AI's here and we’re already terribly bored

When creative genius Charlie Brooker talked about feeling a “cold spike of fear” moments after instructing ChatGPT to write an outline for his Black Mirror series, I got it.

The paranoia Charlie felt - around AI replacing him - is something that’s run through the minds of all creatives this past year - mine included. Of course, for him, and many others, the fear of being threatened by machines was exceptionally short-lived. Predictably - at least now - ChatGPT was only able to regurgitate a “boring and derivative” rehash of every episode of Black Mirror already in existence.

For a TV series known for its uniquely gripping storytelling and suspenseful narratives that – rather ironically – delve into the dark impacts of technological advancements, AI was never going to hit the mark the way a human can.

Human endeavours like those from Charlie are uniquely captivating and beautiful because they stem from individual points of view. Unlike AI, we infuse our work with empathy, ambition and personal touch. This desire to share, collaborate, understand, and connect adds depth and authenticity.

Yes, we’re illogical, messy, make mistakes and it’s in our DNA to reject, remix, and discover, but for these very reasons, we can set trends and create in ways that AI, bound by logic, and a rear view mirror, simply cannot replicate. Humanity is a beautiful mess.

But all this brings up an interesting point - if the imperfect and inherently human nature associated with the process of creating something beautiful is not always logical or mathematical, can AI have a place in the creative process, and if so, how?

Read more from Michael Bartley in the full article on Creative Bloq.