Episode 24: AI Comparison

Episode 24: AI Comparison

Welcome to The Immersive Lens - the show where emerging tech meets creativity, education, and real-world impact. Hosted by Paul Engin (Professor of New Media) and Dave Ghidiu (Professor of Computer Science) at Finger Lakes Community College, this podcast dives into the technologies and creative innovations reshaping how we live, work, and learn - from AI and augmented reality to the future of media, design, and learning. In this episode of The Immersive Lens, Paul, Dave, and Jeff tackle LLM benchmarking. In this episode of The Immersive Lens, the crew dives deep into the rapidly evolving landscape of generative AI by conducting a series of real-time benchmark tests on leading large language models, including Google Gemini, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude, and Grok. The conversation kicks off with Dave sharing his deep-dive research methodology, which reveals how radically these tools differ when executing massive, multi-source literature syntheses. The team uses these insights to explore how foundational shifts in AI architecture are changing the way we interact with data, moving from simple text generation to proactive research agents. As the episode progresses, Paul, Dave, and Jeff put these bots through their paces with a gauntlet of complex logic puzzles, strict negative constraints, and historically inaccurate prompts. The resulting performance gaps highlight the stark contrast between models that prioritize accuracy versus those that default to confident hallucinations. Ultimately, the team concludes that while AI capabilities are accelerating at breakneck speeds, users must remain highly critical of the output, as even the most advanced models still struggle with basic boundaries and truth-telling. 🔗 Links & Resources: Claude Cowork by Anthropic - https://www.anthropic.com/product/claude-cowork [https://www.anthropic.com/product/claude-cowork] Codex is becoming a productivity tool for everyone - https://openai.com/index/codex-for-knowledge-work/ [https://openai.com/index/codex-for-knowledge-work/] Introducing TRIBE v2 - https://ai.meta.com/blog/tribe-v2-brain-predictive-foundation-model/ [https://ai.meta.com/blog/tribe-v2-brain-predictive-foundation-model/] NVIDIA DGX Spark - https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/products/workstations/dgx-spark/ [https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/products/workstations/dgx-spark/] Perplexity Computer - https://www.perplexity.ai/personal-computer [https://www.perplexity.ai/personal-computer] Wikipedia: Gadsby (novel) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadsby_(novel) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadsby_(novel)] Anthropic will pay xAI $1.25B per month for compute - https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/anthropic-will-pay-xai-1-25-billion-per-month-for-compute/ [https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/anthropic-will-pay-xai-1-25-billion-per-month-for-compute/] Mentions: @OpenAI @Google @AnthropicAI @X @Meta @Perplexity FLX AI Hub: http://www.flcc.eduhttps://www.flcc.edu/ai/ [https://www.flcc.edu/ai/] FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ [https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/] #LargeLanguageModels #ChatGPT #GoogleGemini #ClaudeAI #Grok #AIBenchmarks #TechHumor #SpatialReasoning #AIHallucinations #ChatbotShowdown #AI #EdTech #GenerativeAI #HigherEd #Podcast #FLCC #NewMedia #TechTrends  #TechHistory #TheImmersiveLens ✅ Subscribe so you never miss an episode—and share with a friend who loves tech, creativity, or the future of education. Recorded at Finger Lakes Community College in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes region. https://www.flcc.edu/ [https://www.flcc.edu/] https://www.theimmersivelens.com/ [https://www.theimmersivelens.com/] Stay curious. Stay connected. Thanks for looking through The Immersive Lens.

Episode 23: AI Summit Wrap-Up

In this episode of The Immersive Lens, hosts Paul and Dave talk with Debora as they debrief the second annual Community Convening. The landscape of artificial intelligence is evolving at breakneck speed, and staying ahead means understanding both the bleeding-edge models and how they are applied in local communities and classrooms. In this episode, the conversation centers around the recent AI Community Convening at Finger Lakes Community College, moving the discussion from basic chat interfaces to the highly anticipated era of agentic AI and on-device processing. It matters right now because local enterprises, educators, and the general public are moving past the initial shock of generative tech and are now eager to build practical, everyday applications to wear multiple hats more efficiently. Hosts Paul and Dave, alongside FLCC VP of Strategic Initiatives Debora Ortloff, share their unique perspectives from the ground floor of the event, highlighting the massive community engagement and the democratization of tech skills. The trio's final verdict suggests that next year will be defined by seamless AI integration, where visible interfaces begin to fade away in favor of background agents, offline local models, and wearable smart devices that execute tasks asynchronously. Second Annual Community Conveninghttps://www.flcc.edu/ai/annual-convening/ [https://www.flcc.edu/ai/annual-convening/] Jen O'Brienhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-obrien-futurist/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-obrien-futurist/] Katie Pullen  |  Owner  |  Katie Pullen: Allstate Insurancehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/katiehause/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiehause/] Sean Murray  |  Director of Product Management  |  ITXhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/seangmurray/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/seangmurray/] Dan Sharp  |  Senior Product Manager  |  ITXhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-r-sharp/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-r-sharp/] Claude Fable 5 and Claude Mythos 5https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-fable-5-mythos-5 [https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-fable-5-mythos-5] Anthropic suspends new AI models after government directivehttps://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/anthropic-suspends-new-ai-models-fable-mythos-government-directive-rcna349901 [https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/anthropic-suspends-new-ai-models-fable-mythos-government-directive-rcna349901] What is Windows ML?https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ai/new-windows-ml/overview [https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ai/new-windows-ml/overview] Introducing Apple’s On-Device and Server Foundation Modelshttps://machinelearning.apple.com/research/introducing-apple-foundation-models [https://machinelearning.apple.com/research/introducing-apple-foundation-models] Google AI Edge Galleryhttps://developers.google.com/edge/gallery [https://developers.google.com/edge/gallery] Google's Gemma 4 31B local modelhttps://huggingface.co/google/gemma-4-31B [https://huggingface.co/google/gemma-4-31B] Introducing ChatGPT Images 2.0https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-images-2-0/ [https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-images-2-0/] The Medium is the Messagehttps://web.mit.edu/allanmc/www/mcluhan.mediummessage.pdf [https://web.mit.edu/allanmc/www/mcluhan.mediummessage.pdf] OpenClawhttps://openclaw.ai/ [https://openclaw.ai/] Microsoft Scouthttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-scout/get-started [https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-scout/get-started] Cloudflare CEO says bot internet traffic has overtaken humanshttps://mashable.com/tech/cloudflare-data-bot-traffic-overtakes-human-traffic-on-internet [https://mashable.com/tech/cloudflare-data-bot-traffic-overtakes-human-traffic-on-internet] AI Integration Specialist Micro-Credentialhttps://www.flcc.edu/academics/programs/ai-integration-specialist-microcredential/ [https://www.flcc.edu/academics/programs/ai-integration-specialist-microcredential/] Mentions: @MIT @Apple @Samsung @Meta @Android @Google FLX AI Hub: http://www.flcc.eduhttps://www.flcc.edu/ai/ [https://www.flcc.edu/ai/] FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ [https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/] #AgenticAI #VibeCoding #FutureOfWork #SpatialComputing #SmartGlasses #TechCommunity #MachineLearning #DigitalTransformation #LocalBusinessTech #Innovation #AI #EdTech #GenerativeAI #HigherEd #Podcast #FLCC #NewMedia #TechTrends #TechHistory #TheImmersiveLens ✅ Subscribe so you never miss an episode—and share with a friend who loves tech, creativity, or the future of education. Recorded at Finger Lakes Community College in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes region. https://www.flcc.edu/ [https://www.flcc.edu/] https://www.theimmersivelens.com/ [https://www.theimmersivelens.com/] Stay curious. Stay connected. Thanks for looking through The Immersive Lens.

Episode 22: 2nd Annual AI Conference

Welcome to The Immersive Lens - the show where emerging tech meets creativity, education, and real-world impact. Hosted by Paul Engin (Professor of New Media) and Dave Ghidiu (Professor of Computer Science) at Finger Lakes Community College, this podcast dives into the technologies and creative innovations reshaping how we live, work, and learn - from AI and augmented reality to the future of media, design, and learning. In this episode of The Immersive Lens, hosts Paul and Dave talk with Debora Ortloff about the upcoming FLX AI Hub Community Convening. Paul and Dave sit down with Debora Ortloff, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC), to discuss the upcoming 2nd Annual FLX AI Hub Community Convening on June 10, 2026. The conversation centers on artificial intelligence not as a distant corporate tool, but as an immediate, paradigm-shifting disruptor that demands community-wide literacy. From unleashing creative communication through ChatGPT’s latest typographic infographic features to acting as an operational lifesaver for lean small businesses, AI is reframed as a collaborative partner rather than an automated replacement. Debora, Paul, and Dave share their unique experiences navigating this fast-evolving terrain - ranging from using local large language models (LLMs) to protect data privacy to leveraging AI for dense policy analysis and everyday trip planning. The collective verdict of the episode is clear: successful AI integration must always be human-led, anchored in critical thinking, and accessible to everyone regardless of their starting point. As FLCC opens its doors for the annual convening, the ultimate goal is to move the local community from passive observers to active, empowered drivers of technological change. 🔗 Links & Resources: 80 Year old Math Problem Solved by AIhttps://x.com/emollick/status/2057271533358162270 [https://x.com/emollick/status/2057271533358162270] Backrooms: Why Is Gen Z So Scared of the ’80s?https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/backrooms-why-is-gen-z-so-scared-of-the-80s/ [https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/backrooms-why-is-gen-z-so-scared-of-the-80s/] AI Vampires (Marc Andreessen)https://www.instagram.com/reels/DYvU5evMr3m/ [https://www.instagram.com/reels/DYvU5evMr3m/] GPT Image 2 - AI Image Generatorhttps://openart.ai/ai-model/gpt-image-2/ [https://openart.ai/ai-model/gpt-image-2/] Second Annual Community Conveninghttps://www.flcc.edu/ai/annual-convening/ [https://www.flcc.edu/ai/annual-convening/] Ontario County Chamber of Commercehttps://www.onchamber.com/ [https://www.onchamber.com/] EKG Simulationhttps://inlineteaching.com/medical/ekg/ [https://inlineteaching.com/medical/ekg/] Register for the FLX AI Hub Community Convening - JUNE 10, 2026https://www.givecampus.com/schools/FingerLakesCommunityCollege/events/flx-ai-hub-community-convening [https://www.givecampus.com/schools/FingerLakesCommunityCollege/events/flx-ai-hub-community-convening] Mentions: @MIT @Apple @Samsung @Meta @Android @Google FLX AI Hub: http://www.flcc.eduhttps://www.flcc.edu/ai/ [https://www.flcc.edu/ai/] FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ [https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/] #AI #EdTech #GenerativeAI #HigherEd #Podcast #FLCC #NewMedia #TechTrends #TechHistory #TheImmersiveLens #FLXAIHub #CommunityConvening #SmallBizTech #TechLiteracy #HumanLedAI #FutureOfWork #DataPrivacy #LocalLLMs #InnovationInEducation ✅ Subscribe so you never miss an episode - and share with a friend who loves tech, creativity, or the future of education. Recorded at Finger Lakes Community College in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes region. https://www.flcc.edu/ [https://www.flcc.edu/] https://www.theimmersivelens.com/ [https://www.theimmersivelens.com/] Stay curious. Stay connected. Thanks for looking through The Immersive Lens.

Episode 21: AI Challenge Part 2

Welcome to The Immersive Lens - the show where emerging tech meets creativity, education, and real-world impact. Hosted by Paul Engin (Professor of New Media) and Dave Ghidiu (Professor of Computer Science) at Finger Lakes Community College, this podcast dives into the technologies and creative innovations reshaping how we live, work, and learn - from AI and augmented reality to the future of media, design, and learning. The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence has democratized software creation, introducing the world to "vibe coding"—the conceptual approach of leveraging large language models to construct operational programs through natural language prompting alone. This breakthrough means foundational technical constraints are dropping precipitously, letting non-programmers turn creative ideas into standalone digital reality overnight. In this high-stakes episode, the team circles back to review their individual achievements and technical frustrations after attempting three tiered challenges: crafting an interactive game, managing dynamic file handling, and mastering spatial hardware programming. Throughout the discussion, the team's distinct perspectives come to light. Guest Jen Carney shares her journey from utilizing standard text-based AI assistance to developing highly engaging logic apps, noting both the sheer speed of development and the occasional math counting quirks encountered with Google Gemini. Video engineer Jeff Kidd opens up about his shift from procedural skepticism to outright fascination after watching the AI build an interactive Editing Decision Trainer completely from scratch. Meanwhile, Paul Engin reveals his trials in navigating spatial design architecture using the Galaxy XR and Apple Vision Pro, highlighting where the boundaries of web-based spatial interaction currently stand. Ultimately, Dave and the team deliver an optimistic verdict: despite a few limitations with secondary file links and platform limitations, AI-driven programming expands creative potential, redefining how educators and enthusiasts can design custom digital media. 2nd Annual Community Convening at FLCC [https://www.flcc.edu/events/all-events/2026/june/flx-ai-hub-community-convening.php] https://www.flcc.edu/events/all-events/2026/june/flx-ai-hub-community-convening.php [https://www.flcc.edu/events/all-events/2026/june/flx-ai-hub-community-convening.php] Vibe Coding Challengehttps://www.theimmersivelens.com/p/vibe-coding-challenge.html [https://www.theimmersivelens.com/p/vibe-coding-challenge.html] Zorkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Entertainment [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Entertainment] King's Questhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_Quest [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_Quest] Sierra (makers of King's Quest games)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Entertainment [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Entertainment] CSC 145 - AI-Partnered App Creationhttps://www.flcc.edu/courses/csc-145/ [https://www.flcc.edu/courses/csc-145/] Mentions: @MIT @Apple @Samsung @Meta @Android @Google FLX AI Hub: http://www.flcc.eduhttps://www.flcc.edu/ai/ [https://www.flcc.edu/ai/] FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ [https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/] 🎧 Subscribe to The Immersive Lens to stay curious and connected! #SpatialComputing #XRDevelopment #VibeCoding #TechPodcast #HumanAICollaboration #FutureOfCoding #SoftwareDemocratization #DigitalMediaDesign #InnovativeTeaching #ComputerScienceTrends #AI #EdTech #GenerativeAI #HigherEd #Podcast #FLCC #NewMedia #TechTrends  #TechHistory #TheImmersiveLens #CommittingAI #TechEthics #DigitalClone #ValKilmer #VisionPro #AppleVisionPro #CursorAI #AIFails #PromptEngineering #CreativeTech ✅ Subscribe so you never miss an episode—and share with a friend who loves tech, creativity, or the future of education. Recorded at Finger Lakes Community College in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes region. https://www.flcc.edu/ [https://www.flcc.edu/] https://www.theimmersivelens.com/ [https://www.theimmersivelens.com/] Stay curious. Stay connected. Thanks for looking through The Immersive Lens.

Episode 20: Committing AI

In this episode of The Immersive Lens, hosts Paul and Dave tackle when it is (and is not) appropriate to use AI. In this episode of The Immersive Lens, hosts Paul Engin and Dave Ghidiu explore the fascinating (and sometimes chaotic) realities of integrating artificial intelligence into our daily workflows and creative endeavors. The conversation centers around the concept of "committing AI," moving past the initial novelty to examine the practical, ethical, and unexpected consequences of relying on generative tools. Whether discussing an AI coding assistant that took a prompt a little too literally or tracking the latest breakthroughs in image generation, the episode highlights the shift from experimental tech to an unavoidable cultural and professional standard. With their signature blend of humor and tech-literate insight, Paul and Dave unpack a variety of real-world case studies, including the use of Apple’s Vision Pro in surgical environments and the tells of AI-generated writing. They balance the undeniable efficiency of these tools against the critical need for human oversight, proper boundaries, and clear institutional policies. Ultimately, the hosts land on a verdict of cautious optimism: while AI is fundamentally reshaping industries like education and media, success relies entirely on viewing it as a collaborative thought partner rather than an automated replacement for human creativity and critical thinking. Gone in 9 Secondshttps://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/claude-powered-ai-coding-agent-deletes-entire-company-database-in-9-seconds-backups-zapped-after-cursor-tool-powered-by-anthropics-claude-goes-rogue [https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/claude-powered-ai-coding-agent-deletes-entire-company-database-in-9-seconds-backups-zapped-after-cursor-tool-powered-by-anthropics-claude-goes-rogue] Val Kilmer Resurrected by AI to Star in ‘As Deep as the Grave’ Moviehttps://variety.com/2026/film/news/val-kilmer-ai-film-as-deep-as-the-grave-1236691042/ [https://variety.com/2026/film/news/val-kilmer-ai-film-as-deep-as-the-grave-1236691042/] Introducing ChatGPT Images 2.0https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-images-2-0/ [https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-images-2-0/] ‘Safer, smarter, and more connected’: Apple’s Vision Pro used in world-first VR-assisted surgery, and it could be the future of medicinehttps://www.techradar.com/computing/virtual-reality-augmented-reality/safer-smarter-and-more-connected-apples-vision-pro-used-in-world-first-vr-assisted-surgery-and-it-could-be-the-future-of-medicine [https://www.techradar.com/computing/virtual-reality-augmented-reality/safer-smarter-and-more-connected-apples-vision-pro-used-in-world-first-vr-assisted-surgery-and-it-could-be-the-future-of-medicine] Wikipedia:Signs of AI writinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Signs_of_AI_writing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Signs_of_AI_writing] Burstiness & Perplexity | Definition & Exampleshttps://quillbot.com/blog/ai-writing-tools/burstiness-and-perplexity/ [https://quillbot.com/blog/ai-writing-tools/burstiness-and-perplexity/] AI Detectors Don’t Work. Here’s What to Do Instead.https://mitsloanedtech.mit.edu/ai/teach/ai-detectors-dont-work/ [https://mitsloanedtech.mit.edu/ai/teach/ai-detectors-dont-work/] AI Engagement Guidehttps://www.flcc.ai/tools/ai-engagement-guide.html [https://www.flcc.ai/tools/ai-engagement-guide.html] The Opposite of Cheatinghttps://www.amazon.com/Opposite-Cheating-Teaching-Engaging-Thriving/dp/0806194960/ [https://www.amazon.com/Opposite-Cheating-Teaching-Engaging-Thriving/dp/0806194960/] AI can't write your college admissions essay. Here's why.https://mashable.com/article/ai-college-admissions-essay [https://mashable.com/article/ai-college-admissions-essay]AI-Generated “Workslop” Is Destroying Productivityhttps://hbr.org/2025/09/ai-generated-workslop-is-destroying-productivity [https://hbr.org/2025/09/ai-generated-workslop-is-destroying-productivity] Blue books make an "out of step" campus comeback in the AI erahttps://www.axios.com/2026/03/14/ai-blue-books-colleges-jobs [https://www.axios.com/2026/03/14/ai-blue-books-colleges-jobs] A college instructor turns to typewriters to curb AI-written work and teach life lessonshttps://apnews.com/article/typewriter-ai-cheating-chatgpt-cornell-ce10e1ca0f10c96f79b7d988bb56448b [https://apnews.com/article/typewriter-ai-cheating-chatgpt-cornell-ce10e1ca0f10c96f79b7d988bb56448b] The IBM Selectrichttps://www.ibm.com/history/selectric [https://www.ibm.com/history/selectric] The Use of Emojis to Increase Clarity in Internal Communication Among Neurodiverse and Multicultural Employeeshttps://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/887013 [https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/887013] Mentions: @MIT @Apple @Samsung @Meta @Android @Google FLX AI Hub: http://www.flcc.eduhttps://www.flcc.edu/ai/ [https://www.flcc.edu/ai/] FLCC New Media: https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/ [https://newmedia.csc.flcc.cloud/] ✅ Subscribe so you never miss an episode—and share with a friend who loves tech, creativity, or the future of education. Recorded at Finger Lakes Community College in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes region. https://www.flcc.edu/ [https://www.flcc.edu/] https://www.theimmersivelens.com/ [https://www.theimmersivelens.com/] Stay curious. Stay connected. Thanks for looking through The Immersive Lens.