AI’s Take on August

Written By: William McReynolds | Issue: August 2024

Are you curious about AI or Artificial Intelligence?

I asked one AI chat bot: “What’s important and interesting about the month of August?” Here’s what came back, verbatim:

Here are some fascinating facts about the month of August:

1. Augustus Caesar: The month was named after Augustus Caesar, the first emperor of Rome.

2. National Golf Month: In the United States, August is celebrated as National Golf Month.

3. Olympic Games Origins: The Olympic Games originally took place in August.

4. Roller Coaster Debut: On August 16th, 1884, the world’s first roller coaster opened at Coney Island.

5. Harvest Traditions: In the UK, August 1st marks Lammas Day, celebrating the first day of harvest.

6. Weed Month: Back in the days of the Anglo-Saxons, August was called Weod Monath, which literally translates to “weed month.” It’s when weeds and other plants grow rapidly in the northern hemisphere.

7. Last of Summer: In the northern hemisphere, August is the last month of summer, while in the southern hemisphere, it’s the last of the winter months.

8. Unique Calendar Position: In a standard year, August begins on a different day of the week than any other month. In a leap year, it aligns with February.

9. European Holiday Season: Many European countries observe August as a holiday period. Major cities like Paris become quieter as locals take time off, although tourists still flock to these destinations.

10. Birthstones: The birthstones for August are peridot and sardonyx. These gemstones add a touch of vibrancy to the late summer month.

So whether you’re enjoying the heat of summer or embracing the cooler days, August has its own unique charm.

The information AI generated is accurate. It searched the Internet and, with its linguistic programming, captured and restated the relevant and oft-mentioned facts.

What’s missing, of course, is the mood and full human delight in the month of August. No mention, for instance, of our August plenty of fruit and vegetables: peaches, tomatoes, corn, green beans, did I mention slurpy peaches galore.

For comparison, here are a couple of things I have said with my writerly human intelligence (HI), about the month of August on these pages.

August has been officially the declared “Happiness Happens Month.” I’m not making this up. The Secret Society of Happy People (don’t ask, just Google it) declared August, Happiness Happens Month, in 1998. How good is that?!

If that doesn’t ring your bell, August is also National Catfish Month, National Peach Month and National Sandwich Month. Making peach cobbler this month is patriotic.

A fried catfish sandwich? Sounds good to me. Toasted ciabatta with plenty of tartar sauce. One must relish one’s celebratory compliances.

‘Nuf said.

by William McReynolds –
and a Disambiguated Mind in Sunnyvale, California