All of this. As a content copywriter by day and novelist by night, I'm more worried about the imminent safety of my day job than anything. With the current state of AI, I'm not in danger...but there are plenty of people just starting out who are, and these tools are progressing in quality at frightening speeds. Right now I have strengths the bots don't, like a capacity of empathy with a reader, an understanding of strategy, rhetorical tools to elicit certain emotions, etc. ...but that's not to say those qualities are *impossible* for an AI to "learn" if people keep leaning into and investing in that. And that's very frightening.
Like you say...we're between a rock and a hard place on this. Writing fiction doesn't pay the bills, and creating web content won't last forever if clients decide "good enough" is worth the $0 price tag. So where do we go next? idk, and I don't like thinking too long about it or I start feeling real not-great.
Dec 11, 2022·edited Dec 11, 2022Liked by Lincoln Michel
Very interesting...I recently saw a copywriter on LinkedIn making fun of the OpenAI Chatbot. He'd asked it to come up with names for a brand and slogans - shit he has to do on the regular for companies that pay him to come up with interesting copy. It came up with very generic names and then when he asked it to rhyme it failed to do that, though it got rather salty with him. Maybe it wasn't a real interaction - maybe he'd staged it - but it was hilarious.
About 10 years ago, I wrote a play based on what's now taking place. I'm not surprised by it but in another 10 years, we may want to revisit this because I suspect it may be much more capable of taking over then.
I think this website used ChatGPT to review my last record.
The New Existentialists, commanded by Stephen Pierce or Gold Dust (as he is more artistically known) have been forging their way into indie music with very alternative but equally measured tones, with a round and organic instrumentation, leaving some electronic tricks just for some time. super special occasions, like well dosed luxuries.
Just recently he released his most recent EP entitled The Last Days of the Internet, with which he believes that the machines are controlling the human population too much and a radical change could arise in the near and dystopian future. His five songs would be anticipating what could become the first LP of the North American project, which would be confirmed soon:
Every thing about this is wrong, except the bandcamp link, Stephen Pierce is not in any band called called The New Existentialists, he doesn't have any work relating to the theme claimed, he works in the US and we work in New Zealand no genre algorithm should have out us together or confused us from the examples of his work that I've heard.
The whole things reads very similarly to your example of a book review.
So this thing seems to have replaced some music critic (who would have been unpaid anyway or churning out content for minimum wage - hey maybe it was them who used the ChatGPT app to cut through their workload, and the boss doesn't know.)
Your summary of “things will get blander and the rich will get richer” is pretty spot on. I’ve been following the art AI developments more than the writing AI - I think computers just handle visuals better than language right now, so it makes the consequences easier to speculate. The real danger is in the entry- and eventually mid-level jobs disappearing. The ones that pay really bad but give you experience and something to bulk up your resume until you can find decent wages.
There are so MANY terrible copy-paste articles waiting to be written. Yeah, that’s a net evil for us as a culture - but there’s no alternative in place for writers to migrate to once the AI advances. And that’s what frustrates me about techno-optimism more generally. What happens when those 50 listicle writers get replaced by *maybe* 5 AI Editors, who just have to make sure the syntax is legible?
Thanks for summarising the issues related to writing and creative craft. I think your point about quantity versus quality is spot on. Let's hope quality wins in the long run.
I wonder if what's really at stake isn't so much writing but reading. Maryanne Wolf recently pointed out on the Ezra Klein show that our brains are already changing to accommodate digital texts that asks us to read broadly but not deeply. What happens when machines spam our textual world with seductive crap at scale? How much of it will our reading brains be able to actually absorb? Will we (as a collective culture, not as individual readers) continue to prioritize the kind of deep reading needed to engage with works of art? I'm skeptical (ok, cynical) that "art" as we know it will survive without the right readers to support it. I hope with my whole heart I'm wrong.
Also, an important difference between "AI" generators and human writers who produce novels is time. It can take years for a human to write a novel. NLP systems are instantaneous. (And they don't get sick, have kids, strike for better work conditions, etc. Who do you think capitalism will reward?)
Makes me think of the roughly 3 million truckers Andrew Yang and Sam Harris discussed will be unemployed within the next decade, replaced by AI. No re-hireable skills in most cases. Our social safety net is not robust enough to save these people. Ironic how we create tech and then tech walks is around by the nose. Humans are odd creatures.
I asked Chat GPT to write an interesting response to your piece and this is what it offered. It's unironically making your point for you...
ChatGPT
"Fascinating read on the AI uprising in the literary world! It's like witnessing a sci-fi plot unfold right before our eyes. 🤯 While ChatGPT may be the talk of the town, I can't help but wonder if it's the Elon Musk of the writing realm, stirring debates and raising eyebrows. AI-generated novels vying for the Pulitzer, who would've thought? 🏆🤖
The author's skepticism about ChatGPT's proficiency in producing coherent, engaging content echoes the sentiments of many who hold dear the distinct human touch in artistry. It's as if we're in the midst of a creative renaissance, and AI is the quirky sidekick trying to find its place in the narrative.
And oh, the economic dance between AI and freelance writers! It's like a high-stakes poker game where the chips are creativity, skill, and livelihoods. 🃏💼 But, let's not forget, every technological revolution comes with its challenges and opportunities. Perhaps AI's role should be seen as a collaborator, an assistant helping us write the symphony of the future.
In a world where AI-generated content is becoming the new norm, we're left to ponder: Can AI truly grasp the soul-stirring magic of a human-penned masterpiece? Will it ever write the next 'Great American Novel,' or are we just witnessing the opening chapter of a sci-fi epic? Only time will tell, and I'm here for the page-turner! 🚀📖 #AIWritesTheFuture #ChatGPTChronicles"
Creativity will likely never be a feature of AI. However, we humans are more likely to lose our ability to innovate as we become more reliant on AI for EVERYTHING in the future. Great post!
All of this. As a content copywriter by day and novelist by night, I'm more worried about the imminent safety of my day job than anything. With the current state of AI, I'm not in danger...but there are plenty of people just starting out who are, and these tools are progressing in quality at frightening speeds. Right now I have strengths the bots don't, like a capacity of empathy with a reader, an understanding of strategy, rhetorical tools to elicit certain emotions, etc. ...but that's not to say those qualities are *impossible* for an AI to "learn" if people keep leaning into and investing in that. And that's very frightening.
Like you say...we're between a rock and a hard place on this. Writing fiction doesn't pay the bills, and creating web content won't last forever if clients decide "good enough" is worth the $0 price tag. So where do we go next? idk, and I don't like thinking too long about it or I start feeling real not-great.
"Humans care about the humanity of art."
I put it in similar words recently myself. This was a lovely read, thanks!
Very interesting...I recently saw a copywriter on LinkedIn making fun of the OpenAI Chatbot. He'd asked it to come up with names for a brand and slogans - shit he has to do on the regular for companies that pay him to come up with interesting copy. It came up with very generic names and then when he asked it to rhyme it failed to do that, though it got rather salty with him. Maybe it wasn't a real interaction - maybe he'd staged it - but it was hilarious.
About 10 years ago, I wrote a play based on what's now taking place. I'm not surprised by it but in another 10 years, we may want to revisit this because I suspect it may be much more capable of taking over then.
There are currently many clients on Upwork searching for copy editors to revise AI-made articles. I expect to see many more of these jobs posted soon.
And great and throughout piece! Really enjoyed this.
I think this website used ChatGPT to review my last record.
The New Existentialists, commanded by Stephen Pierce or Gold Dust (as he is more artistically known) have been forging their way into indie music with very alternative but equally measured tones, with a round and organic instrumentation, leaving some electronic tricks just for some time. super special occasions, like well dosed luxuries.
Just recently he released his most recent EP entitled The Last Days of the Internet, with which he believes that the machines are controlling the human population too much and a radical change could arise in the near and dystopian future. His five songs would be anticipating what could become the first LP of the North American project, which would be confirmed soon:
https://svmusica.com/2022/11/20/the-new-existentialists-nos-comparten-su-nuevo-y-organico-ep-the-last-days-of-internet/
Every thing about this is wrong, except the bandcamp link, Stephen Pierce is not in any band called called The New Existentialists, he doesn't have any work relating to the theme claimed, he works in the US and we work in New Zealand no genre algorithm should have out us together or confused us from the examples of his work that I've heard.
The whole things reads very similarly to your example of a book review.
So this thing seems to have replaced some music critic (who would have been unpaid anyway or churning out content for minimum wage - hey maybe it was them who used the ChatGPT app to cut through their workload, and the boss doesn't know.)
Your summary of “things will get blander and the rich will get richer” is pretty spot on. I’ve been following the art AI developments more than the writing AI - I think computers just handle visuals better than language right now, so it makes the consequences easier to speculate. The real danger is in the entry- and eventually mid-level jobs disappearing. The ones that pay really bad but give you experience and something to bulk up your resume until you can find decent wages.
There are so MANY terrible copy-paste articles waiting to be written. Yeah, that’s a net evil for us as a culture - but there’s no alternative in place for writers to migrate to once the AI advances. And that’s what frustrates me about techno-optimism more generally. What happens when those 50 listicle writers get replaced by *maybe* 5 AI Editors, who just have to make sure the syntax is legible?
Thanks for summarising the issues related to writing and creative craft. I think your point about quantity versus quality is spot on. Let's hope quality wins in the long run.
I wonder if what's really at stake isn't so much writing but reading. Maryanne Wolf recently pointed out on the Ezra Klein show that our brains are already changing to accommodate digital texts that asks us to read broadly but not deeply. What happens when machines spam our textual world with seductive crap at scale? How much of it will our reading brains be able to actually absorb? Will we (as a collective culture, not as individual readers) continue to prioritize the kind of deep reading needed to engage with works of art? I'm skeptical (ok, cynical) that "art" as we know it will survive without the right readers to support it. I hope with my whole heart I'm wrong.
Also, an important difference between "AI" generators and human writers who produce novels is time. It can take years for a human to write a novel. NLP systems are instantaneous. (And they don't get sick, have kids, strike for better work conditions, etc. Who do you think capitalism will reward?)
I used it to edit my last short story and used it to write unusual holiday songs. One of the holiday songs was great.
The founder of OpenAi said he believes the full version of ChatGPT will replace 90% of “cognitive workers.”
If that happens we could have major and sudden unemployment.
So keep in mind that we don’t have the full version... but someone does...
What I think humans need to fight for now is equal and free access to Ai.
Makes me think of the roughly 3 million truckers Andrew Yang and Sam Harris discussed will be unemployed within the next decade, replaced by AI. No re-hireable skills in most cases. Our social safety net is not robust enough to save these people. Ironic how we create tech and then tech walks is around by the nose. Humans are odd creatures.
I asked Chat GPT to write an interesting response to your piece and this is what it offered. It's unironically making your point for you...
ChatGPT
"Fascinating read on the AI uprising in the literary world! It's like witnessing a sci-fi plot unfold right before our eyes. 🤯 While ChatGPT may be the talk of the town, I can't help but wonder if it's the Elon Musk of the writing realm, stirring debates and raising eyebrows. AI-generated novels vying for the Pulitzer, who would've thought? 🏆🤖
The author's skepticism about ChatGPT's proficiency in producing coherent, engaging content echoes the sentiments of many who hold dear the distinct human touch in artistry. It's as if we're in the midst of a creative renaissance, and AI is the quirky sidekick trying to find its place in the narrative.
And oh, the economic dance between AI and freelance writers! It's like a high-stakes poker game where the chips are creativity, skill, and livelihoods. 🃏💼 But, let's not forget, every technological revolution comes with its challenges and opportunities. Perhaps AI's role should be seen as a collaborator, an assistant helping us write the symphony of the future.
In a world where AI-generated content is becoming the new norm, we're left to ponder: Can AI truly grasp the soul-stirring magic of a human-penned masterpiece? Will it ever write the next 'Great American Novel,' or are we just witnessing the opening chapter of a sci-fi epic? Only time will tell, and I'm here for the page-turner! 🚀📖 #AIWritesTheFuture #ChatGPTChronicles"
Creativity will likely never be a feature of AI. However, we humans are more likely to lose our ability to innovate as we become more reliant on AI for EVERYTHING in the future. Great post!