Artificial Intelligence? No Thanks

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, Free Press Issues, guns, Personal

Question for you:  Why do you write a blog?  No, it’s not a trick question … you’ll understand in just a minute.

To answer my own question, I write my posts mainly because I think I have something to say.  Others might disagree with that, but that’s okay … enough people read my posts to make me want to keep writing.  We all, I think, have something to say that is important to some people, and that’s what all writing, whether fiction or fact, a novel or a blog, is about.  It comes from our minds and our hearts, we write our thoughts and views, and what we write is unique to us.  A blog is a lot of work … research, writing, editing, responding to comments … but it is rewarding in its own way.  We learn from each other and ‘meet’ new people, make new friends, share ideas.

Akismet does an excellent job of filtering ‘spam’ comments out, only occasionally sending a legitimate comment to the ‘spam’ folder or letting an illegitimate one through.  I don’t get a lot of ‘spammy’ comments these days, maybe 2 or 3 a day, but I always review the spam folder at least once a day before permanently deleting them.  Below is the one I found in my spam folder this morning …

Hello, jilldennison.com I hope you are doing well with managing your website

And I Know How much it is time-consuming to write a good blog post for your website but Did you know you can automate your website with a robot?

You can write a blog post automatically without writing a single paragraph. For example, let’s say you want to write a blog about Art.

In the software write ( write me content about The best Art ideas for 2023)

Done, the robot gives you an entire blog post, and it is plagiarism-freeAnd you can try it here for free: [link deleted] I hope you enjoy it, have a nice day.

My first inclination was simply to send it into the virtual trashbin, for I enjoy writing my own posts, sharing my own views, thoughts and ideas.  Why on earth would I want a computer to do the thinking for me???  But then, I thought it might be fun just to try it out.  Note that in no way will I use this to write my posts – when the day comes that I’m too lazy or witless to write my own posts, I’ll sign off and that will be the end of Filosofa’s Word!  But, I did think it would be fun to try, just to see what this “artificial intelligence” thing came up with.  And so, I chose a simple topic:  The gun problem in the United States.  In just under 20 seconds, this is what it came up with …

The Growing Gun Crisis in the United States

Gun violence has become an increasingly pressing issue in the United States, with gun-related deaths and injuries on the rise. From mass shootings to everyday violence, guns have been used to cause immense harm to individuals and communities across the country. But why is this happening? Let’s explore what is causing the gun crisis in America and how we can work towards a solution.

Where Are Guns Coming From?

The U.S. has some of the most lax gun laws in the world, making it easier for guns to be obtained than in other countries. In fact, there are an estimated 393 million civilian firearms in circulation in America—almost one gun per person! This means that even those with criminal records or mental health issues have access to guns, leading to an increase in gun-related crimes and deaths.

What’s Being Done To Address It?

Fortunately, groups like Everytown for Gun Safety are working hard to pass legislation that would make it more difficult for people who should not have access to guns from obtaining them. These organizations advocate for policies such as universal background checks, extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), and red flag laws that would prevent those at high risk of gun violence from getting their hands on firearms. So far, they’ve had success—39 states now have a form of ERPO law on the books!

Gun violence is an epidemic in our country that needs immediate attention—and we all play a role in addressing it. By supporting initiatives like universal background checks and ERPOs, we can help reduce gun-related deaths and injuries by ensuring that only those who should have access to firearms actually get them. It may seem daunting but together we can make a difference—a difference that could save lives! Let’s join forces and create a safer future for everyone!

Okay, well … on the one hand, I was amazed by the accuracy of the information, as well as the coherency and error-free grammar and spelling, although it was rather generic and didn’t really tell us anything we didn’t already know.  But, it lacks that personal touch, it lacks the passion with which a human would write.  It is not something I’ll be using hereafter, especially in light of the fact that to go beyond the ‘free trial’ would cost $490 per year!!!  But mostly, I would feel like a cheat, and I wouldn’t have the personal satisfaction I get when I write what I think is a good post.  If I were going to let a computer do my thinking and writing for me … why bother?

58 thoughts on “Artificial Intelligence? No Thanks”

  1. Pingback: Artificial Intelligence? No Thanks – Jamaica: Political Economy

  2. Pingback: One Final Experiment With AI | Filosofa's Word

  3. I think the promise of AI can be good for many things – like self driving cars. But it should steer clear of things like art and expression, things that create the human perspective and soul. Let’s not even get into the area of AI and privacy and surveillance!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Heh heh … funny you should mention those, for I just had a discussion with someone yesterday about self-driving cars! I’ve posted about them several times, but bottom line is I think it may well be one of the worst inventions yet! ACK!!! I hadn’t even thought of privacy and surveillance! Hmmmm … I must ponder 😉

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  4. Based upon the number of articles I’ve read and blog posts I’ve seen (and a few I’ve posted on my own about this topic), AI-generated content seems to be a big topic of discussion these days. From what I’ve seen, while the articles or posts written by chatbots are grammatically flawless, they lack two things that separate it from human beings: wit and passion.

    Liked by 1 person

    • I fully agree … they are dry and humourless. I am going to try David’s suggestion to see just what they do with a ‘good people’ post for kicks, but I have no use for AI in my writing. My writing is me, it’s who I am, for better or for worse!

      Liked by 1 person

  6. No … I don’t think it’s for me either. To me, it was written more like a media publication, not the personal sharing of information that I expect from most blogs. Besides, both of us, as well as many of our fellow bloggers, want to insert OUR thoughts/opinions/outlooks on topics of interest. I don’t think this type of “dryness” would solicit much interest and thus, return visits.

    Liked by 1 person

    • I hadn’t thought about that, but you’re right … sounds like a 30-second sound clip for a t.v. commercial! And yes, I write because I need/want to express myself, not so some computer can try to do it for me. That human element of feeling, of passion and compassion … that’s why what we do is important! It’s rather like paying the neighbor kid to walk 2 miles in your stead so you can say you got your daily exercise!

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Jill, AI is writing poetry now, so it is not just posts and comments. But, for some time now, their has been AI that evaluated why songs were popular and replicated certain stanzas of music to write appealing songs. Also, more songs are backed by computer based instrumentation rather than the real instruments. In manufacturing, when a company could hire a robotic device for $20,000 and fire workers, that showed the future. The greatest threat to domestic workers is not been foreign workers, it is technology gains. And, so on and so on. Keith

    Liked by 1 person

    • I know that AI has some very practical uses, but … poetry? There is more to poetry than rhymes … it requires passion, feeling, those things that come from the human mind and heart! Sigh. Are we to just turn our lives over to the output of machines? Do you ever feel like this is a world you no longer recognize?

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  8. I wouldn’t have guessed it was written by a robot, though it is not inspiring. I’m guessing that if you gave the robot a far more obscure subject it would struggle. For guns it just had to regurgitate the millions of words written.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Could not agree more vehemently with you Jill, on a society horribly (and naïvely) ADDICTED to hyper-convenience AI and electronic robots taking over the (LAZIER and LAZIER!) human race in industrialized nations. Perfect case and point here with this 3-min clip from an unlikely futuristic film:

    Of course the 2008 movie is the animated creation of Disney Studios and screenwriters Stanton and Reardon. Notice the sheer obesity of the future humans doing no more than perhaps moving their fingers, arms, mouths, and eyes while electronic devices, robots, and hi-tech machinery all programmed by AI centuries earlier… literally do EVERYTHING for humans. I’m sure the humans can even urinate and do bowel-movements in those lounge chairs!!!

    “Why bother?” indeed! Eventually this dystopian prediction—based on current and recent social trends—will render the human race… useless, by self-affliction without serious introspection. Think it’s not possible? BWAAAAA!!! 😆🤦‍♂️

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    • That video … I may not be able to sleep tonight! Definitely not a world I would wish to live in. Makes me want to go walk a couple of miles, despite the fact that it is after 2:00 a.m., cold, and raining! If this is what humans have to look forward to, count me OUT!

      Yes, if we aren’t going to think for ourselves, then … why even be here on Planet Earth? What fun would live be if computers were doing everything for us, including our thinking?

      Liked by 1 person

      • Yes indeed Ma’am. Just think for a minute how our entire society, economic and/or transportation to name only two, would function (or not) if one of two things on Earth would occur: A) a solar/electromagnetic burst struck & penetrated our atmosphere, or B) power-grids collapsed for several days/weeks. 😬😟

        Oh! Actually “B” did happen here in Texas. 😉 And we were literally thrown back to the 1800’s without electronic devices or energy! 🤦🏻‍♂️

        Point? We are already HEAVILY dependent (enslaved?) on our electronics. And it’s showing no signs of changing. 😟

        Liked by 1 person

        • This is the second time this week that something has reminded me of the book, “One Second After” by William Forstchen. A scary scenario, one that could well happen, of en EMP knocking out power across the entire nation. We don’t realize, until it’s gone, just how heavily we rely on electricity! In September 2008 our was out for 6 days … not only ours, but the entire area, meaning the grocery stores couldn’t sell food, the pharmacies couldn’t fill prescriptions … it was a scenario I hope never to repeat, but it also taught me just how reliant we are on something that is ultimately so fragile.

          On another topic … how is your mom doing, and how are YOU?

          Liked by 1 person

          • You are so nice and thoughtful for asking Jill. ❣️

            Funny you should ask today. Mom’s Dementia has been unusually heightened today and this evening—not so good I’m afraid. 😟 No matter how many times I gave helpful(?) instructions on today’s doctor appointments, her Ultrasound, updates on her business-financial affairs relative to a horrendous 10-months of persistent inflation & cost of goods/services for normal Americans like us (of course started and domino-effected by Putin’s invasion of Ukraine), our meal-plans according to doctor’s & nutritionist’s directives and what she’s SUPPOSED to be eating (and not eating), etc, etc… she’d forget after 10-minutes. But we did have ONE huge victory yesterday!!! 🥳 My sister & I convinced her to finally take a shower after gazillions of previous attempts over the last 3-months, I think! 🙂 Three weeks ago I had to purchase a lot more air-fresheners and about 5 packages of incense fragrant sticks (20 per pack) to burn throughout the apartment. 😔 Can now stop burning them for another 10-14 days I suspect. 🤷‍♂️ Finally getting her toward bed & bedroom. It is 10:15-ish PM here, CST.

            Me? Are you sure you should’ve asked? 😄

            Let’s just say this: on Jan. 9, 2023 finally found a PCP here way out in the Hill Country, after looking for a new one since Oct. 2021, and the only one I could find who was accepting new patients… is 32-miles away in a nearby other tiny rural town. Grrrrr. When all said and done with him, my blood-pressure was 163/84. He was concerned to say the least. Told him it’s chronic hypertension since 2010. Been about 135 to 145 on average, until my move from Dallas to Kerrville for Mom.

            Nevertheless, thank you so much for asking. Sorry I couldn’t totally lie/fib about our situation with a sugar-coated formal answer. LOL 😉

            Liked by 1 person

            • Yes, the past year has taken a toll financially on all of us, and I’m sure your mom is in no position to understand, or maybe even to care. I am glad you finally got her into the shower, though! After my 11 days in the hospital just over a year ago, I wasn’t able to stand long enough to shower for a couple of weeks, and sponge baths just don’t get it, so I was ecstatic when I could finally, even though my legs were shaking the whole time, take a nice hot shower! I’m sure she felt (and smelt) better afterward!

              I did not want a sugar-coated answer, my friend … I wanted honesty and I’m glad you gave me the truth. I’m not at all surprised by your blood pressure reading, but yes, it’s concerning for the long term damage it’s likely doing. Hmmmm … perhaps you should try yoga? They say it’s very relaxing! Do you get any breaks from caring for your mom, like your sister watching over her and giving you a few hours, or even a day away? You need that! If I were closer, I’d come give you a day off once a week, at least! Take care, my friend, and know that you’re in my heart.

              Liked by 1 person

              • Heartfelt thanks Jill. 🥰

                Yoga, huh. Not sure my previous soccer/futebol injuries in/on a number of joints in a shoulder, both knees, and an ankle, would allow extensive yoga. But I do manage to walk (around the property) for about 20-mins per day or every other. Anything longer than 30-45 mins I/we need someone checking on or with Mom. 😏

                Sister can only come get her or be with her about twice a month, max? Even at those times it’s usually only a quick break of 30-45 mins average.

                😄 Hah! You are either so kind, or so naïve to want to spend a day with Mom! 😉 No, seriously… you’d probably enjoy her politeness and sense of humor; though they aren’t always prominent like they used to be. Age and time. What can we do, right? 🤷‍♂️

                Liked by 1 person

                • Okay, forget the yoga then … perhaps just some nice quiet meditation time. Walking outdoors, breathing in a bit of nature is good, too. Have you considered a part-time carer for her? She should be eligible for some services through Medicare and that would give you a bit of a break.

                  I’m probably not kind, but definitely not naive. I helped care for my late mother-in-law when she had Alzheimer’s and it was heartbreaking. I wasn’t her primary caregiver, just filled in for a few hours here and there, for by then her son and I had divorced and not on good terms, but I was still loved by her and her daughters. Some days she knew who I was, other days she would say “Whose girl are you?” One day the electricity was out for a few hours due to a storm and she cried & cried, saying, “I don’t know what I’ve done to make somebody hate me enough to turn off all my lights.” As I said, it was heartbreaking to see this once kind and vibrant woman not even able to recognize her own children some days.

                  Hang in, my friend. I don’t envy you, but I absolutely admire and respect you for all you are giving to your mom.

                  Liked by 1 person

                  • Yeah, I’ve already tried to obtain a licensed nurse/caretaker for her via her long-term healthcare insurance, Genworth, that she’s been paying into since 1996. That was last September. They denied our claim after a long-distance virtual nurse assessment. Said she wasn’t bad enough with her Dementia. 😒

                    Thank you Jill for all your kind sentiments. ❣️

                    Liked by 1 person

  10. I always say please and thank you to google when making a request. it is my hope that when AI takes over the world, it will remember my simple acts of courtesy.
    I actually tried chat gtp just a bit to help me come up with song titles for my compositions as I’m not the best at this and the results weren’t very good.

    Liked by 1 person

    • You are kinder than I am, Scott! If I talk to Google at all, it’s usually to mutter under my breath that “NO, that isn’t what I asked you for!”

      I understand how difficult it can be to come up with titles … heck, I sometimes struggle with a title for even my blog posts. Music would be much harder.

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  11. Wow, I am surprised about the content. However, this cannot be the solution. If people don’t write their own posts for sharing their own thoughts, what is blogging for? I don’t hope anyone lets AI write their posts.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Someone probably will, Erika, though not likely anyone we would follow. There are bloggers out there who heads are in their asses, and a ghost-AI writer might suit them just fine. Tell it to praise Trump or TikTok or something, and it will probably do a fine job. Imagine how it might enhance a Facebooker who loves to puhlish their every meal. It could turn them into a fake gourmet!

      Liked by 3 people

      • That’s a good point. You are right, and I fully agree, there will be those who make use of that option. If somone focus is on masses of followers which seem to give them power AND “meaning” they will sell their grandmother to the devil (as we say). This kind of “self-writing” even has some quality which is the actual danger and those Facebookers or bloggers or whoever can even hide behind a fake name. So, like always, we need to use our brain whatever we read, and must not just believe anything only because someone said it in a convincing way.

        Liked by 1 person

        • it’s sad the number of people who are addicted to stats, how many likes they get, how many followers, etc. I personally don’t even look at such numbers on anything I do. Comments are a more accurate reflection of whether people appreciate my content or not, not merely pressing a like button on a site.

          Liked by 1 person

          • I see it the same way. Quantity over quality. But in the long run, it doesn’t work out anyway. However, I enjoy the contact and interactions with those who really like what I share and make it an effort to leave a comment. Those who only get likes mostly only get “habit”-likes – but those are meaningless.

            Liked by 1 person

    • Agreed! You’ve heard the term “Use it or lose it”? It can be applied to many things, including the human brain. If we don’t use them to think for ourselves, they will ultimately atrophy. I don’t think any of mine or your friends will likely allow AI to take over their blogs, for they are thinkers like you and I, people who enjoy thinking and writing, sharing their own thoughts and ideas.

      Liked by 1 person

      • That makes the big difference: Using the brain in a reasonable way. Everything else won’t be of any sustainability anyway. That whole AI stuff scares me a bit anyway, most of all that self-learning part. Also, I will definitely not drive in a self-driving car. I don’t think my generation can let go of controlling the vehicle. In general, we are masters in inventing great things which over a while slip out of our control and into the hands of some who should have never touched them. May we don’t have a terminator scenario.

        Liked by 1 person

        • In one sense, it is scary. I’m thinking that high school and college students could use this to write their papers, whereby they wouldn’t be learning how to think, how to communicate. So, between that and the recent push to stop teaching kids about our actual history, the next generation could truly grow up to be one without the capability to be a leader in any sense of the word.

          As re the self-driving cars … that is without a doubt the worst invention I can imagine. A few years ago I did a few posts about them: https://jilldennison.com/2016/06/26/installing-morals-into-self-driving-cars/

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  12. Artificial intelligence won’t be able to replace human intelligence, because what sets us apart, from others is, individualities, of how we are all, different from each other, and how we are, also, similar too, and, artificial intelligence lacks this dichotomy, and, we may use artificial intelligence to help make our lives easier, but it will, never be able to make the more complex decisions we make in our daily lives.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Some days I wonder if human intelligence still exists! But you’re right … we all have different personas and bring different sets of emotions and knowledge to the table. And if we no longer need to use our brain, then we will simply turn into slugs lying about doing nothing all day.

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  14. The thing about Artificial Intelligence? It IS artificial. While 8t can finds facts and compare them to one another, it is not going to make the kind of connections a human mind can make. We don’t just read facts, we interpret them, according to our own knowledge base, and our own proclivities.
    I read a short story supposedly created by AI, and it followed the plotline it was given, too closely. It was boring as hell.

    Liked by 2 people

    • True, but the human mind generally follows some pattern of thought processes, so the computer’s best guess might be spot on, or close anyway. I’m sure there are many good uses for AI, but when it comes to art, writing, etc., I prefer the human touch, errors and all.

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  16. Pingback: Artificial Intelligence? No Thanks | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  18. I wonder how iyt would have coped with a ‘Good Person’ post.What it’s criteria would be and whether it would have looked in the same places as you would. Perhaps it’s defiinition would have been a politician attempting to pass laws we don’t agree with.
    Cwtch

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