Feelings on using AI to spruce up story telling?

[Arclight1988]

Humans have created tales of grand adventures long before AI was conceived. How is through the spark of the imagination. You lose that spark when it’s generated by a highly intelligent algorithm who spits out an answer for you. Sort of like a painting being more valuable when it’s an original piece vs a printout copy. I think there’s something more inherently special when a human creates the story, world, characters, etc vs a machine for that reason. One came from the soul and the love of the art while the other replicates what data it sees before it to craft an answer to your liking based on the parameters you set.

I hope I explained my position better instead of coming across as not liking AI for a “nebulous feeling”.

You imagine there is some magical spark given to creation of ideas if a person doesnt use AI at all that is immediately lost if AI is involved in the creation process at all.

I mean I have no argument against that, its basically like trying to disprove God, its an impossible position, and our points of view are just to different for any kind of discourse. I can understand that point of view.

 

[Lockdown]

The ‘spark’ I referred to is a adjective for imagination. Evident by what I said: “How is through the spark of the imagination”. When you use AI you stop using your imagination.

I promise you there’s no deeper meaning than that

 

[Sync]

When people wax lyrical about the new ways they've found for a computer to do something "menial" for them, I am always reminded of this line from the Tron (1982) movie:

Won't that be grand? Computers and the programs will start thinking and the people will stop. (Dr. Walter Gibbs)

I'm not saying we're there yet, but...

 

[Enticetheinnocence]

I personally like AI for character and world generation. I suck with finding face claims and pictures for setting the scene so it is very handy for that. However writing is a hobby and supposed to be fun way to escape for me so feels like I'd be taking away my own fun by using it to write. To each their own, but I think it certainly has its place in stories but less so for role-playing.

 

[Arclight1988]

The ‘spark’ I referred to is a adjective for imagination. Evident by what I said: “How is through the spark of the imagination”. When you use AI you stop using your imagination.

I promise you there’s no deeper meaning than that

This seems to be again the difference as to how its used. Not the use of it at all. This is why I assume so many people just have a negative bias not actual reasons why they are against it.

Everyone acts like the only use for AI is to be like 'Make me X character in X setting. While this can be done, non-creative people will only get generic and simple returns.

Yet you can use AI to plan out a character, create a profile, and add details as you go. Then get the AI to tell you a story evolving the character as you go to get the profile just how you want. Then return a profile with speach patterns, a background, and a more flushed out character.

Now I know this wont work for everyone, and some people may just be really good at doing this at their own so its a pointless step. Yet, people somehow think that this is just giving you a generic carbon print. That is user error you need to guide the creation of the character, work out what you are creating, and flush it out. I view this as more enguaging to the mind, and not less.

 

[Arclight1988]

When people wax lyrical about the new ways they've found for a computer to do something "menial" for them, I am always reminded of this line from the Tron (1982) movie:

Won't that be grand? Computers and the programs will start thinking and the people will stop. (Dr. Walter Gibbs)

I'm not saying we're there yet, but...

There will always be people that have little to no interest in making new wonders of any kind. It is a good reminder to not become too dependent on anything.

However again to me this argument has been made every new median of entertainment that has evolved. When radios were introduced, when television was introduced, and fears that people will use AIs to generate all their entertainment in the future.

Creative people will always be creative, and the level you use your skills will always matter to how you improve. There are plenty of pitfalls, but there have always been things that ruin how one thinks, and imagines about anything.

 

[Lockdown]

This seems to be again the difference as to how its used. Not the use of it at all. This is why I assume so many people just have a negative bias not actual reasons why they are against it.

The use of AI directly correlates with imagination no longer creating the idea(s) themselves. You say it yourself later with:

Yet you can use AI to plan out a character, create a profile, and add details as you go. Then get the AI to tell you a story evolving the character as you go to get the profile just how you want. Then return a profile with speach patterns, a background, and a more flushed out character.

The AI is creating what you listed above now. Not you. Sure you set the parameters but guiding an algorithm to an answer isn’t the same as coming up with them on your own.
You can guide a calculator to the right answer, but you really didn’t do the mental math. Meaning, you’ll be lost without the calculator if you rely on it too much.

For these reasons I am against AI’s use at all and not how it’s used. But we can agree to disagree

 

[Red-Scarlet]

I think there can be fun with it, though given the environmental effects... Not worth it.

But, there was a video-Possum, by RandoWis-that I felt used AI well.
The video used a chatbot to generate a script that began with the words "Rondo and Poss". And just let it rip for a good five minutes worth of content.
Then RandoWis voiced and animated the story.

It's surreal, since the AI doesn't do a coherent job. Like a dream put to paper. But it's entertaining.
The key thing that, to me, makes it much better than just using AI to write a post or anything of that sort, is that the bulk of the effort that went into it was human work. The AI spat out a script in a couple of minutes, and then the actual work began. It's also entirely honest-RandoWis opens the video with text explaining what he did.

Also to be noted, AI isn't very accurate a lot of the time. Its job isn't to be right (if you try asking an AI a modestly tough math question, it's got a very good chance of getting it wrong) it's to SOUND right. And that's... Problematic.

 

[Arclight1988]

The use of AI directly correlates with imagination no longer creating the idea(s) themselves. You say it yourself later with:

The AI is creating what you listed above now. Not you. Sure you set the parameters but guiding an algorithm to an answer isn’t the same as coming up with them on your own.
You can guide a calculator to the right answer, but you really didn’t do the mental math. Meaning, you’ll be lost without the calculator if you rely on it too much.

For these reasons I am against AI’s use at all and not how it’s used. But we can agree to disagree

Its a very interesting take, thatbif you create 95% of a character, but use the AI to give an idea of a quirk or regional addition it magically becomes unoriginal to you.

As the calculator analogy, you wrote out a equasion, plugged in the fomulas, but because the calculator did the calculations it is no longer your own.

At least I can understand that you feel that way, and wont see eye to eye on it. Thanks for the opinion ^_^

 

[SavageBunny]

I think there can be fun with it, though given the environmental effects... Not worth it.

But, there was a video-Possum, by RandoWis-that I felt used AI well.
The video used a chatbot to generate a script that began with the words "Rondo and Poss". And just let it rip for a good five minutes worth of content.
Then RandoWis voiced and animated the story.

It's surreal, since the AI doesn't do a coherent job. Like a dream put to paper. But it's entertaining.
The key thing that, to me, makes it much better than just using AI to write a post or anything of that sort, is that the bulk of the effort that went into it was human work. The AI spat out a script in a couple of minutes, and then the actual work began. It's also entirely honest-RandoWis opens the video with text explaining what he did.

Also to be noted, AI isn't very accurate a lot of the time. Its job isn't to be right (if you try asking an AI a modestly tough math question, it's got a very good chance of getting it wrong) it's to SOUND right. And that's... Problematic.

This! That's actually a very good use of AI in a creative space. I think the Dadaists would have loved that.
On the topic of it sounding right: I once tried the podcast-function from Google's AI, which is...absolutely bizarre. You feed it a text and then it generates about 10-ish minutes of podcast, where two (uncannily convincing) AI-voices talk about your text. If you do that with a text you wrote yourself, this is a....bizarre experience.

Those surreal curiosities aside, I stick with the opinion that AI can't really to anything, that a simple google search or Random Thing Generators haven't been able to do for decades.

 

[Arclight1988]

This! That's actually a very good use of AI in a creative space. I think the Dadaists would have loved that.
On the topic of it sounding right: I once tried the podcast-function from Google's AI, which is...absolutely bizarre. You feed it a text and then it generates about 10-ish minutes of podcast, where two (uncannily convincing) AI-voices talk about your text. If you do that with a text you wrote yourself, this is a....bizarre experience.

Those surreal curiosities aside, I stick with the opinion that AI can't really to anything, that a simple google search or Random Thing Generators haven't been able to do for decades.

Where else can you drop a setting, and area you wrote yourself and ask for tips, and suggestions on your writing getting an answer in under 60 seconds even if not perfect?

 

[SavageBunny]

Where else can you drop a setting, and area you wrote yourself and ask for tips, and suggestions on your writing getting an answer in under 60 seconds even if not perfect?

Well, I guess if that's what you need, there's no other choice.
Though, if your life is so stressful, that you need ideas and writing tips in 60 seconds, I feel honestly and genuinely sorry.

But you know what, I'm gonna put my money where my mouth is. Next time you're struggling, feel free to drop me a message! I'm no nobel-prize winner, just a lit-student with a lot of weird interests, but I've written a line or two and read a fair bit.
Normally I'd just suggest to just ask for advice publicly here, but since you mentioned that you're very reluctant to do that, maybe something private and judgement-free would be more comfortable for you? And unlike an AI, that just does the job for you, maybe we can together figure out how you can solve those writing-problems in the future all on your own. Heck, maybe I even learn a thing or two! Wouldn't that be great?

Snarky tone aside, that's a serious offer. Take it or leave it, but don't pretend like AI is the only viable, the best or even a particularly good option.

 

[Arclight1988]

Well, I guess if that's what you need, there's no other choice.
Though, if your life is so stressful, that you need ideas and writing tips in 60 seconds, I feel honestly and genuinely sorry.

But you know what, I'm gonna put my money where my mouth is. Next time you're struggling, feel free to drop me a message! I'm no nobel-prize winner, just a lit-student with a lot of weird interests, but I've written a line or two and read a fair bit.
Normally I'd just suggest to just ask for advice publicly here, but since you mentioned that you're very reluctant to do that, maybe something private and judgement-free would be more comfortable for you? And unlike an AI, that just does the job for you, maybe we can together figure out how you can solve those writing-problems in the future all on your own. Heck, maybe I even learn a thing or two! Wouldn't that be great?

Snarky tone aside, that's a serious offer. Take it or leave it, but don't pretend like AI is the only viable, the best or even a particularly good option.

I do not think its the best, actually I would agree that finding people to help you as you suggest is a great way to improve your writing, and I have a group that would do this for me the same as I would do for them in return.

We may agree that it is not the best solution, but I would argue that is is incredibly useful tool, I would consider it good to use, it allows you to build skills on your own time even when few others are around. A majority of my free time is late at night when most people are asleep. Ive waited months to get to try out a character that the story was boring or died I always assume this is due to my own skill, but who knows.

With using AI in different ways it makes you consider things that you alone may overlook. You can improve sentence structure if you like in a more interactive way than acedemic. As well as try the character in a limited world to get their behaviors down before you start a real story with them.

I appreciate that you may offer your time to those in need, I do not have any stories I am working on that could be so narrowly tailored which is why I dont bump my thread currently.

 

[SavageBunny]

I do not think its the best, actually I would agree that finding people to help you as you suggest is a great way to improve your writing, and I have a group that would do this for me the same as I would do for them in return.

We may agree that it is not the best solution, but I would argue that is is incredibly useful tool, I would consider it good to use, it allows you to build skills on your own time even when few others are around. A majority of my free time is late at night when most people are asleep. Ive waited months to get to try out a character that the story was boring or died I always assume this is due to my own skill, but who knows.

With using AI in different ways it makes you consider things that you alone may overlook. You can improve sentence structure if you like in a more interactive way than acedemic. As well as try the character in a limited world to get their behaviors down before you start a real story with them.

I appreciate that you may offer your time to those in need, I do not have any stories I am working on that could be so narrowly tailored which is why I dont bump my thread currently.

Well, if nothing else, I do admire your unshakeable steadfastness in your convictions. I hope to someday find someone who defends me with the same fervour xD

 

[Chapman]

Jesus, why would I let a computer do my writing for me. What's the point. Until a computer can go to work for me and then give me head when it returns home, I'm not interested in using the AI.