Pages

Wednesday, March 06, 2024

IWSG: AI and Writing

Welcome to the March 2024 post for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Learn more about them on their website and Facebook page.

Our hosts this month are Kristina Kelly, Miffie Seideman, Jean Davis, and Liz@Middle Passages.

Here's our question for the month: Have you "played" with AI to write those nasty synopses, or do you refuse to go that route? How do you feel about AI's impact on creative writing? 

The last time we discussed AI for the IWSG, I posted a photo showing how Google had mined this copyrighted blog for its AI. I was neither credited nor compensated. Granted, my blog was a minuscule contribution, but it's the principle of the thing. AI has been developed using stolen intellectual property, and I personally don't believe anyone should support it or the capitalists foisting it on us heedless of the human consequences. 

As for AI's impact on creative writing, I don't like it. (No surprise there.) AI still lags human creativity when it comes to novelty. Using AI for creative writing demeans the process. Yes, it can be frustrating staring at a blank page or having to discard words you worked hard to write, but but without the frustrations, there are no rewards to writing. I'm always thrilled when my subconscious comes up with scenes that connect in ways I didn't intentionally plan. Writing "the end" is a fantastic high, as is hearing from readers who connect with your work. On some of my social media sites, I see memes circulating that readers don't want to read something no one cared enough about to write. AI can be trained to imitate an author's voice, but it can't develop a voice of its own. All creative people should stand together and support each other in our creative endeavors. We don't just do it for money; we do it to become the best versions of ourselves.

 How do you feel about AI? Feel free to share your thoughts below.