This is a beautiful reflection. I've been thinking about AI quite a lot, because it's becoming a reality where I teach, I have used it for my students to help trein them for the standardised writing exams they have to do for English level certificates. It's used not to write then but to evaluate and give feedback and for that it works very well. But I always stress that they must not confuse the linguistic units required for a good exam essay as a replacement for what is interesting writing, abd thus also not confuse the language AI produce as anything but standardised writing.
Then last week I saw two live music 'concerts'. One was a young Italian group of three, two guys and a girl, that played on two guitars and used all kinds of things for drums - there was a chemistry among the band members that made the music itself feel magical. The other was a brass marching band that usually plays at protests and manifestations, here was the fundraiser and solidarity for Palestine. My thoughts was then that no matter how smart AI can be, it cannot beat the magical chemistry in a room full of people creating something, it cannot capture the humanity, the energy and certainly can't bring compassion and solidarity to the table. While it can reproduce language quite well, it can't be what poetry and those communications you mentioned here of a boy calling voices dirty. I very much appreciate your very human writing. Thank you Karin.
'Must not confuse linguistic units...as a replacement for...interesting writing'. What a good way to put it. I think from now on, I will think of what comes out of AI as 'linguistic units', because 'language' feels to me a like a preciously human thing. (Yes, I know I sound sentimental, but whatever...)
The second part is such an interesting observation: to think of music as a thing that happens between people. Maybe we think that speech and writing doesn't happen between humans on quite this level, so it doesn't matter that we replace language with linguistic units. But language, even if it is not used in crowds (as much as it is used by our eyes on screens), is still an exchange of human breath.
Thank you Karin for this delightful offering. Yes! to your own thoughts, over and over. Also appreciate the reminder of how much I love the Moomins, and the nudges towards Alice Oswald's lectures (in which I've not yet indulged, just a quick listen to check her voice - which is definitely not dirty, so I look forward to those treats in store) and Joe Decie, whose drawings are so good and his humour remarkably gentle for thoughts with such sharp edges. You do love very very well.
About AI - I really liked your post on it. I don't use AI, for a number of reasons including snobbery and a version of laziness. But also the environmental impact of it is horrifying.
I liked this post too (I like all your posts!) - the coins... beautiful.
Did I even mention the environmental impact in my original article?!? Because it is ABHORRENT! And yet people who say they care about the environment, use AI. Just like many people who moan about the environmental footprint of using a car vs using a train don't seem to have a problem with the environmental footprint of trying to wipe an entire people off the face of the earth. (Okay, we are all skin bags of contradiction, but it's so much more satisfying pointing them out than finding them in yourself...[insert emoji to indicate irony].)
This is a beautiful reflection. I've been thinking about AI quite a lot, because it's becoming a reality where I teach, I have used it for my students to help trein them for the standardised writing exams they have to do for English level certificates. It's used not to write then but to evaluate and give feedback and for that it works very well. But I always stress that they must not confuse the linguistic units required for a good exam essay as a replacement for what is interesting writing, abd thus also not confuse the language AI produce as anything but standardised writing.
Then last week I saw two live music 'concerts'. One was a young Italian group of three, two guys and a girl, that played on two guitars and used all kinds of things for drums - there was a chemistry among the band members that made the music itself feel magical. The other was a brass marching band that usually plays at protests and manifestations, here was the fundraiser and solidarity for Palestine. My thoughts was then that no matter how smart AI can be, it cannot beat the magical chemistry in a room full of people creating something, it cannot capture the humanity, the energy and certainly can't bring compassion and solidarity to the table. While it can reproduce language quite well, it can't be what poetry and those communications you mentioned here of a boy calling voices dirty. I very much appreciate your very human writing. Thank you Karin.
'Must not confuse linguistic units...as a replacement for...interesting writing'. What a good way to put it. I think from now on, I will think of what comes out of AI as 'linguistic units', because 'language' feels to me a like a preciously human thing. (Yes, I know I sound sentimental, but whatever...)
The second part is such an interesting observation: to think of music as a thing that happens between people. Maybe we think that speech and writing doesn't happen between humans on quite this level, so it doesn't matter that we replace language with linguistic units. But language, even if it is not used in crowds (as much as it is used by our eyes on screens), is still an exchange of human breath.
Absolutely true, it also develops between people, like isn't it interesting how often a family will have a very specific lexicon and habits.
Thank you Karin for this delightful offering. Yes! to your own thoughts, over and over. Also appreciate the reminder of how much I love the Moomins, and the nudges towards Alice Oswald's lectures (in which I've not yet indulged, just a quick listen to check her voice - which is definitely not dirty, so I look forward to those treats in store) and Joe Decie, whose drawings are so good and his humour remarkably gentle for thoughts with such sharp edges. You do love very very well.
I love the Moomins too.
When I remember reading to my children, there are some books I miss terribly, and Moomins fall into this category.
You've summed up Joe Decie's work so well. Thank you, Annemarie. It is always a joy to write knowing that it is received by minds such as yours.
About AI - I really liked your post on it. I don't use AI, for a number of reasons including snobbery and a version of laziness. But also the environmental impact of it is horrifying.
I liked this post too (I like all your posts!) - the coins... beautiful.
Did I even mention the environmental impact in my original article?!? Because it is ABHORRENT! And yet people who say they care about the environment, use AI. Just like many people who moan about the environmental footprint of using a car vs using a train don't seem to have a problem with the environmental footprint of trying to wipe an entire people off the face of the earth. (Okay, we are all skin bags of contradiction, but it's so much more satisfying pointing them out than finding them in yourself...[insert emoji to indicate irony].)
Savouring the sound of your voice and the wisdom of your thoughts, as ever. X
Hello, dear Seni. Sending you love.
Thanks for this, Karin. As always, delightful and insightful. Looking forward to doing a deep dive into your offerings. . .
Thank you, Willemien.