So glad you wrote this. I appreciate you, human Elizabeth, doing the hard work to clearly articulate what I’ve been thinking.
I am in the zero-acceptance category myself, writing back and forth with my grandchildren (stamps! handwriting!), lugging a Thesaurus to my writing desk, asking folks not to send AI note takers to Zoom meetings (vs attending personally). I’m holding out for the spaces where we meet each other in messy reality.
I eschew parking aids in my car for fear my confidence and spatial awareness will atrophy. I use paper maps when I can so I understand the location of one place relative to another. I buy original art or decorate with found objects.
Recently YouTube recommended a video whose title was "Reading books is now a waste of time" or something to that effect. I didn't click, but I know the creator is very generative AI positive and in other videos he's recommended having AI summarise the lessons you can learn from a book instead of reading it. Many people also promote the idea that reading fiction is a waste of time, but that's a whole other conversation.
This is all to say, I get it. You've given me a lot to think about. I am in the "I'll use it for x, but not for x" camp, for now. I tried using it as an editor but I find that it squashes my voice. Having worked with human editors, I understand the value of a good flesh and blood editor. I am also concerned about the environmental impact of using generative AI.
Anyway, lots to think about. Will join the book club! And I love the word "enfleshed".
With regard to mechanised intelligence I offer two books by Jeremy Naydler. I initially entered substack in order to write reviews of them. I had been fortunate that a friend had personal contact with Naydler. The reviews were posted at the start but I have pinned 'The Struggle for a Human Future'. His earlier book of the two, 'In the Shadow of the Machine' is by the way an excellent history of the long intellectual evolution from antiquity with wonderfully chosen illustrations.
My inevitably modern mind struggled a bit but I learned a great deal. There are mundane reasons for not boarding the AI boat, but as you suggest it is a trap for frail humans like me and you. You can read my two pen'th worth. Mark Vernon had a review much earlier in the Church Times for 'Shadow of the Machine'.
Thank you for this piece. It has, as another commenter already stated, "put words on my intuition" in a similar way. I live in San Francisco and see that exact same advertisement you have above your second reason, and it has always sent a chill down my spine. Given that I'm somewhat unintentionally swimming in the waters of Silicon Valley (I don't work in tech but it's obviously quite prevalent here), I've found it extremely hard to articulate that vague sense of unease that AI provokes. Thank you for doing it so well. I'm in the AI sober club with you.
Elizabeth, such a resonant piece. I don't have a challenge for you, but I do have a question. I'm a professor in the field of communications. I don't think I can tell rising professionals to adopt your zero-acceptance position. This involves me in a set of fierce tensions at best and downright contradictions at worst (rising professionals, after all, can't NOT use AI and in doing so they may well be learning-AI at the cost of ushering themselves out of a job). What would you commend me to tell people whose first jobs will require them to be AI-conversant if not AI-proficient and, given the tuition bills (which pay my salary), won't permit a zero-acceptance policy? Is there some negotiated ground here, as your book taught me to look for?
Honored! FWIW, I'm pondering an approach to AI and work culture less in terms of "Should I use AI or not" but more in terms of "what does ongoing use of AI reveal to us about our life and work?" What's emergent technology recalling for us that we might otherwise have forgotten? Recalling those perhaps forgotten or ignored or underestimated things, might actually serve as a decent guide for intervening on tech use in the workplace. Or so I've been thinking. Looking forward to your next piece!
Thanks for this manifesto, which comes very timely for me as I'm arguing with the developer of my new website regarding AI-generated pictures. You put words on my intuition in a way that really provides a philosopical fundament for my decision. And thanks for a lovely closing of the day in the spacious, warm community of the bookclub!
I agree with the choice for humanism, and AI is getting weirder and weirder anyway. Here's my example.
Every time I settle down to work on the book I am writing, the AI bot pops up to offer to summarize the book for me. NO THANK YOU, I think to myself. Why would I need a summary of a draft of my own book? I'm pretty clear on what I'm saying! Since the whole fun of this particular (children's) book is revelling* in the story and photos, AI would bring nothing to that task anyway. What's it going to say? "This is a cute book, full of beautiful photos that YOU WON"T SEE in this summary"?? That is seriously deranged.
*Revelling spelled with a double l as a courtesy to the British audience...
Thank you. I found this podcast conversation insightful and informative https://www.vox.com/the-gray-area/archives/6 The beliefs AI is built on. I do not have enough material 'out there' for AI to write a poem in my style but it did offer to summarise a recent poem in once sentence. A friend commented that she would prefer to read the summary as she was sure that it would be easier to read and understand than my poetry.
Reading this made me think that a person could ask AI to simulate a loved one who has died. Just think of the implications of that. Speaking to your loved one who has passed, but who AI has used all their videos and essays as material to engage in believable conversations with you. Terrifying. I want the really real too! And what about having a standard Christian God bot who you can pray to and who will give you comforting answers. There must be one already, no?
So glad you wrote this. I appreciate you, human Elizabeth, doing the hard work to clearly articulate what I’ve been thinking.
I am in the zero-acceptance category myself, writing back and forth with my grandchildren (stamps! handwriting!), lugging a Thesaurus to my writing desk, asking folks not to send AI note takers to Zoom meetings (vs attending personally). I’m holding out for the spaces where we meet each other in messy reality.
I eschew parking aids in my car for fear my confidence and spatial awareness will atrophy. I use paper maps when I can so I understand the location of one place relative to another. I buy original art or decorate with found objects.
I’m holding out with you!
Recently YouTube recommended a video whose title was "Reading books is now a waste of time" or something to that effect. I didn't click, but I know the creator is very generative AI positive and in other videos he's recommended having AI summarise the lessons you can learn from a book instead of reading it. Many people also promote the idea that reading fiction is a waste of time, but that's a whole other conversation.
This is all to say, I get it. You've given me a lot to think about. I am in the "I'll use it for x, but not for x" camp, for now. I tried using it as an editor but I find that it squashes my voice. Having worked with human editors, I understand the value of a good flesh and blood editor. I am also concerned about the environmental impact of using generative AI.
Anyway, lots to think about. Will join the book club! And I love the word "enfleshed".
Thanks for rescuing humanism, the term that is.
With regard to mechanised intelligence I offer two books by Jeremy Naydler. I initially entered substack in order to write reviews of them. I had been fortunate that a friend had personal contact with Naydler. The reviews were posted at the start but I have pinned 'The Struggle for a Human Future'. His earlier book of the two, 'In the Shadow of the Machine' is by the way an excellent history of the long intellectual evolution from antiquity with wonderfully chosen illustrations.
My inevitably modern mind struggled a bit but I learned a great deal. There are mundane reasons for not boarding the AI boat, but as you suggest it is a trap for frail humans like me and you. You can read my two pen'th worth. Mark Vernon had a review much earlier in the Church Times for 'Shadow of the Machine'.
Thank you for this piece. It has, as another commenter already stated, "put words on my intuition" in a similar way. I live in San Francisco and see that exact same advertisement you have above your second reason, and it has always sent a chill down my spine. Given that I'm somewhat unintentionally swimming in the waters of Silicon Valley (I don't work in tech but it's obviously quite prevalent here), I've found it extremely hard to articulate that vague sense of unease that AI provokes. Thank you for doing it so well. I'm in the AI sober club with you.
Elizabeth, such a resonant piece. I don't have a challenge for you, but I do have a question. I'm a professor in the field of communications. I don't think I can tell rising professionals to adopt your zero-acceptance position. This involves me in a set of fierce tensions at best and downright contradictions at worst (rising professionals, after all, can't NOT use AI and in doing so they may well be learning-AI at the cost of ushering themselves out of a job). What would you commend me to tell people whose first jobs will require them to be AI-conversant if not AI-proficient and, given the tuition bills (which pay my salary), won't permit a zero-acceptance policy? Is there some negotiated ground here, as your book taught me to look for?
This is a great challenge and I think will need to be my next piece
Honored! FWIW, I'm pondering an approach to AI and work culture less in terms of "Should I use AI or not" but more in terms of "what does ongoing use of AI reveal to us about our life and work?" What's emergent technology recalling for us that we might otherwise have forgotten? Recalling those perhaps forgotten or ignored or underestimated things, might actually serve as a decent guide for intervening on tech use in the workplace. Or so I've been thinking. Looking forward to your next piece!
Reading this allowed my spirit to exhale. I'm with you %100.
Thanks for this manifesto, which comes very timely for me as I'm arguing with the developer of my new website regarding AI-generated pictures. You put words on my intuition in a way that really provides a philosopical fundament for my decision. And thanks for a lovely closing of the day in the spacious, warm community of the bookclub!
Love the expression AI sober. I am too. It’s good to know I’m not alone as I often feel I am. So many people seem to take it as a given.
I agree with the choice for humanism, and AI is getting weirder and weirder anyway. Here's my example.
Every time I settle down to work on the book I am writing, the AI bot pops up to offer to summarize the book for me. NO THANK YOU, I think to myself. Why would I need a summary of a draft of my own book? I'm pretty clear on what I'm saying! Since the whole fun of this particular (children's) book is revelling* in the story and photos, AI would bring nothing to that task anyway. What's it going to say? "This is a cute book, full of beautiful photos that YOU WON"T SEE in this summary"?? That is seriously deranged.
*Revelling spelled with a double l as a courtesy to the British audience...
Thank you. I found this podcast conversation insightful and informative https://www.vox.com/the-gray-area/archives/6 The beliefs AI is built on. I do not have enough material 'out there' for AI to write a poem in my style but it did offer to summarise a recent poem in once sentence. A friend commented that she would prefer to read the summary as she was sure that it would be easier to read and understand than my poetry.
Reading this made me think that a person could ask AI to simulate a loved one who has died. Just think of the implications of that. Speaking to your loved one who has passed, but who AI has used all their videos and essays as material to engage in believable conversations with you. Terrifying. I want the really real too! And what about having a standard Christian God bot who you can pray to and who will give you comforting answers. There must be one already, no?