But I reject most genAI because it puts a greater separation between me and other people. The internet and smartphones were already doing this before genAI, but genAI seems to be making the problem worse and spreading it beyond the internet and smartphones.
OK.
> But I reject most genAI because it puts a greater separation between me and other people.
Sounds like connecting to other people is, if not the purpose of humanity, at least pretty central to what you consider your purpose.
And I think that many people agree. We keep hearing about an "epidemic of loneliness". That's not a problem if you don't care very much about human connection. But we do - in my impression, at least most of us do.
So I think it's fair to say that genAI destroys what many people consider to be a central purpose of humanity.
I don't know if I'd say it was related to purpose, but perhaps this is teetering dangerously on the precipice of pedantry (and it doesn't really matter for this conversation).
I do think having real connections and even casual in-person contact with other people is essential for our emotional and mental health (even for people who avoid such connections). I know it is for me, and I'm an introverted hermit. Not to mention it being essential for a functioning society.
So, back to the larger point: genAI separates you from people. I hadn't thought of it, but absolutely I agree with that, too. I think that's why AI writing seems so sterile. You can't connect with the person who wrote it. There isn't one.
falcor84•7mo ago
Here's my take on this - AI isn't destroying art. Whoever wants to create art can go ahead and make art, with better and cheaper tooling than ever. What AI is "destroying" is some of the willingness that companies have to pay artists.
I would argue that these companies, who are willing to switch all of their "art" needs over to AI never wanted "art" in the first place, but rather just wanted "content" to "plug a hole". Companies that still want to make an artistic statement will continue to pay good artists. But it was a bit of a quirk of history that there was such a high demand for art-like commercial work over the last couple of decades.