Morning Brief: Letting ChatGPT Call The Shots, Studying UFOs & More

Happy "Friday Jr." — Andrew from Narcity here. ☕

Off The Top: I've previously joked about tipping landlords — which never fails to induce panicked emails from readers concerned for my mental well-being. Well, it turns out not everyone thinks that concept is without merit. A TikTok duo posted a viral skit in which they perplexingly suggest that it's ridiculous to tip restaurant servers but "not the guy who's on call 24/7 to make sure you have a safe home."

To the extent that the clip is tongue-in-cheek or an earnest attempt to garner sympathy toward the modern slumlord class, the greatest takeaway here is probably that we never should have done away with the guillotine.

HEY YOU! You should sign up for the email version of this newsletterright here. It's better than this version. Trust me.

In Case You Missed It

What Decisions Can ChatGPT Make?

Charlie Hart. Right: ChatGPT on a computer.

Charlie Hart | Narcity

ChatGPT is a fairly sophisticated artificial intelligence tool that produces fast text responses to human prompts. So, for instance, when I asked it to "list three of the most influential bands of the 1990s," it quickly spat out Seattle grunge groups Nirvana and Pearl Jam plus English alt-rockers Radiohead. One thing that separates this tool from your average Google search, however, is that ChatGPT possesses a kind of limited memory; if I ask it to generate "three more bands," instead of producing the same list all over again, it came up with Smashing Pumpkins, Oasis and Green Day. Pretty neat.

But is ChatGPT ready for primetime? Are we ready to fully integrate our little digital buddy into our day-to-day lives? To put that to the test, our Charlie Hart recently turned every decision over to ChatGPT for an entire day. Should I have a second cup of coffee? Recommend a new artist I can listen to while I work. What should I have for lunch? What movie should I watch after dinner? ChatGPT's recommendations were generally pretty solid, but Charlie did notice a few areas where things got a little dicey.

• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

How Is Canada Reacting To The Rise In UFO Activity?

A pilot operates the aircraft. Right: A UFO in the sky.

Caleb Woods | Unsplash, Gianluca Carenza | Unsplash

Canada's government has launched a new study into UFOs. Actually, the term they're using is UAPs — "unidentified aerial phenomena" — which probably helps alleviate the sense that we're facing imminent alien invasion. Dubbed "Sky Canada Project," the initiative is the first public research effort in almost 30 years, according to a report from CTV News. The study seeks to understand how UAP reports are analyzed and compiled in Canada compared to other G7 nations, Katherine Caspersz writes.

• Context: The initiative comes after a number of aerial objects were shot down over Canada and the U.S. in recent weeks, including one device thought to be a large, high-altitude Chinese weather balloon.
• However: The study doesn't aim to prove or disprove the existence of extraterrestrial life.
• My Take: Aliens, if you're out there, please don't probe me.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Is Montreal Getting A New Airport?

A rendering of Porter Airlines' proposed new terminal at YHU.

CNW Group/Porter Airlines Inc.

Montrealers may soon have even more options for air travel in the not-so-distant future. Porter Airlines has identified more than 10 potential routes that could fly out of Montréal Saint-Hubert Airport (YHU), including domestic jaunts to Toronto, Vancouver and St. John's, Newfoundland. A new terminal at YHU is being developed and modelled after Toronto's Billy Bishop airport. MTL Blog's Willa Holt has more on Porter's Montreal expansion plans.

• Added Benefit: The YHU revitalization project would result in as many as 500 permanent new jobs across nine bridged aircraft gates, vendors and more.
• In Their Words: "Saint-Hubert has incredible potential as a complementary secondary airport for Montréal, with a convenient location for a significant portion of the local market and also easy access to downtown Montréal," said Porter CEO Michael Deluce.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

What Else You Need To Know Today

🎤 LEAVE IT TO BIEBER
Stratford's own Justin Bieber has cancelled all remaining dates on his Justice world tour. The 29-year-old previously pulled the plug on a number of North American shows last summer following his public acknowledgement that he was suffering from Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which had stricken the pop star with partial face paralysis, Janice Rodrigues writes.

🍟 POUTINE ON THE RITZ
Poutine might be a Montreal staple but the beef-gravy-soaked delicacy hasn't always been particularly inclusive of the rising number of vegetarians and the like. Enter MTL Blog's Willa Holt, who helpfully breaks down five of the city's best vegetarian and vegan poutine options, from La Banquise to Dirty Dogs. Check out the full breakdown.

💄 SEXY SINGLES
Canada's singles are having 33% more sex than last year, according to eHarmony — and Canadians are starting to experiment more, too. Per one of the site's relationship experts, "It's not just about the outcome of the orgasm, but about having fun together, trying new things, and exploring one another." Sarah Rohoman details what new things our neighbours are trying in the privacy of their bedrooms.

🎥 MOVIE MADNESS
It's been a slow start to the 2023 movie season. The biggest flick of the year so far has been the critically flat Ant-Man sequel. Have no fear; March figures to usher in a number of major studio tentpoles — including Creed III, Scream VI, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and John Wick: Chapter 4. There are also smaller dramas and comedies worth bookmarking, Tristan Wheeler points out in his full March preview.

🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa turns 25 years old today. Country star Luke Combs is 33. Game of Thrones sidekick Nathalie Emmanuel is 34. Legendary USC running back Reggie Bush is 38. Retired Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist is 41. Multi-hyphenate Hollywood creator Bryce Dallas Howard is 42. Rebel Wilson is 43. Placekicker Sebastian Janikowski, the top-scoring player in Oakland Raiders history, is 45. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin is 46. James Bond actor Daniel Craig is 55. Jon Bon Jovi is 61. SNL alum Laraine Newman is 71.

Karen Carpenter would've been 73 today. The late Lou Reed would've been 81. The late journalist and author Tom Wolfe was born on this day in 1930. Theodor Geisel — aka Dr. Seuss — was born on this day in 1904.

Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — why do emails suddenly appear in your inbox every morning? They probably long to be close to you.

Have a question or comment about today's edition? Let me know at andrew.potter@narcity.com or hit me up on Twitter if you'd prefer at @andrewjoepotter.

Have a great day and I will see you back here tomorrow to round out the week!