Will AI Replace Rabbis?

The debate around AI in the rabbinate parallels conversations in other fields.

The buzz around artificial intelligence (AI) has reached nearly every profession, from law to medicine to accounting, and yes, even to the rabbinate. As more people discover the power of AI tools like ChatGPT, rabbis are experimenting with how this technology might assist them in crafting sermons, teaching Torah and connecting with their communities. But as with so many technological innovations, the rise of AI has sparked both fascination and fear. Could AI actually replace rabbis?

In December 2022, I watched my colleague Rabbi Joshua Franklin of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons put this question to the test in a Facebook video. He delivered a sermon written entirely by ChatGPT and only revealed the source at the end. The reaction was mixed — some congregants were amazed at the technology, while others were disturbed at the thought of a “robot rabbi.” Rabbi Franklin himself admitted that the AI sermon was coherent but lacked the depth, emotion and human connection that make one of his typical sermons truly impactful.

CES 2021 - A Much Different CES Experience

The year 2020 was so full of changes and disappointments that it is no wonder we began 2021 eager for things to return to normal. That certainly was not the case for my CES experience in January. The annual international electronics show has become a regular activity on my calendar at the start of each year and I was especially looking forward to this year’s convention for several reasons. First, it would be my tenth CES in Las Vegas. Second, I had to miss the 2020 event because I had to travel to Phoenix to officiate a bar mitzvah. 

 While I was able to attend this year’s CES, it was certainly a change from past experiences. The Consumer Technology Association, which produces CES, made the difficult decision of making this year’s show fully virtual. I am glad they were able to still convene the world’s best tech showcase, but virtually attending from home was vastly different than actually being in Las Vegas and being able to touch the cutting-edge tech gadgets and futuristic electronics.

Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association opens CES 2021, the first virtual CES

Surprisingly, this was one of my favorite CES experiences yet. That must sound surprising since it lacked the sights, sounds and feels of a typical CES. However, this year, I found myself much more available to sample the panel discussions, lectures and new product presentations (I also didn’t have sore feet from walking miles around the mammoth convention floor). Tech luminaries from around the world addressed the challenges brought on by the COVID pandemic and put forward their revolutionary solutions as we face an unpredicted future. I learned a new term from a leader at Procter and Gamble, who referred to the way tech companies have been forced to adapt this past year as “Constructive Disruption.” 

It was fascinating to hear some of the world’s most creative and innovative technologists explain how they were forced to shelve the products they had been working on for years in order to quickly create the new technologies our world required as we battled a global pandemic. I heard government leaders explain their role in helping to democratize high-speed internet and ensure the infrastructure was in place for 5G. I was intrigued by how rapidly the field of digital health has been growing and how new technology owes so much to space exploration. 

I remain in awe of how the Consumer Technology Association was able to pivot so quickly to a fully virtual show this year and I am grateful I participated. I learned a lot and truly experienced a different aspect of this phenomenal tech show. Hopefully, next year I will be back in Las Vegas and will be able to have a tactile CES experience once again.

Originally published in the Detroit Jewish News

My Favorite Tech Products

I have the opportunity to review a lot of different technology products and I tend to put them into one of three categories. First, there are those products that really impress me and make me thankful for living in the Digital Age. The second category is made up of some useful and fun tech products that aren't very original, but enjoyable. The third category includes tech products that are poorly made, unoriginal or serve no purpose.

Recently, I determined I should create a fourth category after a friend asked an intriguing question. He knows I'm a techie and always testing the latest, greatest tech products and gadgets. He asked me which of all these gadgets I actually use and would consider to be my favorites. So, I now have a category of my favorite tech products. These are the tech products I love, use and highly recommend.

LeEco Super4 X65 TV - When it comes to big, flat screen televisions we tend to think of Samsung, Sony, Vizio and LG. However, I'm on my second LeEco TV and I love them. The LeEco Super4 X65 is not your typical smart TV. It features a 4K UHD display, sound by Harman Kardon, a quad-core CPU, a multi-core GPU and a fully-integrated Ecosystem User Interface (eui) full of streaming movies and shows. I have this model in front of an exercise bike in my fitness room and I've never enjoyed my workouts as much. I've never been a huge pro football fan until I started watching the games on this TV over the past few months. I highly recommend it and they're offering $200 instant savings before the Super Bowl! us.lemall.com

Sharper Image Hover Board - I know when you see a hover board you immediately think danger. Yet, this is not the case anymore. Sharper Image's new safety-tested hover board has UL certification and it's much more stable than past hover board models. This rechargeable, eco-friendly hover board features twin 250 Watt motors, large rubber tires and a built in gyroscope to keep you upright. There's a learning mode (that's the one I use) and an expert mode for quicker turns and higher speeds. I've tried other hover boards, but this model is really intuitive and you don't feel like you're unbalanced. Try it out... you'll love it! sharperimage.com

Huawei Mate 9 - I love playing with the latest models of mobile phones to see what's new and different. I had been using the Huawei Nexus 6P as my main phone and loved it, but it took me only a few minutes to fall in love with the Mate 9. With its Kirin 960 processor and intelligent Machine Learning algorithm, this ground-breaking phone is the fastest mobile phone on the market. The battery life gives you two full days before you need to charge and you can recharge for an entire day in only 20 minutes. The design of the Mate 9 is gorgeous and the Leica Dual camera takes the best photos you've ever seen from a mobile device (even in low light). consumer.huawei.com/en

 

Cufflinks.com USB Flash Drive Cufflinks and Money Clips - Two characteristics of tech products that lead me to put them in my favorite category are utility and conversation starters. I can check both of those characteristics off the list for Cufflinks.com's cufflinks and money clips. These USB drives disguised as beautiful cufflinks or money clips come in dozens of designs. It's pretty entertaining when someone needs a flash drive quickly and I take a cufflink off my dress shirt or pull my money clip out of my pocket. Plus, you kind of feel like James Bond wearing your secret computer drive as jewelry. cufflinks.com

Kangaroo Notebook PC - This is one impressive laptop. It's the one I take on business trips and the one my kids fight over to use for their homework. It has a 11.6 inch screen and an Intel Atom processor, but the key characteristic of the Kangaroo Notebook is that it is an open system, which means it has separate modules for slotting into the hardware to run the specific system on that Kangaroo Mini. I can put one Kangaroo Mini in the slot for my trip and then let my kids pop a different one in for them and it's a completely different computer. kangaroo.cc

AirBar - This sleek, lightweight device instantly turns a regular laptop into a touchscreen. I simply took it out of the box and placed it at the bottom of the screen of my 15.6" Lenovo and presto... my 2 year old lapper became a touch screen just like that. It's only a matter of time until everyone is talking about AirBar and turning their laptops into touch screens. For under $100, this leads the computer accessory category that will "wow" people. air.bar

Sony Smart Tennis Sensor for Tennis Rackets - I've been using smart sensor technology for years to improve my golf swing and help my son work on his baseball hitting. One of my favorite sports is tennis and I've been eager for a product like Sony's tennis sensor to hit the consumer electronics market. With this device you can analyze each shot and optimize your tennis game. With the ability to share your results, you can have a coach living hundreds of miles away. The motion sensor recognizes impact position and a vibration sensor measures swing type. I'm able to get just under three hours of battery life and it will keep about 12,000 shots in its internal memory storage. sony.com

Netatmo Healthy Home Coach - Like most fathers, I'm always thinking about the safety of my home for my spouse and children. I want to provide the healthiest home possible for them and Netatmo's Healthy Home Coach is my dependable guide. This device accurately measures the humidity levels and the noise level at night. The app highlights potential problems and informs on how to fix them. At $99.99 it's a small price to pay for piece of mind. netatmo.com

Monster Firecracker - I've been a fan of Monster products for many years and yet I'm still impressed by their new products, which are always both innovative and useful. The Firecracker serves several purposes for me. First, it's a dynamic wireless speaker with 2 full-range drivers with passive bass radiator and 25+ hours of continuous play on a charge. It's also a super-bright flashlight that lasts for seven hours helping to see around a campground or to brighten up a photo with low sunlight. It comes in four colors and retails for only $129.95. monsterproducts.com

Ventev Desktop Charging Hub s500 - I hate cables and cords! In a perfect tech world there would be no charging cords at all. The Ventev charging hub makes it easier to connect and removes the clutter from all the cords connected to AC outlets and USB charging ports. No more climbing under your desk to plug in. I have other similar devices, but none of them have the USB and the AC outlets in the same hub or with such a simplistic design. You can charge up to three devices at once via the three USB outputs with one dedicated rapid charge USB port. The AC outlets have surge protection and grounded LED lights. mobileaccessories.ventev.com

Hyperice's Venom - I was already praising Hyperice a couple years ago when I injured my back and used the Hyperice massage ball. Venom has been even more therapeutic for my aching back after a brutal tennis match or game of pickup basketball. This cutting-edge, digitally connected, wearable back device uses heat and vibration to warm up, loosen, and relax sore muscles. Manufactured using the industry's best technology, the digital touchscreen control is fully customizable for temperature, vibration pattern and timer for the optimal massage. hyperice.com

Invoxia NVX200 - Like many people I don't have a landline phone at my home and everyone uses their own mobile phone. Sometimes it's nice to have a desk phone at the house or office so Invoxia created a connected phone. The dock comes with an ingenious adapter system that allows you to plug the smartphone vertically. You can take calls in hands-free mode, from up to 16 feet away, or with the telephone handset for a more comfortable use. Plus you benefit from high quality sound with the In Vivo Acoustic for conferences of up to five people. In the office you can associate contacts to speed dial keys as well. invoxia.com

Qardio Base Scale - This is certainly not your grandfather's bathroom scale. Qardio Base lets you know if you're burning fat and gaining muscle, losing weight rather than just water and it tracks your weight loss progress. It's able to recognize multiple users of the same household and its smart feedback mode provides motivation with icons rather than simply weight numbers. The mobile app has an easy to use interface and it really makes getting on the scale a fun activity. Who'd ever think that was even possible? getqardio.com

Jabra Elite Sport - So many people come up to me at the gym asking about my Jabra Elite Sport earbuds. More people are wearing wireless earbuds and headphones to work out, but they still have to deal with annoying plastic pieces that run from one ear to the next. Jabra's earbuds are so tiny you'd forget you were even wearing them if it weren't for the high quality wireless sound. The cord-free design includes two microphones in each bud that work together to filter out background noise ensuring that only your voice is heard clearly and with no distraction in every environment. Expect up to nine hours of battery life (I usually charge them twice a week). Unlike other individual in-ear buds, you'll get a secure fit no matter how vigorous your workout because you can customize the fit to your specific ear shape. jabra.com

Oaxis AirScale - Let's be honest: Two major hassles when we travel are our rapidly draining phone battery never knowing if our luggage is heavier than the airline's maximum weight limit. The AirScale is a combination luggage scale and power bank solving both of those problems. It features an easy to read digital display showing luggage weight and battery power, along with a detachable strap and ergonomic design. The AirScale can weigh luggage up to 88 lbs., with an accuracy of 0.2 lbs. and it can fully recharge most smartphones two times faster than regular battery banks. oaxis.com/products/airscale

Zus Smart Car Charger by Nonda - There are countless car chargers on the market and most are cheap and poorly made, not to mention they take forever to charge phones. With the Zus smart car charger, I'm able to charge two devices while driving and they charge at nearly double the speed of conventional chargers. As an added bonus, connecting with the app will log mileage, track precisely where you parked the car, monitor your car's battery and even alert you if you're getting close to your parking meter time limit. nonda.co

Razer Blade Stealth - This is one powerful notebook computer. Razer Blade Stealth is very thin and boasts the latest 7th Gen Intel Core processors. With up to 16GB of RAM and a beautiful 12.5" 4K high-resolution display, this is one amazing laptop for gaming or travel. I find it to be very durable and often toss it on the passenger seat without a case. Seeing lappers at coffee shops is a regular sight these days and yet I still get stares and questions. razerzone.com

JAM Audio Voice - At the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) it seemed like just about everything was somehow integrated with Amazon Alexa. Well, one of the early integrations was JAM Voice, the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker. Don't let JAM Voice's size fool you because this little guy packs a lot of power. It's very reasonably priced and available at most stores and online. I have it paired with other JAM speakers around the house and I can control it from the mobile app. It connects to most music services to stream from room to room. jamaudio.com

PopSockets and PopClip Mount - Certainly not a very techie invention, PopSockets have taken the world by storm. I love these things so much. I simply add a PopSocket to the back of my mobile device to allow me to grip it better. You can also add a second PopSocket to give your phone or tablet a stand. Some people also use the PopSocket to wind their earbud cord around. I've recently started using the PopClip companion product to mount my phone. It works great on mirrors, the dashboard of your car, the refrigerators or just about any other flat surface. popsockets.com

XYZ Printing da Vinci Mini 3D Printer - There was a time I thought 3D printing was so far in the future, but now it's become a typical household device for me. The da Vinci Mini connects wirelessly and easily to your home network for easy 3D printing. I can't imagine a better 3D printer for the home or office in this price range (under $300). The filaments for the da Vinci Mini are made using PLA plastics derived from corn starch, making them biodegradable and non-toxic. If you've been thinking of learning the art of 3D printing, I highly recommend this trusty printer. us.xyzprinting.com

BEDDI Glow - My pet peeve is alarm clocks that are too bright. I like to know what time it is when I'm in bed, but I don't like a bright light shining in my eyes reminding me that it's getting late and I can't fall asleep. BEDDI Glow is an intelligent alarm clock with a wake up light that wisely is dimmed during sleeping hours. With BEDDI Glow you can wake up naturally with sunrise simulating light, listen to your favorite music from Spotify or Apple Music and customize your settings through the free mobile app. BEDDI Glow also contains an adjustable mood light composed of 16 million colors. wittidesign.com/en/beddiglow

Logitech M720 Triathlon Multi Computer Mouse - I'll admit it: I'm a mouse snob. I hate using someone's poorly made wired computer mouse that came with their desktop. Every Logitech mouse is intuitive, comfortable and smart. I favor the M720 Triathlon Mouse (under $50) because it can be connected to up to three computers at once (illuminated numbers tell you which computer it's connected to) and allows for hyper-fast scrolling. It lasts for 24 months on a single AA battery. logitech.com

A Return to Simpler Times (Before Technology Complicated Things)

I've always had a tremendous appreciation for technology. I'm continuously wowed by the innovations that have revolutionized our lives, but I also fear that technology is causing us to lose our foundation with some of the most basic human engagement. I'm a tech evangelist, but I often think about where we, as a society in general and as a Jewish community in particular, must draw the line.

Last month, we observed the High Holidays and, as we do every year, we heard the Hebrew word "teshuvah" used a lot. Teshuvah is most commonly defined as repentance, but it literally means return. Perhaps it is time we return to basics as a way of resetting for the Jewish new year. Many people praise technology, but also express how they yearn for the much simpler times of the past before technology dominated our waking hours. Teshuvah can be a path for us to continue to embrace technology, but also unplug and return to that simpler time.

Flying High with Drones

Everyone seems to be talking about drones these days. Are drones the wave of the future? Are they dangerous? Do they cause an invasion of our privacy? Can they be used for great things or are they a waste of money? There have been news reports of people being injured by drones, airplane pilots reporting them as distractions and novice pilots crashing their new drones moments after unboxing.

My first drone was the Parrot Bebop and it sat in its box for months. I was excited to pilot it for the first time, but I was not sure where to fly it or what purpose it would serve. I am a big fan of new technology and gadgets of the future, but I like them to have some utility. What problem are these drones going to solve, I wondered.

I knew I didn't want to simply take this drone and fly it like it were a video game. I also was concerned about crashing this expensive gadget into a tree and breaking it. At the time, there were no specific laws governing personal drones, but I also did not want to violate the privacy rights of my neighbors.

When I finally started flying the Bebop it was an immediate love-hate relationship. It was thrilling to fly an aircraft with a video camera through the sky, but I still had concerns. Over the past year, I've begun flying other drones including the Parrot Bebop 2 and several mini drones, which my kids can also fly. During this time, I've found opportunities to use the drones safely to record video of happenings on the ground. I remain cautious about the safety and privacy implications, but have enjoyed capturing beautiful photos and videos from hundreds of feet in the sky.

Last month I was invited by Parrot to fly the new Disco drone in the Palm Springs desert. With about thirty other drone enthusiasts we were taken to the famous Arnold Palmer designed SilverRock golf course in La Quinta where we would have some open space and breathtaking views of California's Santa Rosa Mountains. Unlike the Bebop models, which are quadcopters, the Parrot Disco is a fixed wing drone. While I haven't had much experience flying winged model airplanes, flying the Disco was very easy. Once the motor starts, you throw it like a paper airplane and it takes off. The controller is easy to use, but more advanced pilots can use an RC controller to have more control of the drone and perform tricks.

The Disco drone (Parrot names its drones after dance styles) is the first fixed wing drone for immersive flights, meaning you can use the virtual reality Cockpitglasses (they come with the unit) for a FPV (first person view) experience. Legally, a pilot's license is required to fly drones using virtual reality and a spotter (without VR glasses) must be onsite.

Technology for Good: Mobile Apps that Help Us

As we look around the technology landscape at the beginning of 2016, I think it's fair to say that the pace of innovation is quite impressive. Driverless cars, drones, connected homes and 3-D virtual reality have arrived and today's youth don't even know of a time without social media or mobile apps.

We are certainly living in exciting times thanks to tech innovation. However, I like to consider that there are three separate categories of innovation. We can and should be excited about all three categories because the technology is impressive in each. One category consists of technology that ranges from the fun to the mindless. This includes technology without a higher purpose -- think gaming mobile apps like Angry Birds. Sure, it helps preoccupy your kids by handing them the iPad while in the doctor's waiting room, but it doesn't advance society. The second category includes technology that improves our lives, but doesn't solve our most pressing issues. Here, I would include such innovations as drones, Uber/Lyft transportation, socialized TV viewing and advanced GPS technology. They have made our lives easier, but we could also continue living without them.

The third category is the most critical. I argue that this is the technology about which we should really be passionate and enthusiastic. Not only does this technology have a utility,  but it is revolutionary. This is the technology that will solve the greatest ills of the 21st century.

Beacon of Hope

Sex slavery is the fastest growing crime in the world and less than 1% of the victims (half of whom are under 12-years-old) are identified. That problem has led 25-year-old twin sisters America and Penelope Lopez to develop Beacon of Hope. Last year, the sisters won a top prize at the AT&T Developer Summit and Hackathon in Las Vegas for their "Body Camera Hack," a prototype camera with face-tracking technology that can be worn by law enforcement officers to record their actions in the field. This year, the Lopez sisters returned to the AT&T Developer Summit to spend the 36 straight hours of the Hackathon creating their potential solution to the sex slavery problem.

What is Beacon of Hope? Together with a couple other developers, the dynamic sisters have used Gimbal's iBeacon technology to alert law enforcement when a woman is being taken as a sex slave. The small beacons are hidden in tampons and sanitary napkins that will be available in women's restrooms at such places as gas stations, highway rest stops, stadiums and casinos because survivors report the only place they were ever alone was in a public restroom. A woman will be able to easily hide the beacon in her purse or pocket to be tracked by local law enforcement. The beacon immediately sends a signal to the police so they can trace her location. The sisters have taken advantage of AT&T's Smart Cities technology to ensure the tracking beacon is monitored as it travels as sex slavery victims are often moved from city to city against their will. It also utilizes the technologies of IBM Watson, Intel Edison and AT&T Flow Designer. The next version of Beacon of Hope will allow a victim to simply make a hand gesture in front of the beacon dispensary to alert law enforcement.

America and Penelope Lopez of Beacon of Hope

Mark Zuckerberg's Letter to His Baby Daughter is His Vision for the Future

No matter how much money each of us donated yesterday on what has come to be known as Giving Tuesday, it certainly wasn’t as large a charitable commitment as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan made. On the occasion of the birth of their daughter, Max, yesterday the couple pledged to donate 99% of their stock shares of Facebook (currently about $45 billion) during their lifetimes to improve the world for the next generation.

While this level of charitable pledging is unmatched (Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and Eli Broad have been very successful in getting many billionaires to commit to donating 50% of their fortunes during their lifetime), I was more interested in two other aspects of the Zuckerberg-Chan family’s public announcement.

First, I found their open letter to their newborn daughter to be extremely meaningful and inspirational. I too penned (or rather typed) letters to each of my children on the day of their birth. So many people wait until they’re close to death to sit down and write an ethical will to their children. A truly important time to do this exercise is on the highly emotional first day of our child’s life.

In Zuckerberg’s letter to his daughter, he wrote:

Your mother and I don’t yet have the words to describe the hope you give us for the future. Your new life is full of promise, and we hope you will be happy and healthy so you can explore it fully. You’ve already given us a reason to reflect on the world we hope you live in. Like all parents, we want you to grow up in a world better than ours today. 

While headlines often focus on what’s wrong, in many ways the world is getting better. Health is improving. Poverty is shrinking. Knowledge is growing. People are connecting. Technological progress in every field means your life should be dramatically better than ours today. We will do our part to make this happen, not only because we love you, but also because we have a moral responsibility to all children in the next generation. We believe all lives have equal value, and that includes the many more people who will live in future generations than live today. Our society has an obligation to invest now to improve the lives of all those coming into this world, not just those already here.

The second part of the Zuckerberg-Chan family’s letter that struck me was that it was filled with hope for the future, but also a genuine concern. As a father, I’ve been thinking very seriously about these issues over the past several years as well. Before my first child was born almost twelve years ago, I envisioned a world for him without racism, without war and without terrorism precipitated by hatred. As my children have grown from infants to toddlers to pre-teens, I’ve watched sadly as there has been more hate and evil in our world. No doubt, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, likewise, wish to envision a world for their newborn daughter in which peace and love dominate.

This beautiful letter by Zuckerberg not only articulates his hopes and prayers for his daughter, but it also is a clear and poignant testament to the world he is willing to help create through his personal wealth. We should all be grateful to Zuckerberg and Chan for their devotion to the next generation and to ensuring that our children’s and grandchildren’s lives will be better than our own lives. Mazel Tov on the birth or Max Zuckerberg and thank you for your commitment to the future.