Can artificial intelligence lie to you?

One of our owners recently shared with me another article about our dog breed.

Basically, the entire article was false or misleading. They had no real pictures of our dogs and every paragraph was riddled with advertising and click bait.

Here is an overview of the “facts” they present about the breed:

The information was so bad, as most of these types of articles are about our breed, that I wondered if AI had written the content based on a collective Internet search for “the truth”.

Because… we all know what is posted on the Internet is always correct, right? HA!

To top it all off, the article claimed to have been “fact checked” by themselves… haha. So funny.

Here’s a little-known fact about the breed… so unknown, in fact, that I didn’t even know about it:

“Since this breed is barely three decades old, American Alsatians still have health issues that they inherited from their parent breeds – German Shepherds and Alaskan Malamutes. One of the biggest health issues that these dogs often suffer from include hip and elbow dysplasia. This condition causes the hip bones to form improperly, causing pain.

“These dogs have sometimes experienced epilepsy, like one of the original pups from the breed. However, they are at no higher risk for this condition than other breeds.”

FACT: Hip and elbow dysplasia are so low in this breed, we literally have less than 1% reported incidence rate for hip dysplasia and less than .5% reported incidence rate for elbow dysplasia over the last 10 years.

I don’t know if the above article was written by AI, but it sure has some wrong information copied from other wrong information.

Being curious what an actual AI would write about the breed, I traveled over to the open AI chat website to find out.

Here is what it researched and wrote literally in less than five seconds:

“The American Dirus dog is a breed that was recently developed in the United States. This breed is known for its strength, agility, and intelligence, and it has become a popular choice among dog enthusiasts. The name "dirus" is derived from the Latin word meaning ‘fearsome,’ which accurately describes the American Dirus dog's personality.

“The American Dirus dog is a large breed, typically weighing between 70 and 120 pounds and standing between 24 and 30 inches tall. It has a muscular build and a short, dense coat that can come in a variety of colors, including black, brindle, fawn, and blue. This breed is also known for its distinctive facial features, which include a broad head, strong jaw, and piercing eyes.

“One of the most notable traits of the American Dirus dog is its intelligence. This breed is highly trainable and responds well to positive reinforcement methods. It is also known for its high energy level and loves to stay active. American Dirus dogs thrive on exercise and require plenty of physical activity to stay healthy and happy.

“The American Dirus dog is also a loyal and protective breed, making it an excellent choice for families or individuals looking for a faithful companion. This breed is naturally cautious of strangers, and it will not hesitate to protect its owners if it perceives a threat.

“While the American Dirus dog is a relatively new breed, it has quickly gained popularity in the United States and beyond. However, potential owners should note that this breed requires a significant amount of time and attention, as well as regular exercise and training. With proper care and attention, the American Dirus dog can be a wonderful addition to any household.”

Wait… what?

Known for its high energy level?

Loves to stay active?

HAHA!!

FACT: American Dirus dogs are calm in nature, although not lazy. They do NOT require a lot of exercise. Although I am sure many may enjoy being with you doing fun activities, in general, our dogs do not like repetitious, mindless play such as playing fetch.

Well, there you have it, folks!

While not 100% accurate, when a collective Internet artificial intelligence writing robot writes better than the mostly wrong and badly written content being posted on sites littered with advertising and click bait, we might be in a bit of trouble.

Just remember.

Go to the source.

Don’t believe everything you read.

AI is likely here to stay and probably going to become more and more popular.

We should learn about it and understand its limitations.

But, know this… it will never replace the complexity of our amazing human minds.

If you want to learn the actual facts of the breed from the source, pick up the Dire Wolf Project book. Read about the reasons behind the breed and learn all about the breeding goals established by the founder, Lois Schwarz.

Just remember, this book might not be your cup of tea if you get bogged down by scientific reasoning. While the stories embedded within each chapter break things up, the extensive research does get pretty dense at times.

Here is the link to get a copy for yourself:

https://www.amazon.com/Dire-Wolf-Project-Creating-Extraordinary/dp/1950333019

Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.