I feel about generative AI the same way I feel about Harry Potter
I feel about generative AI the same way I feel about Harry Potter, which is that I personally don’t wish to have anything to do with them, but I also feel that it is not productive, unless under very specific circumstances, to try and change people’s minds about them.
If I encounter someone who is either a user of generative AI or is still choosing to give money to Ms Rowling, then one of two things is true:
- They are not aware of the ethical considerations and the harms that may be inflicted by this decision, in which case, I think it is too big an ask for me to attempt to educate them, or
- They are aware, and have made the conscious choice to do these things anyway, for their own reasons. They may feel very conflicted about it. They may not. I have no idea. But regardless, this is also not a helpful situation for me to be like well ACTUALLY IT’S UNETHICAL—, because they have already thought about it and made a choice.
The one specific circumstance I think a discussion is productive is when the other person explicitly expresses openness to talk about these things, and both parties are ready to have a measured, thoughtful exchange of viewpoints. Casual conversation does not meet these conditions. Neither does seeing something someone said on their social media.
I am not saying that you can’t feel frustrated or just Very Tired when these things come up in casual conversation because of course you’d feel that way, having already decided that a thing is contradictory to your own principles of how you would like to live in this world. But if it is pointless to engage, I’d rather save my energy, move on and not react to it.
I don’t much like posting about things that might rub some people the wrong way (I am very conflict-averse). But this was something I felt was important to articulate, for myself, at least.