The Rise of Generative Artificial Intelligence

Generative AI (or GenAI) has reimagined and challenged our thinking as to how we create original content, much to the dismay of the human artist. Nonetheless, GenAI has strengthened the potential to turn the traditional arts, media and entertainment sectors on its head and, as such, may become our new inspiration. From writing, design, coding and music to manipulating or creating video content, artificial intelligence is ready to take on a leading role and provide a technological advantage for upcoming creators. So, has the introduction of many Generative AI tools aided us as organic creators or robbed us of our unique creative flair?

Creating More Accurate Content

As GenAI evolves, it may play a more significant role working alongside human artists. GenAI could also assist with the provision of original content, freeing human creators to focus on those aspects of the creative process that require a human touch. However, many artists are both excited and angered as GenAi tools offer original content, which is royalty-free, although a subscription to the tool may be required to use such content for commercial gain. GenAI is a cleverly architected piece of software that can almost deliver anything you request, so long as you have used a diligently crafted ‘prompt’ (written or vocal) which is reliant on a robust dataset that houses ‘worldly knowledge’ of the content to be provided.

What’s more, GenAI triumphs with an incredible ability to learn. As you feed the algorithm with your prompt or request, it begins to ‘understand’ more and more about how you label and describe things by parsing your request and breaking it down into digestible ‘tokens.’ Your feedback is necessary to aid the tool as to how contextually accurate it was in answering your request, in turn, providing ‘reinforcement learning,’ as to what it did right (positive reinforcement). This isn’t necessarily unique to you either since the software captures how other users describe their requests and collect their feedback, and with that, the software forms a ‘knowledge’ as it builds a varied dataset foundation from which it can deliver diverse content. The diverse content that is produced is not an exact replication of past data experiences, but rather an entirely new creation demonstrating the AI tool’s ability to combine learned patterns combined with its unique creativity. So, as it learns, the tool begins to create more accurate content that is aligned with your request.

Nothing More Than Clever Programming

Let’s not forget, our expression, vocalisation and written word can be complex, and some AI systems struggle with the essence of language. For example, with Intelligent Virtual Assistants (IVAs) you must first invoke the device with its name and then issue a command. Even with this command-like structure, you must speak clearly and without hesitation. You cannot, midway through, change your mind since your IVA becomes confused and rejects you with a “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand that.” Nevertheless, with Generative AI, the interpretation and parsing of language has become a lot smarter where nowadays we are clearly witnessing an upshift with numerous tools that provide tangible value for individuals, business and industry. For me, this is a glimpse of true artificial intelligent functionality, which captures rudimentary human-like cognition in a machine using software, although at this time it really does not understand you.

Naturally, ‘tech giants’ are developing their unique flavour of AI tools, characteristically branding their services with a sense of humanness, which has often been described as chatting with a friend, and I have to say they are unbelievably realistic. However, I should add that, despite some ‘over-the-top’ warnings of the dangers surrounding this new advanced algorithm, it is still nothing more than clever programming that has access to a healthy knowledgebase.

Until next time…

I would suggest that GenAI has made some of us lazy and that we are no longer using our ‘noggins’ to solve rudimentary problems. Those who are natural artists should embrace GenAi however, as I am sure it will enhance many of the pieces they create, along with generating new ideas, and offering clarity when they experience a mental block. I’m not remotely suggesting that such tools should rob you of your creativity but instead allow you to improve the content you wish to produce. As for the doubters, I fear you haven’t embraced what such tools can offer in strengthening their original work and, as such, we might be witnessing the rise of a new breed of ‘luddite.’

Those who resist change may be left behind while others confidently move forward, taking advantage of the new opportunities and challenges that new technology provides. I would argue that the numerous tools that are now available have assisted those who have embraced them and that we should work alongside them, instead of dreading an overall demise in how we choose to create content. In essence, let’s not fight technology, let’s change, adapt and evolve—technology is here to stay whether we like it or not.

So, this is where a “Gen AI was not used in this column” Dr G signs off.