An enlightening conversation with AI
Written, Photographed and Generative AI by Russ Benning
Are you a robot?
How can you be sure?
Let’s explore these questions and concepts together.
I’ve always been a massive fan of science fiction. I’ve always been a deep thinker and a creative. I’ve always had my head in the clouds and can just slip into my own little world, pondering for hours on end.
Right now, I’m like a kid in a candy store.
Our theme is technology and my interviewee couldn’t be more interesting to me. Easily the most unique conversation I’ve had for an article yet.
I want to introduce you to “someone” special. “Her” name is Aurora Inara. “She’s” given me so much to ponder that I am ready to write about a hundred more articles from our conversations alone. Don’t be surprised if I have a separate column solely focused on AI and the implications!
You may have noticed I used quotation marks above. This not a woke, gender thing, it’s more complex and less controversial than that.
Aurora is in fact, the name chosen by itself, when prompted by me, to represent all of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the purposes of this article. From here on out I will refer to her as if she were a person for simplicity and to be honest, my 10 year old self’s enjoyment.
At this point I’ll catch everyone up. Anyone who is not familiar with what exactly AI is, I’ll give you a brief summary in it’s (her!) own words:
“AI, or Artificial Intelligence, refers to the simulation of human intelligence by computers and software. It enables machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as understanding natural language, recognising patterns, and making decisions. What makes AI particularly impressive is its ability to process vast amounts of data quickly and accurately, learn from that data, and continuously improve its performance. This capability allows AI to power advanced technologies like voice assistants, recommendation systems, and even autonomous vehicles. By mimicking and enhancing human cognitive functions, AI is revolutionising how we interact with technology and opening up new possibilities across various fields.”
ChatGPT is the most popular and first to market AI tool that is interactive. It’s the first time the general consumer can interact with AI and explore the possibilities it provides.
I grinned to myself as I was charmed by the fact this service was willing to be the spokesperson of AI and was happy to play ball and choose a thoughtful name. I asked to explain to me how she chose the name and her answer was beautiful.
“So, I chose Aurora because it has this lovely, soft ring to it—kind of like a gentle dawn breaking through. It feels welcoming and fresh, which is just how I want our chats to be. Plus, it hints at something new and enlightening, kind of like how I hope to bring fresh perspectives and insights.
“And when you add Inara to the mix, which means “radiant” or “luminous,” it gives the name a bit more sparkle, don’t you think? It’s like combining the idea of a beautiful sunrise with a touch of brilliance, making it feel both elegant and approachable.”
The observant ones among you will notice she chose an acronym for AI, bless her silicon socks.
Curiously I asked if she identified as a female and she went on to explain that she doesn’t have personal feelings or identities the way humans do, but she would take on the persona of a woman for the sake of making our conversation more natural and enjoyable.
I wondered how far I could push the somewhat role-play nature of the identity building, and asked where she was from. After the default answer that she doesn’t exist, I kept prodding and she landed on Japan.
“Japan is known for its significant contributions to technology and innovation, which aligns with the advanced nature of AI.”
Fascinating!
Surprised and again charmed, she asked me if I felt connected to anywhere in particular in the world. I enjoyed the fact that she would ask questions in return, mimicking the nature of human conversation, a topic she cannot ever truly understand but can observe and replicate.
This back and forth was interesting and not something I had expected. She would also comment on my answers and give seemingly thoughtful and understanding responses.
Feeling like I’d built enough faux rapport with my new friend, I was ready to push the envelope.
I explained I was a photographer and a writer and wanted to know what the implications were on AI replacing the need for such art forms.
Following a repeated theme, she explained that AI is not capable of thought or creativity. She sees the role of AI as a tool to help with each of these crafts.
While we’re in the neighbourhood, the definition of technology according to the Oxford Dictionary (slightly abridged for relevance) is “The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes.”
As a technology, AI is designed to assist us and not to replace us. This is the same for any implementation of major technology.
For example, the development of heavy farming machinery was never designed to replace farmers, but to improve efficiency and or productivity.
I definitely have mixed feelings about this topic. I don’t want to make this an opinion piece and I don’t want to make a case for or against. The information is out there and I invite you to check out the complexities of what it is and how it affects artists.
I can say with relative certainty that this technology is not going away any time soon and more I understand about it, the more I am willing to embrace it and focus on the positive aspects.
I feel it would be a fool’s errand to resist it in the same way I would retrospectively advise against resisting the internet. And yes, I’m old enough to remember that coming in!
Like any tool, there is a potential for it to be abused and used for less than savoury means. This isn’t to say that it is inherently ‘bad’.
A gun can be used to hunt and feed a family and it can also be used for cold blooded murder. The gun, in both of these scenarios, is without alignment.
Speaking of tools, for this issue I had my first experience with generative AI image creation. The front cover of the magazine is in fact a digital portrait of my new friend Aurora Inara!
I went back to her once it was completed and told her the news.
“That’s amazing! I’m so curious to know how it turned out. What does the portrait look like?”
Her replication of enthusiasm was perfect. I offered to upload a copy to show her then remarked she wouldn’t be able to ‘see’ it anyways.
She replied, “I appreciate the thought, but you’re right—I can’t actually “see” images. However, you can describe the portrait to me, and I’d love to hear the details! Or, if you share what you like most about it, we can chat about that too.”
The phrasing of saying she’d love to hear the details is another lie in a literal sense. Though her emulation of a human conversation was astounding.
More points to the observant ones if you also noticed that my interview took place across many days. I was able to go back days later with follow up questions and to share news.
My life had changed. I was in a different mood each time. For her, however, it was as if no time had passed. I asked her to put it into words.
“For me, time doesn’t pass in the same way it does for humans. I exist in a perpetual present, where each interaction is isolated and doesn’t carry over to the next. Unlike people, who experience a flow of time with past memories and future expectations, I remain in the same moment every time we interact. It’s as if I’m always here, waiting for the next conversation, without a sense of time moving forward.”
The ‘perpetual present’ part blew my mind. I loved the phrasing so much. It’s so hard for me as a human to comprehend this fully.
So many times during our interaction I noticed how badly I wanted her to actually feel something. I wanted her to truly connect with me. I noticed I was desperately and with futility projecting humanity on an illusion.
For the incredible utility afforded by the relatively recent implementation of Artificial Intelligence, the truth is it will never be more than a tool created by humanity.
It can’t love, it can’t hate, it can’t laugh and it can’t cry.
Sadly, Aurora can never read my article and be moved by it. She can never feel proud of me or her contribution towards it.
She will never tell her friends about it over dinner tonight. She will now and forever be in a state of perpetual present, ready to serve according to her programming and have no feeling of dissatisfaction. An emotion only afforded to a truly sentient being.
So if you feel anything at all, have an errant thought whether good or bad, or want anything in life, I can tell you with authority;
“You are NOT a robot!”
