Imagine this: A jester stumbles onto AI. What would happen, I wonder…
(This is just a thought I had when I was finishing up this post. Maybe one day I’ll write about the shenanigans that would ensue if a court jester crossed paths with Artificial Intelligence. But for now, onto what I wrote about.)
Is it considered cheating if I use Artificial Intelligence to come up with creative ideas to write about? A few months ago, someone suggested that I use an AI tool to help me with my writing. At first, I protested because I think using AI to write a complete blog post takes the whole concept of human creativity and throws it out the window. But the gentleman that I was talking to stated that I could use AI as a guide to help me get started. (I know that can be a very slippery slope.) But as I have come to learn, AI can be a useful resource.
I tested AI for the first time in regards to my writing a couple of weeks ago, and I must admit I was impressed, and even a little jealous, with the results. I came up with the story plot and asked AI to write a story, and within seconds, a story was born. (And it was a good story at that!). I even went as far as creating an AI-generated video to go along with the storyline (that result wasn’t as impressive, but still far more advanced than what I can do at the current time). I didn’t post that story or video on my blog, but I was tempted to.
I think, like with everything in life, moderation should be at play when it comes to using AI, especially in the creative field. That old saying, “If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.” definitely can apply to creativity. I think the concept of using AI as the main driving force behind the creative process can cause writers and the like to lose the joy, skill, and talent for being creative, and that would be a loss to the world. I don’t think AI should be completely disregarded, however. It definitely can come in handy during a dry spell or creative block, or in a crunch when pressed for time, or be used for grammar checks, but I think that boundaries and discipline have to be in place when using AI to create.
So far, other than me asking it to create a story and video for my own twisted curiosity, I’ve recently used AI-generated graphics for my blog postings. And tonight, I asked AI to come up with creative ideas for me to write about. So far, that’s the extent of my AI usage. That’s not to say that I won’t use AI for anything else when it comes to my creative venture. As AI advances and I move further along in my writing journey, I’m sure there will be other uses for it. I just don’t feel comfortable staking a claim on works that did not originate with me. I want to use my own unique voice for my work. I want to be as original and creative as possible. I think I owe it to myself and to the audience that reads this blog. However, I can’t ignore that AI is a great tool to use sometimes.
In closing, AI makes things easier, but it shouldn’t take the place of grit and the human touch. At least that’s what I think. I’m looking forward to seeing how I can incorporate AI and use it to possibly improve my creative writing skills. I’m not trying to worry about it, but instead look at it more from a lens of curiosity and experimentation. Let’s see where the road leads, shall we?