“It Ain’t Bragging If You Can Do It.” -- Muhammad Ali (Part 5 of 5)

I don’t list my credits to tout myself as a writer but to point out the difference between me and other creative people vis a vis hacks.

To sum it up, hacks care only about the product.

Creatives care about the process.

The process is a personal one, unique for every creative person regardless of which craft they follow.  For that very reason, using a large language model AI works against developing a genuine creative voice, instead directing one to follow paths already well explored by others.

I contend it is difficult to be completely creative when one relies on AI for much of the process.

I grant there are specific circumstances that may justify extensive use of AI by some (say a person who for whatever reason cannot directly do the work required but must rely on AI; or someone who wants the equivalent of a paper napkin sketch to rough out a few ideas before creating a work personally; or for a quick satirical meme, etc., etc., and of course, etc.).  Using AI for specific limited tasks (viz my use of Magic Realism Bot prompts) such as initial pass editing for spelling and grammar, etc. is also okay.

But here’s the thing aithers -- even the most sincere -- keep overlooking.

If you can create product using AI…

…so can your audience.

We’re within spitting distance of people saying, “Siri (or Alexa, depending on your denomination), generate an hour of Turkish hip-hop sung by females.”

Or, “Generate a cozy mystery novel set in my neighborhood.”

Or, “Show me On Her Majesty’s Secret Service only replace Lazenby with Connery.”

Or, “Show me a Star Trek story where Spock falls in love with me.”

If anybody can do it, dear aithers…

They. 

Don’t. 

Need. 

You.

I fully realize the good old days of best-selling authors raking in millions lay behind us.  The next generation of genuine creatives will be those who find audiences that link to them personally, creatives who have taken the time and effort to learn how to express themselves in ways AI created works will be hard to duplicate.

There’s always room for acceptable mediocrity if product is your only goal.

But if the goal is mastering the process, there’s room for immortality.

© Buzz Dixon