Hiya -

I'm not much of a "hot-take" person.

It's not that I don't have strong opinions; I most certainly do. It's just that I want people to like me. And if I reveal an opinion they (you) don't agree with, they (you) might not like me.

(I'm aware that this is, as my family calls it, a "therapeutible issue.")

‍Nevertheless, today I'm going to give you my two cents on a decidedly divisive topic in my industry: AI.‍

Not the kind of AI that gives me directions, generates Spotify Wrapped, and double-checks that I am, indeed, the person who purchased engine parts for a 1971 Camaro last week. (That's a story for another time.)

I'm talking about generative AI—the kind that writes words and creates images. And here's what I think of that...

My beef with generative AI is NOT about it:

• Becoming sentient.
• Putting me out of business.
• Being used by people with nefarious intentions. (Although that's for-sure happening.)
• Devaluing creative professionals' work. (I mean, it is doing that, but I don't think that'll be the case forever.)
  

My beef with generative AI is that it is, by definition, artificial.

‍Here's what I mean: I wonder if leaning on robots for drafts, brainstorming, and inspiration will, over time, dull our curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. That sh*t takes practice, and if AI's doing it all for us, we won't practice as much.

More importantly, that sh*t's some of the most important stuff that makes us human. And honestly, Jordan, the world is in desperate need of more human-y humans. Not AI-derived versions of humans.

And here's where my pep talk comes in...

Pep Talk #024: Trust your gifts.

‍That may seem out of left field, given the subject matter. But hear me out.

Many of the people I know who use AI, use it because they think AI can do something they can't.

‍So listen up...If you're an artist, AI can't do what you do, because what you do comes from inside you.

If you're a stellar writer, AI can't do what you do, because AI is a lousy-ass writer.

If you're a terrible writer, AI can't do what you do, because AI can't hire a writer (which is what I recommend you do).

Now look... if you use and love generative AI, it's OK! My experience with it has been 👎, but I realize you may have figured out a way to use it that feels supportive and not icky. Liiiiiike, maybe you've gotten a killer headline out of it. Or a controlling idea for an email. Or some inspiration for a new multimedia piece. That's great.

Just be sure there's plenty of you in the world still, mkay?

With love,
Kelley

P.S. If you're a writer who uses AI, please, for the LOVE OF PETE, do some quality control and don't hand ChatGPT outputs to a client as-is. (If you're thinking, "Nobody would do that," you're... very sweet and I don't want to burst your bubble.)

P.P.S. You're welcome to respond with a contrary opinion. I enter every "hot take" from a genuine posture of "I may be wrong about this."