That’s really the only way to describe this era. This is about what has existed in minds of science fiction writers for ages. Our reality is what used to be far-fetched dreams of mad authors. I’m referring to AI, of course. I’ve listened to the debates and I have a fair understanding of the concern. For the record, I am wary of what AI is doing but I have to be honest, I’m also a impressed. And now that I have been dabbling in it, I’m going to enter the AI conversation.
Let me make it clear, as someone that attempts to create art I don’t want AI taking over or taking credit for what I can do. I’m not talking about what I do well, just what I attempt to do. My not-quite successes are part of the creation process. I understand I may not ever achieve the level I am aiming for but it is still my process. My creative journey. I don’t want AI stepping in on my journey.
However, I recognize there are things I will never be able to do. I am currently playing with AI and letting it do what I can’t do.
I will give you an example of what I have currently been playing with. But first, I’m going to share how I arrived at this point.
It started weeks ago when my uncle brought over a song my cousin had created. I did not realize he was musically inclined. He’s not, I don’t think. What my uncle had was a song created by AI guided by my cousin. It was a catchy and beautiful song.
Fast forward to a poem I wrote for Thanksgiving. While I wrote it, I had a certain song in my head and I followed the cadence of the song. Sunday morning I woke up with the thought that I should see if I could put that poem to music following my cousin’s example. Was it possible for someone as non-techy as myself to do this? What would it even require?
Turns out, all it took was one Google search which led me to mureka.ai. I copied my poem into the prompt and typed the song I was thinking of in the ‘style of’ box. Less than a minute later I had two options. Neither one sounded like the song I had thought of while I wrote it but I was still hooked.
Many years ago, I wrote a poem for a friend and he turned it into a song. Since then, I always dreamt my words would and could be turned into music. But when I gave them to musicians to do so, they were always quick to point out the flaws of my writing. “This can’t be made into a song,” I was told. Eventually I gave up on that dream. There was no way I was ever going to become musically inclined to create music.
But now AI can help me out.
I paid the required subscription and I have been dropping my poems into the site. It is AI and it is not perfect. Sometimes it messes up the words or adds words. Often, the song cuts off at the end. It is also literal so if I have a typo (oops!) it just goes with it. I always get two versions and I can’t actually edit them. If I try to fix a mistake it will create two more versions and drain a few more credits.
I’m not going to do anything with these songs. But it is fun to give my words wings to lift them and give them life.
So, my opinion about AI? It’s a complex issue and can’t be decided with a blanket opinion. Right now, I am having fun with it letting it do what I can’t do. Would I prefer to collaborate with humans rather than AI to create music? Absolutely. But since that is not going to happen so yes, I am letting it do what I can’t.
And honestly, I am having fun with it right now.
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