This is one of the best pieces I have read by a writer who has used AI and thought deeply about what it was doing to her and what it could do to our culture. (Gift link)
I still print pictures and put them in albums. This means curation. AI could never know which images will have meaning when we look at the photos we've taken. AI can't judge what we'll want to remember, like the flat tire on the rental last year. We had to email the photo to the rental company, but we printed it because that's a story, not to be forgotten. AI can never be human. Work hard, play hard while you work (love what you do), and stay human in all your thinking. Also, happy sales to you on your book.
AI would definitely trash some of my favorite photos! Google Photos asks me occasionally if I want to get rid of photos and some of the ones they choose are definitely ones I'd keep: blurry, out of focus, confusing, taken a microsecond too late—that's what makes them mine!
Thanks, Rena! I haven't watched the John Oliver piece but yes, it's frightening. There just isn't enough public understanding of how these large language models are bad for us. I can't count how many times I've had to tell Google Docs I'm not interested in Gemini. It's bad enough that Docs takes issue with bits of my idiosyncratic writing style! We all have to keep resisting and keep talking to each other about it.
This is one of the best pieces I have read by a writer who has used AI and thought deeply about what it was doing to her and what it could do to our culture. (Gift link)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/18/opinion/ai-chatgpt-school.html?unlocked_article_code=1.XU8.3VZP.mS6a-mQKM32M&smid=nytcore-android-share
I still print pictures and put them in albums. This means curation. AI could never know which images will have meaning when we look at the photos we've taken. AI can't judge what we'll want to remember, like the flat tire on the rental last year. We had to email the photo to the rental company, but we printed it because that's a story, not to be forgotten. AI can never be human. Work hard, play hard while you work (love what you do), and stay human in all your thinking. Also, happy sales to you on your book.
AI would definitely trash some of my favorite photos! Google Photos asks me occasionally if I want to get rid of photos and some of the ones they choose are definitely ones I'd keep: blurry, out of focus, confusing, taken a microsecond too late—that's what makes them mine!
Thanks for writing what has been on my mind! We watched John Oliver’s take on AI a few days ago— frightening! Keep writing… we love your work!
Thanks, Rena! I haven't watched the John Oliver piece but yes, it's frightening. There just isn't enough public understanding of how these large language models are bad for us. I can't count how many times I've had to tell Google Docs I'm not interested in Gemini. It's bad enough that Docs takes issue with bits of my idiosyncratic writing style! We all have to keep resisting and keep talking to each other about it.
Such lovely and thoughtful insights. I always have bigger thoughts after I read your posts.
As a writer, I couldn't ask for anything more! Thanks, Kristi.