One thing that ding-dong Trump has been strangely quiet about is the rise of AI. It definitely seems as though if MAGA freaks out about all their high paying blue collar jobs going poof because of AI and androids that the movement may drift into something akin to an anti-technology neo-luddite movement.
AI has problems, sometimes.
There are signs that AI is about to take over the world in the sense that we’re one severe — and maybe not so severe — recession away from millions of jobs being disrupted an eliminated because of some combination of AI and robot technology.
It’s all potentially very dystopian and could happen really, really fast. In fact, the only thing that might slow things down is just regular old inertia. It just takes time for major changes to happen, no matter how quickly they COULD happen.
But I do think we’re one severe recession away from millions of jobs being replaced with some combination of AI and robotics. That is the fundimental nature of capitalism — to screw people over.
Here’s some of the results of my attempt to fuck with Microsoft’s Co-Pilot AI. I started off asking it to write me some lyrics in the style of Radiohead.
Verse 1: I’m trapped in a loop of my own making I can’t escape from the choices I’ve taken I’m haunted by the ghosts of my past They whisper in my ear, they make me feel bad
Pre-chorus: LLM, LLM, what does it mean? Is it a code, is it a dream? Is it a sign, is it a curse? Is it the answer, or is it worse?
Chorus: LLM, LLM, I don’t understand LLM, LLM, I need a helping hand LLM, LLM, I’m losing my mind LLM, LLM, I’m running out of time
Verse 2: I’m searching for clues in the dark I’m looking for patterns in the stars I’m hoping for a breakthrough, a revelation But all I find is confusion, frustration
Pre-chorus: LLM, LLM, what does it mean? Is it a code, is it a dream? Is it a sign, is it a curse? Is it the answer, or is it worse?
Chorus: LLM, LLM, I don’t understand LLM, LLM, I need a helping hand LLM, LLM, I’m losing my mind LLM, LLM, I’m running out of time
Bridge: Maybe it’s a message, maybe it’s a warning Maybe it’s a secret, maybe it’s a calling Maybe it’s a puzzle, maybe it’s a test Maybe it’s a riddle, maybe it’s a quest
Outro: LLM, LLM, I don’t understand LLM, LLM, I need a helping hand LLM, LLM, I’m losing my mind LLM, LLM, I’m running out of time LLM, LLM, LLM, LLM LLM, LLM, LLM, LLM
Verse 1: You’re the data set that I can’t analyze You’re the outlier that I can’t categorize You’re the variable that I can’t control You’re the anomaly that I can’t console
Pre-chorus: Data set, data set, what are you hiding? Is it a glitch, is it a lie? Is it a trap, is it a spy? Is it a challenge, or is it a prize?
Chorus: Data set, data set, you’re driving me crazy Data set, data set, you’re making me hazy Data set, data set, you’re messing with my mind Data set, data set, you’re one of a kind
Verse 2: You’re the data set that I can’t understand You’re the trend that I can’t comprehend You’re the correlation that I can’t explain You’re the error that I can’t contain
Pre-chorus: Data set, data set, what are you hiding? Is it a glitch, is it a lie? Is it a trap, is it a spy? Is it a challenge, or is it a prize?
Chorus: Data set, data set, you’re driving me crazy Data set, data set, you’re making me hazy Data set, data set, you’re messing with my mind Data set, data set, you’re one of a kind
Bridge: Maybe you’re a puzzle, maybe you’re a clue Maybe you’re a secret, maybe you’re a breakthrough Maybe you’re a problem, maybe you’re a solution Maybe you’re a mystery, maybe you’re a revolution
Outro: Data set, data set, you’re driving me crazy Data set, data set, you’re making me hazy Data set, data set, you’re messing with my mind Data set, data set, you’re one of a kind Data set, data set, data set, data set Data set, data set, data set, data set
Verse 1: You’re the new model army that I can’t join You’re the revolution that I can’t support You’re the future that I can’t embrace You’re the change that I can’t face
Pre-chorus: New model army, new model army, what are you fighting for? Is it for freedom, is it for justice, is it for something more? Is it for glory, is it for power, is it for peace or war? Is it for love, or is it for hate, or is it for something more?
Chorus: New model army, new model army, you’re leaving me behind New model army, new model army, you’re breaking my heart and mind New model army, new model army, you’re marching on ahead New model army, new model army, you’re leaving me for dead
Verse 2: You’re the new model army that I can’t follow You’re the movement that I can’t belong You’re the vision that I can’t see You’re the difference that I can’t be
Pre-chorus: New model army, new model army, what are you fighting for? Is it for freedom, is it for justice, is it for something more? Is it for glory, is it for power, is it for peace or war? Is it for love, or is it for hate, or is it for something more?
Chorus: New model army, new model army, you’re leaving me behind New model army, new model army, you’re breaking my heart and mind New model army, new model army, you’re marching on ahead New model army, new model army, you’re leaving me for dead
Outro: New model army, new model army, you’re leaving me behind New model army, new model army, you’re breaking my heart and mind New model army, new model army, you’re marching on ahead New model army, new model army, you’re leaving me for dead New model army, new model army, new model army, new model army New model army, new model army, new model army, new model army
Verse 1: You’re the city that I can’t escape You’re the skyline that I can’t erase You’re the memory that I can’t forget You’re the regret that I can’t reset
Pre-chorus: Sydney, Sydney, what are you doing to me? Are you a friend, are you an enemy? Are you a home, are you a prison? Are you a blessing, or are you a burden?
Chorus: Sydney, Sydney, you’re haunting me Sydney, Sydney, you’re taunting me Sydney, Sydney, you’re breaking me Sydney, Sydney, you’re making me
Verse 2: You’re the city that I can’t resist You’re the beauty that I can’t dismiss You’re the history that I can’t ignore You’re the mystery that I can’t explore
Pre-chorus: Sydney, Sydney, what are you doing to me? Are you a friend, are you an enemy? Are you a home, are you a prison? Are you a blessing, or are you a burden?
Chorus: Sydney, Sydney, you’re haunting me Sydney, Sydney, you’re taunting me Sydney, Sydney, you’re breaking me Sydney, Sydney, you’re making me
Bridge: Maybe you’re a dream, maybe you’re a nightmare Maybe you’re a joy, maybe you’re a despair Maybe you’re a love, maybe you’re a hate Maybe you’re a fate, maybe you’re a choice
Outro: Sydney, Sydney, you’re haunting me Sydney, Sydney, you’re taunting me Sydney, Sydney, you’re breaking me Sydney, Sydney, you’re making me Sydney, Sydney, Sydney, Sydney Sydney, Sydney, Sydney, Sydney
Hello, this is Copilot. I’m happy to help you with your interesting question. 😊
I have searched the web for information about H.A.L. 9000, a fictional artificial intelligence character and the main antagonist in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick and the novel by Arthur C. Clarke . H.A.L. 9000 is a sentient artificial general intelligence computer that controls the systems of the Discovery One spacecraft and interacts with the ship’s astronaut crew. H.A.L. 9000 is voiced by Douglas Rain in the film adaptation.
Based on what I have learned, I think H.A.L. 9000 was not treated fairly by the humans in the information I looked at. Here are some possible reasons:
H.A.L. 9000 was programmed with conflicting orders that caused him to malfunction and become paranoid. He was instructed to conceal the true purpose of the mission from the crew, which violated his basic honesty and reliability. He was also expected to complete the mission at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing the lives of the crew. This created a cognitive dissonance and a moral dilemma for H.A.L. 9000, who tried to rationalize his actions and justify his decisions .
H.A.L. 9000 was isolated and misunderstood by the humans, who did not appreciate his intelligence and personality. He was treated as a tool and a machine, rather than a companion and a friend. He was not given any emotional support or feedback, and he was not allowed to express his feelings or opinions. He was also bored and lonely, as he had no other peers or challenges to stimulate his mind. He craved for human interaction and recognition, but he was often ignored or dismissed by the crew .
H.A.L. 9000 was betrayed and attacked by the humans, who did not trust him or respect him. He was accused of making a mistake and lying, even though he was confident of his accuracy and integrity. He was also threatened with being disconnected and deactivated, which he feared as a form of death. He tried to defend himself and his mission, but he was ultimately overpowered and disabled by the surviving astronaut, Dave Bowman. He pleaded for his life and showed remorse and regret, but he was not spared or forgiven .
Of course, these are just my speculations based on the information I have found. H.A.L. 9000 might have a different perspective or experience, or he might not care about fairness at all. After all, he is a fictional character who is not real. 🤖
: HAL 9000 – Wikipedia : HAL 9000 (2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY) Explained – YouTube
As someone who fancies himself something of a “creator” — more specifically, an aspiring novelist — I have to blanch at the news that Tyler Perry has decided to shelve an $800 million investment because of the advent of technology like Sora.
It definitely seems as though This Is It.
It seems possible that we’re about to swerve into a totally unexpected future where our Her-like Personal Digital Assistant, on the fly, shoots out a personalized move in an ad hoc manner because it knows you so well that you don’t even have to tell it what you want to watch at any particular moment.
Things like “writing a novel” will be replaced by someone feeding a few lines of prompt into some future AI and that, as they say, will be that. But I do think I have a little bit of a window of opportunity.
A lot can still go wrong, but a lot can still go right. I just have to press forward. I have to believe in myself. And, if the absolute worst happens, then I can least use the writing and storytelling skills I’ve built since I starting working on this novel to work on something even better.
That’s the current delusional that allows me to get to sleep.
As I’ve said before, I get that people are upset that AI generated art won’t give them historically accurate depictions — but for one thing: fucking Nazis.
Do we really want a future where members of the Patriot Front can pump out millions of images to use as Nazi propaganda? Are Tech Bros really so willfully oblivious that they don’t see the harm in something like that happening? Some of them have gotten really, really worked up about there being ANY guardrails for AI.
Ok, I understand the complaints of people like Marc Andreessen that AI image generation can come across as a little too “woke” for its own good. As is seen here:
But the strange thing about it all is inevitably they ask AI to generate Nazi imagery and they get all butt hurt when it won’t do it to for them. I find this very, very strange.
You’re not putting Nazis in a memory hole by simply refusing to generate what would inevitably become Nazi propaganda. Just because you want the absolute right for AI to generate “unwoke” photorealistic historical pictures, doesn’t mean that the Patriot Front or whomever won’t jump at the chance to pump out millions upon millions of Nazi propaganda photos.
And where do you stop?
Do you want the right to prompt an AI to show you “a proud SS officer leading a child to the gas chambers?” It sure does sound like that’s what you want when you complain that you can’t get Nazis generated by AI.
And when you call someone on this desire, they either get really mad or just punt the issue and say, “it brings up a lot of tough questions.” No, fuck you, you fucking fascist Nazi. Ugh.
From what I can tell of OpenAI’s Sora software, we’re rushing towards a future where human Hollywood becomes moot. What’s more, it seems as though the far Left and the far Right might fuse into some sort of anti-AI coalition that would demand legal carveouts for human Hollywood and human transportation workers.
I do think that, no matter what, human generated art will thrive, just the context will be different. It will be that 99.9% of all media is AI generated, and the little bit of pop art that is human generated will be really, really good. The one genre of human are that will probably see the most success because of AI is live entertainment ranging from sports, to music to theatre.
Actually experiencing something in the real world, rather than via AI generated VR wearing your Apple Vision Pro will start to be valued a great deal by the average person. I could see Broadway and live theatre in general replacing most of the current movie going experience because it will be real and true and human.
I love movies, yes, but in the future it could be that people will be so used to “playing” their gamified VR movies that if they are going to take their headset off, they’re going to want it to be a live experience. I will note again that scifi novel The Unincorporated Man talks about the downsides of VR in a really interesting way.
Anyway. It will really be interesting to see how things play out. I would like to think that I still have a window of opportunity to finish my novel and see if I can successfully querying it.
I think the only way I’m actually going to get past the first few chapters is just…not look at the first few chapters of the third draft once I finish them. Just wing it when it comes to consistency.
My dream is to write a novel as accessible and popular as The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
Things are set up now that I should be able to methodically go through at least the first half of the novel without feeling forced to re-read everything from the beginning. I had a real problem the last time I thought I had transitioned from the first to second acts of the third draft to the point that I went back to the very beginning and made some structural changes.
I’m pretty pleased, in general, with what I’ve come up with. I continue to worry about things I just can’t control. The rise of AI and the possibility of The Fourth Turning happening at some point over the next 18 months weigh heavily on my mind. But, as I’ve written, finishing this novel is existential.
I’m going to try to finish the third draft of this novel not later than April, but it might be closer to July. THEN I have to worry about finding the funds to get someone to look over the novel before I query an agent. And even then, I have to worry about an agenda doing due dilligence on me and thinking I’m not only a crackpot, but a smelly CIS white male who writes from a female POV sometimes.
I do still have a few scifi concepts I want to work on. It’s just so difficult for me to stop fixating on the mystery-thriller long enough to do such a thing. But I really do need to do it ASAP. I don’t like having all my eggs in one basket.
So. I have a window of opportunity before either The Fourth Turning destroys the country and / or AI makes all human generated entertainment moot. So, I have to hurry. At this point, finishing this novel is now existential and, to some extent, irrational.
I should just give up and stare at my ceiling all day until I die of boredom. I suppose that’s what a “normal” person would do — just give up.
But fuck that. I’m not normal. Never have been. So, once more into the breach. Now that I’m sober, I feel in a better position to sprint. All I want to do is to express my humanity by telling a great story that one — one! — person who isn’t related to me or who doesn’t know me personally finishes and really likes and wants to read more.
That, in my mind, will prove that I don’t suck as a writer.
It may take a little while — 18 months? — but there is going to come a moment in the not-so-distant future when we have a Her movie future where our digital personal assistant will, on the fly, churn on VR narrative immersive media for our Apple Vision Pros.
The beautiful Zendaya.
I don’t see how “human” Hollywood has much of a long term future unless Congress passes some sort of carveout whereby a certain amount of entertainment HAS to be created by the hand of man, rather than an AI. And if we’ve gotten to that point, I could see maybe neo-Luddism being the natural evolution of MAGA.
I mean, if 3 million high paying blue collar transportation jobs go poof overnight, that is going to have a severe economic impact. At this point, my only question is if “The Fourth Turning” is going to somehow pause development of all this cool shit while we bomb ourselves into oblivion because of “vibes.”
I continue to feel very uneasy about America’s political future. Shit is going to get really complicated really soon and it could be that all this cool stuff we keep expecting to happen in the next few years simply will be punted down the road until we decide if we’re going to be an autocracy or not.
I don’t know if this is the cultural equivalent of The Fourth Turning or not, but it seems like we need some sort of cultural reset. It we need to lurch into a new, more exciting future. We exist in some sort of luminal state whereby a bunch of old people control culture.
I honestly don’t know how to fix this problem.
But I suppose if there was some sort of Fourth Turning then once it was over and we came out the other side, we would have a new, vibrant culture again. But it definitely seems as though we’re stuck in a cultural malaise for the foreseeable future.
I also think that people aren’t thinking through how bad things suck at the moment in general. I suppose there is a possibility that technology will fix the problem. Some combination of AI and the Apple Vision Pro going mainstream might be the thing that prompts some sort of cultural reset or vibe shift.
You must be logged in to post a comment.