Extinction Threat or Novelists' Helper?
Alarms are sounding about the existential danger of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots and language models. Even Sam Altman, the “godfather” of AI is concerned and has requested governmental, even international, regulations regarding this phenomenal new technology. Other high-level tech executives agree. Risks of AI include falsification of news, images, and information; transgressions to U.S. security; usurping of jobs for humans; scams of all kinds, and more.
Technology futurist Elon Musk has called for a six-month pause on AI development. Stuart Russell of “The Boston Globe” opined that hyper-intelligent AI is analogous to the invasion of an alien civilization beyond human control.
On the other hand, in a family discussion, we considered how AI might be a handy assistant to writers facing the “soggy, saggy middle” of their novels. This is often the most difficult part of a novel to plot and pace. A compelling beginning and a dynamite ending can leave a blank middle-ground for a writer. As a possible solution, the inspired parts of a story could be “fed” to a chatbot, allowing the AI to fill in the middle section. Of course, the writer should edit and revise the artificial text. This method might be a possible leap over writers’ block!
Price hike alert: Due to rising costs of printing, Amazon is leading the way for all publishers to raise prices on books this month. I have protested a price increase of my novel to $25, but to no avail. As a result, I will continue to personally sell copies of my novel “Promise Full of Thorns” for under $19. If interested, please contact me.
As for my short story anthology, “Night in Alcatraz and Other Uncanny Tales,” I am offering a few copies for sale at $3.79. If you would like a copy at this great bargain, let me know. Amazon has raised the price to $7.99.
Technology futurist Elon Musk has called for a six-month pause on AI development. Stuart Russell of “The Boston Globe” opined that hyper-intelligent AI is analogous to the invasion of an alien civilization beyond human control.
On the other hand, in a family discussion, we considered how AI might be a handy assistant to writers facing the “soggy, saggy middle” of their novels. This is often the most difficult part of a novel to plot and pace. A compelling beginning and a dynamite ending can leave a blank middle-ground for a writer. As a possible solution, the inspired parts of a story could be “fed” to a chatbot, allowing the AI to fill in the middle section. Of course, the writer should edit and revise the artificial text. This method might be a possible leap over writers’ block!
Price hike alert: Due to rising costs of printing, Amazon is leading the way for all publishers to raise prices on books this month. I have protested a price increase of my novel to $25, but to no avail. As a result, I will continue to personally sell copies of my novel “Promise Full of Thorns” for under $19. If interested, please contact me.
As for my short story anthology, “Night in Alcatraz and Other Uncanny Tales,” I am offering a few copies for sale at $3.79. If you would like a copy at this great bargain, let me know. Amazon has raised the price to $7.99.
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Mollie
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Jun 08, 2023 10:22AM
AI is here to stay. Whether it brings us convenience, inspiration, or the Matrix is yet to be seen. At this point, we still have the option to use it or not. That may be our greatest (and only) power.
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Thanks for reading and for your thoughtful comment, Mollie.
Jean wrote: "Thanks for reading and for your thoughtful comment, Mollie."It's a tricky subject.
I hadn't thought of ways that AI could help writers with the "saggy middle" part of their books. If used wisely, it might be a useful thing. However, given the current Hollywood writers' strike, I have a bad feeling that studio execs are salivating over the prospect of (someday) not having to pay writers to produce quality scripts. The suspicion of AI is warranted---we've seen other seemingly innocuous tools (facebook, instagram, etc) change the way people interact with one another (and not for the good of humankind).
Hi Liz-- I think that being wary is warranted. There are many examples of how AI has written some really inappropriate and wrong things, so the human eye needs to be focused on anything AI produces. I think that social technology has allowed for more bad than good so far.
Your remarks regarding AI are notable. With this concern over intelligence, I am reminded of how the world would end with the Y2K problem. AI should be a very carefully watched/monitored as a work in progress.PS. Loved your novel.
Thank you, Marty. I agree that we need to keep a watch on AI.
Yes! AI as a writer's helper. Might well do a good job on the soggy middle. And how about this -- supply your compelling beginning and do your best on the middle, but let AI come up with the dynamite conclusion! Could be quite interesting...
Yes, letting AI finish the ending could turn a book on its spine perhaps. Interesting suggestion, Charlie! It might be fun to try even if the author already has an ending planned.
