i think about that quote about genAI a lot, the one that says “it reduces the amount of intention in the world.”
that’s what bothers me the most, beyond even the ethics and energy consumption and unreliability. it’s why even a human’s worst, laziest, most unskilled attempt at something is still vastly preferable to anything AI could put out. even the shittiest, most half-assed email you’ve ever written is an expression of you as a living organism inhabiting this world and shaping it. every choice you make and follow up on, even if it’s just which words to use in a sentence, is you impressing yourself on the world.
intent matters, even if it’s disagreeable and even if it’s lazy. the impotent rage i feel at people voluntarily giving that up for convenience is indescribable. what do you mean you didn’t actually write that? those aren’t your words? these aren’t your shapes? that isn’t your music?? why would you ever give up the chance to express yourself, even in a minor way? that generated facebook post is a stillborn child to me. stop pushing dead content into the world. you’re letting them make everything meaningless! it’s all cheap plastic. that world’s no place for anyone to live.