Using AI?

AI controversy is everywhere. From environmental damage to the destruction of creative energy, opinions about its dangers are rampant.

I’ve always considered myself a technogeek. I love finding new gadgets, apps, and devices that make life more manageable. In college, I studied COBOL programming and realized I liked writing program documentation more than anything. What I really loved was figuring out the logic flows. If this happens, then this. Consequences. Outcomes. It all happens for a reason.

One of my first novels, started over six years ago, had an AI plot. What happens when it takes over? I did a lot of research on quantum computing and the logical next steps of large language models. One of the most intriguing aspects of that research was the inherent bias in AI. If you want to have some fun, ask whatever AI chatbot you use how many women were involved in its development. Not to sound stereotypical, but males are not known for suppressing their emotions. Is it any wonder LLMs do the same? That book was shelved, but I may resurrect it at some point.

While AI can do a lot of writing, that’s not how it should be used. It’s a tool. A hammer can’t build a house, but a good carpenter knows how to use one. I use AI for research. It’s great at combing through large amounts of data to provide a succinct answer. I used to spend countless hours in the library using the card catalog to find books I needed. Cards were replaced by digital software. Now, I don’t even need to go to a library. What used to take hours can be done in minutes. Technology making life easier. What a concept. Some of the people I know who complain about AI aren’t using a typewriter.

I get why people are down on AI. Yes, it can replace some human functions. But it can’t replace human emotions. Yet. Maybe one day, women will take the lead.