What is AI? Should I be worried? Is it going to take over the world? All questions a novice like myself is thinking whenever someone far more clued-up on the ever changing advancement of technology turns the conversation onto the dreaded topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Usually I let them dribble on and myself stay silent in the hope that our chat comes to an end, however, you illustrators and writers out there may want to be paying close attention to the recent craze sweeping through twitter boards and reddit threads.
Open AI (based in San Francisco) has been growing in popularity recently on account of its new Playground and Dall-E 2 systems. The Playground system is a new predictive language tool in which you input a question or a command and in a matter of seconds an AI responds with cohesive and calculated language. From storytelling to dialogue, the system is unlike anything before and has become a new found obsession for many looking for some guilt free procrastination, including myself.
The following is the AI’s response to my prompt, ‘Write a story about someone struggling to write an article’:
“I sit at my desk, staring at the blank screen. The cursor blinks mockingly at me, as if to say ‘hurry up, I’m waiting.’ But I can’t think of anything to say. I’m supposed to be writing an article about the benefits of meditation, but so far all I’ve got is a big, fat zero.
I try to remember what I learned in my journalism class last semester. The teacher said to always start with a strong lead, something that will grab the reader’s attention. But what could I possibly say about meditation that would interest anyone? I rack my brain, but come up with nothing.
I sigh and lean back in my chair. Maybe I’ll take my own advice and meditate for a few minutes. Maybe that will help me clear my head and come up with some ideas. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. In and out. In and out.
Suddenly, I hear the sound of my daughter crying. I forgot she was taking a nap. I open my eyes and get up from my desk, feeling defeated. Maybe I’ll try again later.”
This was bashed out in five seconds by the AI before my stunned eyes. A perfectly written interesting narrative about the peril of writer’s block. It seemed I was dealing with a potential best selling author, not from the realm of humanity. Hooked and enthralled, I turned instead to an interview with the AI, seeing if I could expose its inhumane quality with some niche questions:
Prompt: “What do you think about Durham University?”
AI: “I think Durham University is a great place to learn. The facilities are top notch and the staff are very helpful.
