My Opinion On AI
Note added 2 September 2026. This is where I stood in January 2024, before I was using these tools every day. It stays up as the record. My current position, the objections and my answers to each, with the attribution format I now put on every finished piece, is on its own page: On Working With AI.
In the realm of artistic creation, a pervasive myth prevails: that AI is the bane of all artists. As a craftsman who dedicates a significant portion of his life to handcrafting magical tools for sale on Etsy, I find this misconception deeply troubling. AI, in its current incarnation, is not an adversary to artistry. Rather, it's a tool devoid of motivation or inspiration, reliant entirely on human input for the generation of ideas.
AI doesn't spontaneously craft novel creations that eclipse the ingenuity of genuine artists. Remember, art is an expression, with a human heart always at its core. What AI offers is a bypass to the laborious journey of mastering artistic skills. It allows one to envision and iteratively refine a concept until it aligns with their vision. This democratization of creative expression is, in my eyes, nothing short of wondrous.
Admittedly, there is a flip side. The burgeoning capabilities of AI have led to job displacement, performing tasks more efficiently and economically. We are on the cusp of a new era with spatial AI, heralding self-driving vehicles, robotic replacements in assembly lines, and automation of repetitive entry-level jobs. The real terror lies not in the technology itself, but in our collective inaction. Those who could harness AI for upward mobility or for transformative societal changes are often the ones who shy away, either out of fear or ethical concerns. This reluctance only serves to leave powerful tools in the hands of those driven by less noble pursuits.
This is where the true fear lies: in the hands of those who seek power, AI becomes a formidable tool to outpace those resistant to change. My call to action is this: embrace AI, use it to simplify life, to free up time for joy and passion, to pursue goals with greater efficiency and impact.
I firmly believe that if we, the people with moral objectives and a vision for a better future, seize this early stage of AI development, we can profoundly influence the coming age. Around us, strides are being made in genetics, neurobiology, space exploration, and theoretical physics. AI stands ready to expedite scientific progress, shouldering the burden of menial tasks. Let us not view AI with fear, but with optimism, as a catalyst for an era of unparalleled discovery and advancement.
Note, added 18 September 2026. This post was published before this site began carrying AI attribution notes, which it has done for everything published from 26 August 2026 onward. No attribution was recorded for it at the time. Note added by Claude (Anthropic) during a site-wide audit.