Thank you! I think so too. But it's a slippery slope, you know? I can see how if you start with just a little in your process, it's easy to keep going.
Regarding AI, I’ve seen it used artfully (although I can’t find it!)
A woman used it to finish a story about how her sister died, the AI keeps making it up, the Author keeps correcting, it becomes this mad tragic kind of ghost story.
I need to find it…
I have seen it used in a way that questions the morality or lack thereof and I think that’s really interesting.
I think you can still say “AI Free”, it sort of has its own dialect that you were immersing yourself in to recreate (which I think you did quite well at)
Great story, once again
He didn’t even google the book before going out 😭 I thought he was going to AI summarize it poorly and embarrass himself even more lol
I thought the same, when Grant found the book in his email. He didn't even notice the title! I think many of us have encountered a person who claimed to love us but couldn't be bothered to pay attention to what matters most to us. It was so interesting to experience this from the point of view of the person who supposedly loves, misses, and needs someone, but refuses to take two seconds to even read her book title.
Yes! The key moment when he leaves the effing email UNREAD! like come on, guy! Or how the image of the book on her feed never catches his attention because he just doesn't care.
You can love someone all you want, but if you're not going to try to really know them, and what's important to them, then there's no point.
I don't even think what he feels for her is love. Infatuation, maybe, or just being used to her being around. Maybe he misses whatever she brought to his life. But the real her? I don't think he knows that person at all. And how can you love someone (in a romantic way; I'm not talking about babies here) if you don't even really know them?
Oh yeah. He doesn't even know himself. He talks about “performative" but that is his whole identity and relationship. It was all a routine, just as canned as the AI.
Shot through the heart and you're to blaaaaame. I wish I could print out your writing and brightly highlight my favorite parts for you to see maybe with different colors to represent the different emotions you make me feel!
Thank you. I like to think these two would have a better chance in a better world. They're both just trying to make sense of a mess that's been left to them.
This is excellent. I love that the setting is so very like our world, could be our world... or could be just a very similar one, now or in the near future. You touch on something that I think has been bothering a lot of us in the AI-generated interactions between Grant and the two people he texts with. Their messages to him feel like they could be AI-generated too. That hits close to home at a time when so many emails and comments feel uncanny valley; did the sender write this themselves, or did they use a machine? Thank you for sharing this story with us.
Yes! I thought I was going crazy when I started getting very canned texts lately from friends. And maybe they aren't using AI but maybe.... Oh God... Maybe AI is training us.
😭😭😭
Thank you for reading and commenting! I'm glad and sorry that this is all too real.
Oh my god, this was so powerful and disturbing. It feels all too real. I've been thinking a lot about the role that AI will play in fiction (not in generating fiction, which as we know is already happening way too much, but in terms of the plot point / character role it will play as it continues to consume culture and society), and I think you did a fantastic job of pitting AI against Grant to drive his story forward. This whole story just hits the nail on the head when it comes to how people are using AI and the price they're paying.
Also "(I loved your novel from start to finish. It’s not just a book. It's raw, it’s real — it's you. )" SO CRINGE. I cannot believe the shit GPT comes up with!!
Thank you, Gaby! It's a bit different than my usual writing but I still felt it was creepy.
This is the last time I want to write about AI and how I feel about it. But it comes from a little personal experience with trying desperately to connect with people who just want to reply with "keep calm and carry on" lol.
Also that line about the book was actually ME! BUT i spent 20 minutes on that line alone, rewriting it until it felt "AI enough". It's not easy to be that cringe.
Yep, fair enough! I think you have to draw your boundaries when it comes to AI and stick to them! and well done on the cringe AI line - you made it sound SO realistic, I was convinced 😂
This was depressing as fuck. Great, believable characters, AI bots included
Yes, this was the depressing story I promised right after Brujas. 🤷🏽♀️ Thank you so much!
This is great. I think you can still claim to be AI-free.
Thank you! I think so too. But it's a slippery slope, you know? I can see how if you start with just a little in your process, it's easy to keep going.
For sure. But somehow, I think you'll be okay.
This was so good! His name was Brant lol
Haha! Thank you! Gotta lighten the mood a little.
Found it Ghosts - Believer Magazine https://share.google/uHGUgIAnLEcaXK6W4
That does sound interesting! I will read that. Thank you for sharing. I'm sure I'm about to ugly cry…
Yeah you are. Maybe get some tea. 🥲❤️
That was really neat. What a concept. It is sweet that it helped her write about her sister.
Loved the story. He’s awful!
Regarding AI, I’ve seen it used artfully (although I can’t find it!)
A woman used it to finish a story about how her sister died, the AI keeps making it up, the Author keeps correcting, it becomes this mad tragic kind of ghost story.
I need to find it…
I have seen it used in a way that questions the morality or lack thereof and I think that’s really interesting.
I think you can still say “AI Free”, it sort of has its own dialect that you were immersing yourself in to recreate (which I think you did quite well at)
Great story, once again
He didn’t even google the book before going out 😭 I thought he was going to AI summarize it poorly and embarrass himself even more lol
Thank you, Hylia! I appreciate your feedback. I felt like I was on a slippery slope of using AI with this one.
Grant would have to be a lot less self-centered to google it or summarize it haha. He's obviously not as crafty as he thinks.
I thought the same, when Grant found the book in his email. He didn't even notice the title! I think many of us have encountered a person who claimed to love us but couldn't be bothered to pay attention to what matters most to us. It was so interesting to experience this from the point of view of the person who supposedly loves, misses, and needs someone, but refuses to take two seconds to even read her book title.
Yes! The key moment when he leaves the effing email UNREAD! like come on, guy! Or how the image of the book on her feed never catches his attention because he just doesn't care.
You can love someone all you want, but if you're not going to try to really know them, and what's important to them, then there's no point.
I don't even think what he feels for her is love. Infatuation, maybe, or just being used to her being around. Maybe he misses whatever she brought to his life. But the real her? I don't think he knows that person at all. And how can you love someone (in a romantic way; I'm not talking about babies here) if you don't even really know them?
Oh yeah. He doesn't even know himself. He talks about “performative" but that is his whole identity and relationship. It was all a routine, just as canned as the AI.
Shot through the heart and you're to blaaaaame. I wish I could print out your writing and brightly highlight my favorite parts for you to see maybe with different colors to represent the different emotions you make me feel!
I love that! That would be the best love letter ever 🤍
2 comments.
1. Wonderful story. Many layers. Very moving.
2. Oh dear... I'm a Matt.
You know, the real villain is Grant’s mom haha.
We work with what we've got and we haven't been given much…
Thanks for the read. Glad you liked it.
This was really compelling. Thank you for sharing it.
Thanks, Drew! Something to think about …
I love how well you developed each character with small but important details. And yes, the AI bots included. Heartbreakingly beautiful.
Thank you. I like to think these two would have a better chance in a better world. They're both just trying to make sense of a mess that's been left to them.
This is excellent. I love that the setting is so very like our world, could be our world... or could be just a very similar one, now or in the near future. You touch on something that I think has been bothering a lot of us in the AI-generated interactions between Grant and the two people he texts with. Their messages to him feel like they could be AI-generated too. That hits close to home at a time when so many emails and comments feel uncanny valley; did the sender write this themselves, or did they use a machine? Thank you for sharing this story with us.
Yes! I thought I was going crazy when I started getting very canned texts lately from friends. And maybe they aren't using AI but maybe.... Oh God... Maybe AI is training us.
😭😭😭
Thank you for reading and commenting! I'm glad and sorry that this is all too real.
I did see a headline the other day about that, suggesting that AI has started to make everyone sound the same. I hate it so much.
Terrifying. Big brother will be AI…
Oh my god, this was so powerful and disturbing. It feels all too real. I've been thinking a lot about the role that AI will play in fiction (not in generating fiction, which as we know is already happening way too much, but in terms of the plot point / character role it will play as it continues to consume culture and society), and I think you did a fantastic job of pitting AI against Grant to drive his story forward. This whole story just hits the nail on the head when it comes to how people are using AI and the price they're paying.
Also "(I loved your novel from start to finish. It’s not just a book. It's raw, it’s real — it's you. )" SO CRINGE. I cannot believe the shit GPT comes up with!!
Thank you, Gaby! It's a bit different than my usual writing but I still felt it was creepy.
This is the last time I want to write about AI and how I feel about it. But it comes from a little personal experience with trying desperately to connect with people who just want to reply with "keep calm and carry on" lol.
Also that line about the book was actually ME! BUT i spent 20 minutes on that line alone, rewriting it until it felt "AI enough". It's not easy to be that cringe.
Yep, fair enough! I think you have to draw your boundaries when it comes to AI and stick to them! and well done on the cringe AI line - you made it sound SO realistic, I was convinced 😂