I think that it’s time I finally close the laptop for good. It’s time that I announce to you that I am hanging up my pen and I am quitting writing. Forever.
That’s right. I quit!
You see, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence, I’ve come to realize that these AI bots are clearly superior in creating stories than I will ever be able to. They can generate stories that I could never dream of! Mainly because those dreams AI syphons from are not just my own but from every other author that has ever existed. But hey! These little chatbots can put together a story so much faster than would ever be possible for me! And in an age of instant gratification, who am I to compete with productivity like that? These bots have written an entire 5-book saga before I’ve even put on my pants.
Clearly, there is something I am doing wrong in my craft. I waste too much of my time contemplating, thinking, feeling, and empathizing with my characters. You know, too much time giving them distinct voices, personalities, and character flaws. No wonder it took me so long to write my first novel. I’ve spent too much time putting heart and soul into it! That’s my problem!
So you see why I must quit writing. I understand that Skynet and our Artificial overlords will always be the superior species to create art. We can never compete with a supercomputer.
It’s time to face the facts. Who is better suited for writing stories about the human existence than artificial intelligence? Chatbots have access to all information ever uploaded to the internet. How am I supposed to keep up with that? It takes so many hours researching to make sure everything is perfect, and yet the robots can do it instantaneously.
Yes, I’ve come to the conclusion that art is better suited being generated by robots. Who needs humans to make anything anymore? Humans make mistakes. We have typos. We have blunders and faults. It’s so… human of us! Gross!
There is so way that AI would ever make a mistake! Computers are just so much smarter than I will ever be, because it’s just impossible to know everything. My brain and my limited amount of time just can’t sustain the vast knowledge that AI has in its awkwardly drawn six fingered hands. (But to AI’s credit, I also cannot draw hands – the one thing we have in common!)
Let’s truly sit back and ask ourselves the real questions here. What’s the point in having humans write books anymore? What’s the point in humans creating artworks? Poetry? Why do any of this anymore? We have the tools at our fingertips to simply make things exist in a matter of seconds! Why bother wasting our time putting all of our humanity into what we create?
What we create won’t be perfect. What we create will take immense amount of time to put together. What we create will be as unique to us as our fingertips. Who even wants that anymore? Let the robots do it! They know more about being human than any of us because it was humans who designed them. Obviously they would be so much better at being human than us!
And so, with that I say goodbye to my writing career before it really ever began. Let the robots do it. I’ll never be as good as them anyway.
APRIL FOOLS!!!!!!
Oh man, I really hope everyone reading this realized that this was a post for April Fools’ Day! I would never give up writing, and there ain’t no damn way that a robot could write better than a human! I would hope that everyone knows me well enough by now to know how I feel about AI-generated content.
I understand the reality in which we live. Artificial Intelligence is here to stay, and I understand that we need to “play nice.” There can be practical uses for AI – but it doesn’t belong in my stories.
The thing about stories and art in general is that AI can never truly replicate the human experience. It can project what it thinks you want when you type in a prompt, but there is an analytical coldness to it. The human voice is non-existent. It will never replace human artists and creators.
We create because it’s our passion. We create because it’s our calling. We create because it’s how we get in touch with ourselves and our feelings. We create because we want to connect with people and make something that says “you are not alone.” We create because to create is to be human. It’s expression. It’s catharsis. It’s connection. It’s… human.
I’ve always believed in the power of art in all its forms. I just choose to express my art through written words, but all art has its place. Every piece of artistic expression touches someone out there. That’s why we create. It fulfills us. It gives us a sense of purpose. It feeds our souls. We create because we are born to be creators, whether we know it when we’re young or discover it years later.
Why would anyone want something written by a human? Because they know it will be authentic. They know that it contains the one thing AI will never have: Heart.
AI can do many things, and I admit that it can serve very useful purposes in our daily lives – the creation of art is not one of them.
Part of the beauty of creation is the chaos and the journey. It’s not an instantaneous thing that just springs to life in five minutes. It takes years to produce a novel. In my case, my debut novel has taken two years to create. The journey has taught me a lot of lessons that I am eternally grateful for. Setting and committing to long-term goals and staying determined even when the end goal is nowhere in sight. Honing my craft and developing better writing skills and habits. Learning to navigate new territory in an overwhelmingly complicated industry. Finally, seeing that hard work, long hours, sleepless nights, and sacrifice for the sake of your goals do actually pay off.
It’s not just about the end product we tattoo on pieces of paper and send out into the world. It’s also about what the process of creation builds within us. And to me, that’s invaluable. Art can change the world. Creating art can change us for the better. That is worth pursuing. Even though is takes longer. Even though it can drive me crazy. Even though it makes me want to pull my hair out some days. It’s that journey into the craft that drives my passion. The chaos reminds me of my humanity. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
