When I was maybe nine or ten, one night the talk at the dinner table turned to computers. My dad worked for IBM, and I’d known about computers all my life. What I knew, however, was nothing like what we have today. I can still imagine the big green machines churning out pages and pages of paper, much of it blank. My dad would bring home those blank pages for us kids to draw on.
My mom said she thought the computer had been a game changer for society, and of course, she was right. Then she said something that shocked me. In my lifetime, there would be more great inventions, she told me. Things that would once again change the way society operates. I pondered that for awhile, then said, “Like what?” My parents both laughed, because of course, the point was we didn’t know yet. But it would happen.
It has happened, many times over. But so much of it goes back to the computer. Greater efficiency, more precision. Now, however, I have to wonder if we’ve gone a step too far. AI frightens me. Talk about efficiency and precision. I was curious about the AI writing apps and was alarmed to see how many there are.
Writing defines me. In my About page for this blog, I wrote “I believe in the power of words, written, spoken and unspoken. I believe what we write and what we create unleashes who we are, even to our own surprise.” That’s the magic of creativity.
I’m wary that eventually AI will blend into the framework of our society and we’ll stop asking these questions. I have friends who remember saying similar things about Adobe Photoshop, and for most of us now, it’s just a tool for creativity. Can AI become the same sort of thing? Should it?
I don’t want to lose the connections I’ve made through this blog with other creative people, many of them writers and a few photographers. But if a computer is churning out words that I claim but that don’t belong to me, those connections will be lost. And part of me will be, too.
Image Credits: technology concept ©peshkova–stock.adobe.com; computer room © everettovrk–stock.adobe,com
My World With Words 
I so get what you’re saying, Belinda. I must be incredibly naive because for the longest time, I was always amazed at the fabulous photos some people took. Well, hello Photoshop or LightRoom! I don’t have those programs so any adjustments I make to my photos don’t hold a candle to what PS and LR can do.
ChatGPT is something else, isn’t it? Whatever happened to taking pride in our work–our own work–without any enhancements?
Sorry I got carried away, but wow! Technology has really moved along, and I don’t think it is all in a healthy, positive way. **takes soapbox and walks away**
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I think this is a topic that’s easy to get carried away with, so don’t feel bad. I love your photos, by the way. Just the way they are.
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I totally agree, Belinda. As you know, I recently wrote something similar. I’ve been thinking a lot, though, since I wrote that piece. I honestly believe that we cannot fathom the effect that AI will have on society. I was also thinking maybe there will be pockets or groups that are proclaimed as “human” writing. It’s laughable right now lol but I do believe this is going to be a thing that we should be more concerned about.
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I simply can’t imagine where this will lead, and maybe that’s what frightens me the most. Or the fact that it could get out of hand somehow.
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I’ve been seeing more and more about AI in the news. And now, it seems there is a “tech war” to come out with the most robust AI application first. I’ll be happy just continuing to use my brain and not a computer’s!
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I’m with you there. I’m tempted to see what this writing program can do, but so far, I haven’t taken any steps toward that end.
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