Why I won't use AI to write this blog
Chat GPT was released in 2022. At the time it felt impossible. Years ago I read a book called Super Intelligence and the idea of an intelligent, open-ended application felt far away. Then Chat GPT came along and suddenly we were all living with an alien intelligence.
For a while I was resistant to using AI. But after using it a few times it became clear to me that every high-paying career would coexist with it. Utilizing it well, and better than others, would drive profit. Now I use it every day in both my personal life and work.
In just a few years it has changed our habits and routines, and the way we think. No one should be surprised that a small MIT study showed that brain activity is reduced when writing with an LLM. Any time I write and open an internet window to look something up or cite a reference, my mind is bombarded with thoughts other than writing, and lack of clarity is the consequence. That's just using a search tool. Writing with an LLM isn't like having an assistant or writing partner. It's like managing an employee: it gives you want you want — or at least what you think you want — and does the work for you.
This is fine for some portions of work. As I said, operating without an AI in our career hurts us. But I write here on my blog to clarify my thinking. To document. To share what I know.
Writing was one of the few academic endeavors in which I excelled. I placed third in a school-wide story competition in elementary. Anytime I had a writing assignment, I had a chance to express myself. I've been honing this skill my entire life, and will continue to improve. The only way to do that is to keep writing, keep editing, keep working. To sharpen the blade.
This is a place where my thoughts are my own, and the result is less important than the process of making it.