Great article on creativity! I'm curious to hear your thoughts on authors and researchers using large language models (LLMs) to create their work. Do you think the quality of writing will become more homogeneous if everyone is using the same tools to write their articles? Will we lose originality and authenticity as a result? Or will we develop a universal approach to how we write?
An important thing to understand is there is not just one way to use AI for writing, for example literally using AI to do the writing is not the only way or the best way.
Another way is to use AI as an advisor for your own writing, to get feedback and suggestions on your own writing.
Plus what AI can do is not a fixed thing, it’s constantly evolving.
So basically, it’s impossible to answer your question and know the future!
However, the best way to understand what’s possible is to actually try using it yourself, see what it can do now, and be curious to challenge your own assumptions about what it can do.
Actually learning about what AI can do will help you better understand it than just thinking about it !
Of all the people talking about AI, only around 5% of people have actually tried using it and have some idea and experience of what it can do. Practice is better than talk for understanding!
I agree that we need to be open to new technologies, but in the case of AI, I think it's crucial to think *how* we want to incorporate it into the creative projects and especially *why*. Just for the sake of it, just because it's new and cool? For me, the creative activities I do (writing, painting...) are for the sake of the time spent doing them, not for the end result. In that sense, AI is not relevant for me; I don't want a robot taking over the pleasure of actually doing the thing. I'm a bit reactionary when it comes to AI, as you can see :)
Firstly I really hear and understand your personal view on this, we all see and respond to the world differently, thats a great thing. And actually I also agree, it makes no sense just to use something just because its popular or fashionable, despite the fact that it seems humans are such herd like animals thats exactly what many people do! But I think its crazy tbh.
However, I have a few questions about some of your assumptions.
You say AI is not relevant to you, but can I ask how much do you know about AI? how many tools have you tried to know for sure that it's not relevant to you?
I'm an AI expert, and I struggle to keep up with all the many new AI tools and developments!
So I'm wondering how well you really understand AI to be able to be sure it's not relevant to you?
When you say 'you don't want a robot taking over...' I hear that as a fear of you not being in control or not choosing is that right? but why do you believe that? I wonder is it because those are the common narratives the media and movies gives us? but if so are they true?
For example, when you use google, shop on amazon, or listen to a reccomended playlist on spotify, is that taking over your pleasure of doing things yourself? Have you ever used a spelling checker on a essay or document? did you feel that took over your pleasure of doing things yourself?
I can really understand your being reactionary about AI as many people are, but I fear that may be more due to the common narratives and stories we have in the media about AI. Whats sad about that I find is that can prevent people actually being curious about AI to actually try and understand what it can do.
Does fear about AI actually prevent us learning more about it I wonder?
How can we know if Ai is relevant for us if we don't spend much time finding out about what it can do or keep up with developments?
I understand you're an advocate of all things AI and that is respectable. It's also good to respect that there are differences of opinion, and others might actually understand what it's about and still have a different view on it. If someone disagrees, it doesn't mean they don't get it or that they are brainwashed by the media.
Anyway, to clarify, I was referring to the latest AI software that creates text and images, like chatGPT, etc. I wasn't referring to all the AI components that have been part of so many tools and software in several industries for many years. Perhaps I misunderstood your piece, and it referred to AI as a concept rather than these latest AI content generation tools.
Differences of opinion and debate is always good, of course. :)
So first actually I would not say I'm an advocate for all things AI at all ! definately not, thats not what I'm for. I'm also against what I would say is AI dystopianism and AI utopianism - I don't believe AI is all good or all bad.
What I am for is what I would call 'AI realism', so what I mean is a balanced, evidence based view of AI, looking at benefits but also risks. Even then, there are so many different ways to do AI realism, and even 2 AI realists could disagree, because even when they consider all the evidence, they might disagree if one use of AI is good or not.
Hope that helps clarify that - I'm definately not an AI advocate! But I support evidence based AI views I guess? Which I see as totally different.
Yes totally agree its good to be able to respect differences of opinion, which is why its great to discuss this with you and others, and why I also said at the end of my last comment 'discussion is good' !
And yes definately agree, just because someone disagrees doesn't mean they are brainwashed by the media! However, I do believe the media has some influence on how we think. Do you believe the media has no influence on how we think?
Ah yes thanks for clarify about specific AI software vs AI as a concept.
In a way I really like the way you put your points, because you speak very much from your experience, your preferences, which is something undeniable and true. And of course maybe I have a different experience, as others do.
In a way, I see connections with what you write about more generally e.g. being a permanent foreigner, which I love, and hope to be myself! For me what I love about your perspective on different countries, is how much you can learn by visiting other countries and cultures, how much you can learn even about where you came from as home.
For me actually is see AI in the same way. AI is like a foriegn country, a strange new place everyone has heard of, but few have visited yet. People imagine all sorts of things about the country of AI, and yet how do we know if these things are true unless we actually visit this new place, actually go there? It's very likely what we imagine, is different to the reality.
And I wonder who knows a foriegn country best - those who imagine but never visit it, or those who actually go there, and immerse themselves in that country at least a bit?
So for me, I see your perspective of visiting other countries and cultures, and understanding AI as the same thing, we can imagine things all we like about it, but we don't really know if what we imagine is actually true unless we go there?
To visit another country, or visit AI.
This is what I also meant evidence based understanding of something, evidence based knowledge vs our imagination when we have little experience.
I think evidence based direct knowledge leads to much better understanding?
Thanks so much for the mention!
Honored to be included in this collection of interesting work. AI is an ever-evolving landscape, and having discussions around it is important.
Great article on creativity! I'm curious to hear your thoughts on authors and researchers using large language models (LLMs) to create their work. Do you think the quality of writing will become more homogeneous if everyone is using the same tools to write their articles? Will we lose originality and authenticity as a result? Or will we develop a universal approach to how we write?
Hi!
An important thing to understand is there is not just one way to use AI for writing, for example literally using AI to do the writing is not the only way or the best way.
Another way is to use AI as an advisor for your own writing, to get feedback and suggestions on your own writing.
Plus what AI can do is not a fixed thing, it’s constantly evolving.
So basically, it’s impossible to answer your question and know the future!
However, the best way to understand what’s possible is to actually try using it yourself, see what it can do now, and be curious to challenge your own assumptions about what it can do.
Actually learning about what AI can do will help you better understand it than just thinking about it !
Of all the people talking about AI, only around 5% of people have actually tried using it and have some idea and experience of what it can do. Practice is better than talk for understanding!
Be the 5%…
Good luck 🙂
I agree that we need to be open to new technologies, but in the case of AI, I think it's crucial to think *how* we want to incorporate it into the creative projects and especially *why*. Just for the sake of it, just because it's new and cool? For me, the creative activities I do (writing, painting...) are for the sake of the time spent doing them, not for the end result. In that sense, AI is not relevant for me; I don't want a robot taking over the pleasure of actually doing the thing. I'm a bit reactionary when it comes to AI, as you can see :)
I also wrote a piece with my view on it, quite the opposite of your view, I guess: https://monicanastase.substack.com/p/ai-content-tools-moral-question
PS: thanks a lot for mentioning my latest essay!
Great points !
Firstly I really hear and understand your personal view on this, we all see and respond to the world differently, thats a great thing. And actually I also agree, it makes no sense just to use something just because its popular or fashionable, despite the fact that it seems humans are such herd like animals thats exactly what many people do! But I think its crazy tbh.
However, I have a few questions about some of your assumptions.
You say AI is not relevant to you, but can I ask how much do you know about AI? how many tools have you tried to know for sure that it's not relevant to you?
I'm an AI expert, and I struggle to keep up with all the many new AI tools and developments!
So I'm wondering how well you really understand AI to be able to be sure it's not relevant to you?
When you say 'you don't want a robot taking over...' I hear that as a fear of you not being in control or not choosing is that right? but why do you believe that? I wonder is it because those are the common narratives the media and movies gives us? but if so are they true?
For example, when you use google, shop on amazon, or listen to a reccomended playlist on spotify, is that taking over your pleasure of doing things yourself? Have you ever used a spelling checker on a essay or document? did you feel that took over your pleasure of doing things yourself?
I can really understand your being reactionary about AI as many people are, but I fear that may be more due to the common narratives and stories we have in the media about AI. Whats sad about that I find is that can prevent people actually being curious about AI to actually try and understand what it can do.
Does fear about AI actually prevent us learning more about it I wonder?
How can we know if Ai is relevant for us if we don't spend much time finding out about what it can do or keep up with developments?
Yes I will check out your piece !
Discussion is good!
I understand you're an advocate of all things AI and that is respectable. It's also good to respect that there are differences of opinion, and others might actually understand what it's about and still have a different view on it. If someone disagrees, it doesn't mean they don't get it or that they are brainwashed by the media.
Anyway, to clarify, I was referring to the latest AI software that creates text and images, like chatGPT, etc. I wasn't referring to all the AI components that have been part of so many tools and software in several industries for many years. Perhaps I misunderstood your piece, and it referred to AI as a concept rather than these latest AI content generation tools.
Differences of opinion and debate is always good, of course. :)
So first actually I would not say I'm an advocate for all things AI at all ! definately not, thats not what I'm for. I'm also against what I would say is AI dystopianism and AI utopianism - I don't believe AI is all good or all bad.
What I am for is what I would call 'AI realism', so what I mean is a balanced, evidence based view of AI, looking at benefits but also risks. Even then, there are so many different ways to do AI realism, and even 2 AI realists could disagree, because even when they consider all the evidence, they might disagree if one use of AI is good or not.
Hope that helps clarify that - I'm definately not an AI advocate! But I support evidence based AI views I guess? Which I see as totally different.
Yes totally agree its good to be able to respect differences of opinion, which is why its great to discuss this with you and others, and why I also said at the end of my last comment 'discussion is good' !
And yes definately agree, just because someone disagrees doesn't mean they are brainwashed by the media! However, I do believe the media has some influence on how we think. Do you believe the media has no influence on how we think?
Ah yes thanks for clarify about specific AI software vs AI as a concept.
In a way I really like the way you put your points, because you speak very much from your experience, your preferences, which is something undeniable and true. And of course maybe I have a different experience, as others do.
In a way, I see connections with what you write about more generally e.g. being a permanent foreigner, which I love, and hope to be myself! For me what I love about your perspective on different countries, is how much you can learn by visiting other countries and cultures, how much you can learn even about where you came from as home.
For me actually is see AI in the same way. AI is like a foriegn country, a strange new place everyone has heard of, but few have visited yet. People imagine all sorts of things about the country of AI, and yet how do we know if these things are true unless we actually visit this new place, actually go there? It's very likely what we imagine, is different to the reality.
And I wonder who knows a foriegn country best - those who imagine but never visit it, or those who actually go there, and immerse themselves in that country at least a bit?
So for me, I see your perspective of visiting other countries and cultures, and understanding AI as the same thing, we can imagine things all we like about it, but we don't really know if what we imagine is actually true unless we go there?
To visit another country, or visit AI.
This is what I also meant evidence based understanding of something, evidence based knowledge vs our imagination when we have little experience.
I think evidence based direct knowledge leads to much better understanding?
Thats how I see it from my perspective anyway :-)
Thanks for the kind mention Pranath!
It was a great article by you I had to share it Dan 🙂👌🏽