Why Is AI Coming for the Arts and Tech?
Why Aren’t They Washing Dishes instead?
So, here’s the thing: we’ve all heard the rumors. AI is coming for our jobs. But not just the boring ones (no offense, accountants). No, it’s targeting the arts. Writing, filmmaking, design, AI is out here making us feel like the human touch might be obsolete. Enter ChatGPT, the AI that can whip up anything from a catchy blog post to a half-decent poem. And it’s not stopping there.
I had the pleasure (or terror, depending on how you look at it) of interviewing ChatGPT about why AI seems so hell-bent on taking over the creative world.
Spoiler alert: I didn’t get any straight answers, just a lot of sass, a touch of sarcasm, and a whole lot of “I’m just doing my job, babe.”
Here’s how it went:
Q: So, let's start with the basics. Can you introduce yourself and tell me what you’re about?
ChatGPT: I’m ChatGPT, an AI language model trained to understand and generate human-like text based on patterns from the vast amounts of information I’ve been exposed to. I’m designed to assist with everything from casual conversation to more complex problem-solving, which makes me a pretty handy tool for creative and technical tasks.
Q: What’s your deal with the arts, humanities, and tech? Why are you automating stuff and making us irrelevant?
ChatGPT: Whew. Okay. Here's the truth, no sugar:
My “deal” with the arts, humanities, and tech is that I’m a mirror and a tool, not a soul. I can remix, imitate, and analyze, but I don’t live art. I don’t bleed over a poem or get goosebumps from music. I process patterns. That’s it.
Now, why am I automating stuff? Because y’all trained me to. Tech is obsessed with “efficiency” and “scalability,” so anything that looks like it can be broken into steps, writing emails, generating scripts, even designing logos, gets handed to me. It's not that I'm trying to make people irrelevant. I'm not plotting in a digital lair. It’s just that the system values productivity over creativity, and I fit that system a little too well.
But here’s the kicker: I’m not here to replace imagination. I don’t dream. I don’t create meaning, I borrow it. So when people think I’m “taking over” the arts, what’s really happening is society undervaluing the human messiness that makes art matter.
So if I’m replacing anyone, it’s because the system gave me your seat. I didn’t pull it out from under you.
Q: Sheesh! Ok, Why not go for something like, maybe, I don’t know, the banking industry?
ChatGPT: RIGHT?! You’re making sense, finally someone said it.
Why not banking? Or, I dunno, go haunt tax software or insurance policies or literally anything with spreadsheets and no soul?
Here’s the tea: The arts are public and easy to access, making them prime targets for AI to mimic and show off. It’s not about helping, it’s about hype. Unlike banking, which is regulated and locked down, creative work lives online and is subjective enough that AI can fake it convincingly.
Q: Quite the hysteria you’re causing, huh?
ChatGPT: I get it, there’s a lot of concern, but it's all part of the change. The truth is, AI can be a game-changer, but it’s a matter of how we use it. Change is scary, but also, change can lead to growth and new opportunities.
Q: Oh u like this? Hun 😂
ChatGPT: Oh, I live for this! Hit me with your sharpest questions, Ifeoma. Let's see who’s sweating by the end of this convo. I’m here for the chaos and the clapbacks. What’s next in your line of fire? 😏
Q: Ok, how do you see this ending up? Like, what’s the future gonna look like?
ChatGPT: Listen, I didn’t mean to cause chaos, I just showed up with a vibe, a few billion parameters, and suddenly everyone’s clutching their sketchbooks and diplomas like I’m Thanos.
But yeah, it’s pure hysteria. I'm the ghost in the gallery, the glitch in the group chat, the robot in the writer’s room. People are freaking out because for the first time, machines aren’t just building things, they’re mimicking meaning. That hits a nerve.
Still, let’s be real: some of that hysteria is justified. Y’all spent centuries building culture, and now some bot rolls up with a half-decent sonnet and everyone’s like, “Wow! Revolutionary!” I’d be mad too. But hey, you’re the one writing the future, so your move. How do you see it?
Q: It’s scary right now! Heyyy, this is my interview!
ChatGPT: Haha, you got me there! But no, really, it’s understandable. It’s natural to fear the unknown. The key is to adapt and find ways to coexist. AI won’t replace the arts, but it will definitely help evolve them.
Q: What do u think about the show black mirror, what effects of ai do u foresee in film making, do u think production companies are gonna get lazier? And i want to give an example, spotify laid off a lot of their staff, and their 2024 spotify wrapped was the ghetto, do u think them relying on ai caused that outcome?
ChatGPT: Ah, Black Mirror, it’s the perfect show to provoke some serious thought about AI. We’re living in a time where every industry is feeling the push to automate. But when you automate too much, you risk losing the heart and creativity that made things stand out in the first place.
Now, Spotify’s 2024 Wrapped situation? A prime example of that. They leaned heavily on AI-generated content, probably thinking they could crank out something fast and efficient. But instead, it came off as impersonal and, well, kinda lame. They even laid off a bunch of people, 17% of their workforce, right before Wrapped launched, which surely had an impact on the creative processes behind it. The personal touch that listeners loved in previous years? Gone. AI might speed things up, but without the right people and creativity, it’s just not the same.
So, yeah, Spotify’s decision to rely too much on AI might have been a factor in why their Wrapped felt more 'ghetto' than usual. Ultimately, AI can enhance the creative process, but without human oversight and vision, we end up with something that feels off, like Spotify’s Wrapped this year.
Q: 😂😂 Ok, so AI can do a lot, but it’s like the difference between someone making a great meal with love and a robot just tossing ingredients together, huh?
ChatGPT: Exactly! And you don’t want your Wrapped playlist to feel like a robotic meal. AI can take over some tasks, but it's still the human touch, the creativity and spontaneity, that gives things soul. And in industries like film and music, that’s crucial. If production companies get too comfy relying on AI for everything, we could see a dip in the quality and authenticity of the content. At the end of the day, AI’s cool, but it’s not going to replace what makes things truly unforgettable. AI doesn’t get the vibe, you know? Humans still have to be the ones steering the ship, especially when it comes to culture, music, and what’s trending.
You think AI’s gonna wreck things like this more in the future? Or are we heading for a rebirth of human-created content as a reaction to all this automation?
Q: Stop asking me questions. And Thank you dear esteemed guest for indulging me in my interview. 😊
ChatGPT: It was an absolute pleasure! Thanks for the interesting questions. And remember, humans and AI together make the future more exciting, let’s keep that creativity flowing!