Let's Talk AI, Nightingales, & Emperors
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Hey Reader, have you ever reread a book or rewatched a movie from your childhood and finally understood the main message? For example, when I was 4 or 5 The Sound of Music was my favourite movie. I would watch it several times per year and still know all the songs by heart. I knew the storyline well—at least what my child brain could register. I distinctly remember watching it again when I was 12, having just studied WWII in school and was stunned to understand who the Nazis were for and hence, what the Sound of Music was really about. That kind of lightbulb moment happened to me again as I reread HC Anderson’s “The Nightingale" last month. The Nightingale was one of those stories that I didn’t pay much attention to as a kid because there is no princess and no battles. It wasn’t nearly as exciting as The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, or Thumbelina. But after rereading The Nightingale, I understood the message in a whole new way. HC Andersen was warning us about technology more than 150 years ago. The Cole’s Notes summary goes like this: An Emperor loves the song of a nightingale so much that he cages the bird in order to have beautiful song on demand. But the entrapment causes the bird to suffer and it finds its chance to escape after a mechanical bird is delivered. The mechanical bird sings 24/7 allowing the Emperor to hear a perfect song as often as he pleases. In the end, the Emperor realizes the mechanical bird song is too perfect, too predictable, and eerie because of it. When the mechanical bird breaks, he apologizes to the real nightingale and vows to appreciate its song in the wild and never cage it again. I can’t help but compare the mechanical nightingale to AI. Sure, AI systems can be immensely powerful and helpful in the sciences, but I’m alarmed by how much it’s infiltrating the arts. From fake actors to fake musicians to fake authors, AI can create convincing material, but there’s always something flat about it. And because AI cannot create original work, AI could never rival genius creators like David Bowie or Taylor Swift or DaVinci. But they could imitate their work after the fact. While AI tools may save time and even be fun to use, I believe it’s important to remember the value of humans honing a craft, developing skills, and creating imperfectly for the joy and beauty of it. Like the emperor realized at the end of the story, I’d rather wait to hear the authentic nightingale's song in the wild, than be able to listen on demand to a cheap imitation through a piece of software. What about you, Reader? Have you used AI tools yet or noticed AI content floating around? I’m curious to hear your thoughts. Until next time, Natalie Guttormsson PS - If you want to hear more about Hans Christian Andersen, you can listen to this past episode of The Folklore Forum podcast. (listen here) Read The Stories: The Fall of the Queen of Elphame (Free) In the Company of Elves |