Like with the digital detox, I love the pragmatism of your Substack.
My concern with the fiction writing of AI is of it surpassing us all. How will you and I handle it when we read a truly beautiful story, maybe the most beautiful story we've ever read, then realize it was written by AI? This makes me shudder.
This is so inspiring, even for this old greying writer in dark South Africa. Yes, it's literally dark here, throughout this cold winter due to the evils of our world. I guess alll that keeps me going is my faith in Jesus Christ and reading articles against the machines, such as yours. Again, thank you!
If AI is so damn smart, how come they can't come up with a spellcheck or a predictive text editor that doesn't continually change correct spelling and syntax to incorrect?
What a wonderful piece, Ruth. Yes, hard to believe the powers we so quickly give away in the name of convenience. Hard to imagine the consequences. Your words brought to mind my favorite writers, who shock me with the breadth of their vocabulary and the flexibility of their metaphors to conform so exactly to their meaning. Listen to these, from Mary Oliver, who writes, "The flounder makes a pretty super. So does mackerel - a squamation of snow, midnight, and the blue of a stormy sky." I had never read the word "squamation" before that sentence. In that one careful description, Oliver opened up a secret of the world I didn't know before.
Thanks for the mention Ruth, and a lovely idea regarding the competition. I hope you get some well-written and beautiful submissions.
I was speaking to my assistant pastor this week about AI and one thing we discussed was how Christians can create communities of authenticity - places where songs, essays, photos etc can be guaranteed to be free from AI. Living in a world where nothing can be trusted to be authentic human creation anymore is disorientating. I know that your writing and those you have recommended in this post will be free from AI and thus are refuges of authentic writing.
Most public dialogue now reduces to a grab bag of clichés which makes everything sound glib and performative. I get agitated listening to journalists, politicians, and members of the public being interviewed on the news because it seems mechanical and fake. It's all boilerplate and shibboleths. Everything's a "crisis"'; everyone is "passionate"; we're forever "taking on board" and we're always "absolutely committed to..."
AI is a huge problem, but most people have been robotically regurgitating the same few words and expressions for a while now.
What a great contest! My solution against AI is simple, give kids a pencil and piece of paper! I have been asking students at my middle school their thoughts on computers in school. To my surprise, many don't like them! So glad I found your substack and look forward to reading more!
Like with the digital detox, I love the pragmatism of your Substack.
My concern with the fiction writing of AI is of it surpassing us all. How will you and I handle it when we read a truly beautiful story, maybe the most beautiful story we've ever read, then realize it was written by AI? This makes me shudder.
This is so inspiring, even for this old greying writer in dark South Africa. Yes, it's literally dark here, throughout this cold winter due to the evils of our world. I guess alll that keeps me going is my faith in Jesus Christ and reading articles against the machines, such as yours. Again, thank you!
Hi there. Is the contest only for kids in Canada?
If AI is so damn smart, how come they can't come up with a spellcheck or a predictive text editor that doesn't continually change correct spelling and syntax to incorrect?
What a wonderful piece, Ruth. Yes, hard to believe the powers we so quickly give away in the name of convenience. Hard to imagine the consequences. Your words brought to mind my favorite writers, who shock me with the breadth of their vocabulary and the flexibility of their metaphors to conform so exactly to their meaning. Listen to these, from Mary Oliver, who writes, "The flounder makes a pretty super. So does mackerel - a squamation of snow, midnight, and the blue of a stormy sky." I had never read the word "squamation" before that sentence. In that one careful description, Oliver opened up a secret of the world I didn't know before.
Love it!
Thanks for the mention Ruth, and a lovely idea regarding the competition. I hope you get some well-written and beautiful submissions.
I was speaking to my assistant pastor this week about AI and one thing we discussed was how Christians can create communities of authenticity - places where songs, essays, photos etc can be guaranteed to be free from AI. Living in a world where nothing can be trusted to be authentic human creation anymore is disorientating. I know that your writing and those you have recommended in this post will be free from AI and thus are refuges of authentic writing.
You have done some great philosophising during your digital detox! Thanks for this wonderful piece.
Most public dialogue now reduces to a grab bag of clichés which makes everything sound glib and performative. I get agitated listening to journalists, politicians, and members of the public being interviewed on the news because it seems mechanical and fake. It's all boilerplate and shibboleths. Everything's a "crisis"'; everyone is "passionate"; we're forever "taking on board" and we're always "absolutely committed to..."
AI is a huge problem, but most people have been robotically regurgitating the same few words and expressions for a while now.
As always, a great read!
What a great contest! My solution against AI is simple, give kids a pencil and piece of paper! I have been asking students at my middle school their thoughts on computers in school. To my surprise, many don't like them! So glad I found your substack and look forward to reading more!
My daughter sent her original story in. We noticed the deadline and entry fee have changed. Is that correct? Thanks!