F**k you, AI!!

If you are an artist, your livlihood is under attack. As in the classic movie The Terminator, the attack is coming from computer based intelligence. I would like you to stand up, get one or both middle fingers in the air, and yell “Fuck you, AI!”

Oooh, that felt kinda good—how did it feel for you? This is a personal issue for me because my primary skill is writing and editing. Despite the occasional typo in this blog I am very good at both. Yes, I am highly capable at both but AI works for free and completes tasks much faster than I possibly could. How I am supposed to compete with that? And you, the musician or the graphic artist, your skillsets are also becoming irrelevant. If someone wants a song, three minutes fifteen seconds in length, that sounds like a mix of Boston and Slayer with some Irish folk music mixed in and a lyric about summer squash, well…AI can do that. Let’s do our exercise again: Stand up. Get those middle fingers in the air, “Fuck you, AI!” I am trying to keep this article light hearted but I fear for my livlihood as I feel fear for the livlihood of other artists and all you other people whose career can be replaced by AI. What do we do in the future to survive? Well, Izaak, I’m sure the powers that be will create a basic universal income for those whose professions are made obsolete. Surely this world is not run by a collection of capricious bastards who only care about money. Wow, you almost said that with a straight face; well played! I’m not sure what we can do about this. I don’t know, maybe the reason for this piece is to tell you you’re not alone in your concerns about AI. What do we do? I am a security guard/camp host, AI can’t replace that in the near future though I can imagine a sort of kiosk on wheels that approaches guests and a smiling avatar comes on the screen so…no one is really safe. My Dad was talking about house repair, how we are a long ways from creating affordable androids that could fix your pipes or do electrical work. Maybe he’s right, but my concern is that AI can simply improve its own programming to speed up affordable plumber androids or the camp host robot so…one last time, okay? Fuck you, AI!