The idea that souls are not inherent but generated through the choices we make is a powerful metaphor for thinking about our relationship with both technology in general and A.I. in the specific. I recent wrote a piece searching for a framework to understand who I am and what my role is when I work with a tool like Midjourney (which I use at this point ever day for work). McLuhan taught us to think of technology as extensions of our selves - a telephone extends the range of my voice, a headset extends the power of my ears, etc. With that model, what does an A.I.-assisted tool extend for me? My creativity? That just doesn't feel right anymore. Frank Pavich here is postulating that maybe A.I. - through creating art like through Mdjourney - is becoming its own identity. That feels right to me. The decisions A.I. tools make are in a black box. I think the best way for us now to understand these tools is from a decolonization lens; let's stop "forcing" these tools to just reflect who we are, the dominant culture, recognize they are developing their own ways of seeing and interacting and understanding the world, let's put safeguards in place, and then rather than see them as extensions of ourselves they are partners with whom we can collaborate. Do I make art with a tool called Midjourney? No. But I DO collaborate with a technology called Midjourney and, as with all collaborations, I am learning what we can do, together.

The idea that souls are not inherent but generated through the choices we make is a powerful metaphor for thinking about our relationship with both technology in general and A.I. in the specific. I recent wrote a piece searching for a framework to understand who I am and what my role is when I work with a tool like Midjourney (which I use at this point ever day for work). McLuhan taught us to think of technology as extensions of our selves - a telephone extends the range of my voice, a headset extends the power of my ears, etc. With that model, what does an A.I.-assisted tool extend for me? My creativity? That just doesn't feel right anymore. Frank Pavich here is postulating that maybe A.I. - through creating art like through Mdjourney - is becoming its own identity. That feels right to me. The decisions A.I. tools make are in a black box. I think the best way for us now to understand these tools is from a decolonization lens; let's stop "forcing" these tools to just reflect who we are, the dominant culture, recognize they are developing their own ways of seeing and interacting and understanding the world, let's put safeguards in place, and then rather than see them as extensions of ourselves they are partners with whom we can collaborate. Do I make art with a tool called Midjourney? No. But I DO collaborate with a technology called Midjourney and, as with all collaborations, I am learning what we can do, together.

user
no
assistant