on AI and what makes us human
The argument that compelled me to write this: "it doesn't matter to people if something is AI-generated or not; if it feels good, most people will enjoy and accept it."
This was a response to someone I know putting AI-generated music on the same level as non-AI-generated music. I know there's levels - you can use AI to generate vocals, lyrics, beats, ideas, and more. I believe humans should still encourage transparency into the use of AI and use a better lens to make judgements.
Art is born when something inside someone is too big to hold inside - it spills out in weird and creative and awesome ways. As it turns out, we all feel very similar feelings and have different mediums through which it spills out - music, painting, writing. The idea here is that it "spills" out, it doesn't get "generated".
We connect with others through the fact that whoever created this something physically and literally walked, or are walking, on that path. When I miss my mum and I listen to "I miss my mum" by Cavetown, I feel a connection - we were both born into this world wildly apart and have had different experiences but still miss our mothers the same. It is a byproduct of creating, not the purpose.
I've studied and built these tiny regurgitators myself; they're empty underneath. They're extremely good at pattern recognition and imitation, but I can't relate to them. I think we're just using it for the wrong purposes - automating manipulative and clickbait-y marketing posts optimised to go "viral" and then celebrating when they do. Can I just speak to a fucking human?
At some point, you stopped curating your algorithm and started to let it curate you instead, because it's easier, less boring, and Instagram would rather have it their way. We started watching people do the thing and stopped doing the thing. We probably need a lesson on autonomy and a long service leave from social media.