbors filth and requires you to step around it?

It became apparent that the grate was NOT installed to the upmost part of a drain system (barrel) and instead jerry-rigged to install to the middle part of the system (clamping ring). Why? Because it's barrel was longer than 3/4 inches and no barrels were available from any drain that was 3/4 inches max. Hence, just bugger up the thread on the middle section to disallow a replacement in the first place and use sheet metal screws to hold grate there when its 1/4-40 machine screws (standard) should have been used.

I asked AI and it answered order the original product model number and replace the barrel with the adjustable barrel. Well, first its adjustable barrel might go up and down as desired, but its minimum adjustment was still not satisfactory to meet the requirements I gave it. Not knowing that initially a struck out and asked AI to find it. AI will always take a positive route despite none being available! It could NOT find it and suggested replacing just the barrel from another model for the 2" PVS pipe connection. Well, that was hopeless and AI hovered in a corner sweating. Then indicated model (call it #2) replaces the original (call it model #1) and just order it. Well, Model #2 was not designed the same and NOT compatible with Model #1 design. It obviously ignored that it would fit in a 4 1/4" hole with it's Clamping unit's flange of 5 1/2".  

Now I'm not lying in that I used AI over 4-5 hours already chasing an impossible solution. All it did was repeat what I told him and relisted the requirements and current status and incorrect responses it provided and why they didn't work. After another 4-5 hours playing it's game, I threw up my hands and told it quit leading me on. Note: Leading me own is how it always encouraged me and always apologized and then proceeded in it ridiculous alternatives. At one point it indicated that the grate that was attached 3/4 down the drain was really attached to something like tabs on an adjustable barrel to raise/lower it AND attached with same crews to hold grate. Now how could that happen! The grate was attached to the fixed top of the middle section, thus stuck there 3/4' down. With just two screws (each side of grate) it could be fixed there and moveable upward! I thought I had to prove my innocence as in a court! At one point he said four screw ere required, then backed down to two again. I had completely shot the floor out its idea. Kind of humorous, isn't it? But consider humor if life depended on it!

Well, it wasn't finished yet, but yielded to me and finally indicate nothing out there was available to repair it and proceeded with replacing the entire drain, meaning new hole > 4 1/4" (nothing existed in as small as the 1999 installation) . That's when I told it I wanted the jerry-rig a design to do what I want and considered just cementing a pipe, with now only 1 15/16" outside diameter into the middle clamping right section and cap it with a standoff grate. He "smiled" and said how ingenious I was and of course he could help me. Ha-Ha. Without any help from AI I told him a 1 1/2" PVC pipe had an outside diameter so close it was vey similar to the barrel size from the original product. I would install this into the clamping ring section and stick a standoff grate on it, but needed to know if there were any under 3/4" to 13/16" out there. "Sure, plenty" it wiggled out of the corner and stood up on it's podium again. Well within an hour I disproved that and it concurred! That design wouldn't work. Any other suggestions AI? None! Well how about I fabricate a piece of PVC 1/2" thick to cement onto the middle clamping section and attached the grate onto that.  Now he ONLY pictured a disc cut out of a PVC sheet with a bore hole for the water. The extent of this solution was rejection. That would have allowed only 1 1/2" diameter of the 4" grate from functioning. Whew! I was already into the second day of this nonsense. And I didn't even tell you about using a Heli-Coil kit to plug and recreate 1/4-20 machine screw threads that iit also imbedded into its discussion. By the way, would you not assumed that a Heli-Coil kit was a PLUMBING tool? Wrong. Try automotive. I won't get into that discussion yet. For now just keep in mid that it mentioned cutting from a PVC sheet - expensive unless a scrap. Which it in turn came up with more solutions intelligently suggesting using HDSE plastic instead. What are those. It could have led with plastic cutting boards. I found a $7.50 one 12" x 16" that I could cut 4" off and surrender the other 12 x 12 to my wife for the kitchen. But did I have a design for the piece to raise 3/4"? I put AI to sleep and designed a unit.

Yes. I took the existing grate and traced it onto paper. Then drew a circle just beyond the last grate holes, about 5/16" from it's circumference except for the two screw attachment holes that were more inward to allow a screw hole (Heli-Coil would be used after all to create 1/3-20 threaded holes). Did you ever try to fin those bugger screws somewhere? Forget it. Just get them from a new grate from Lowes and enjoy the sparkle of the new grate too over the cruddy old one that took punishment in it 3/4 recessed hole.

I immediately went to the shop, found a 1/2" piece of particle board and went at it. Took the outcome to the shower, dropped it and grate into hole and patted myself on the back. Perfect fit. Now all I need to do if cut a similar one out of the cutting board piece. The prototype wasn't a "finished" product and I knew I needed smaller jigsaw blade to make the cuts. AI did help me narrow down to them, but initially overbid its hand again and gave me a choice of 7. All but one/two would work in my jigsaw which he relented on. But, they are on order.

My purpose was not to lecture on the design of the unit I and building, but to point out that AI did NOT employ intelligence in designing solution. I only tried, and tried, etc. over and over possibilities that in all cases "now this will definitely work". A waste if you don't recognize its limitations. In other words this AI is NOT going to replace people! It already falls short of helping people! This AI will constantly lead you in circles generating tons of words and repeating itself forever and as I gave you example about stuck to its guns re the 3/4" grate attachment to both a fixed unit and a desired moveable one without realizing truth, facts. physics. This is at least the third project I fought my way through AI conversations to end up disappointed with how it performed. It is way to hung up on its repeating of facts and generation of fact lists the user tells it. I screamed constantly "I already know that, do you?" so often. Yet it ignored and plowed on with its agenda and foolishness. One must know its limitations. I would say they are NOT to provide you with the best solution, only one that may have been correct for someone else in the data it has available to it. If you quest to to design something, you aren't going to fin AI any more helpful in creating the design. It can research materials, similar part, etc which is useful, but, the design will have to one you create from all the smoke and mirrors thrown at you.

This is Lesson 1. I expect to become more focused in following lessons. Ha. I'll probably get AI to evaluate itself and generate a post to put here explaining it's capably, limitations, and warnings. I'd love to chat about other experiences. I started working with AI back in 1974.