Back to Our Roots: What Inspired Us Before AI

AI was created by humans in order to assist humans, not replace them; and with the technology ever expanding, the fear of AI grows every day. It feels as if AI can do absolutely anything, but when we view AI in this way, we completely lose its purpose. AI was created by humans in order to assist humans, not replace them. We see AI as a solution for everything these days, but who created AI? Humans! Why would we capitalize on the advancements of our ancestors instead of using them to create something greater? With this, AI will never be able to capture the human aspects of creativity and information. It can act as an amazing wellspring of information, but when we try to use AI to create art or replace our work altogether, we completely lose the most important aspect of all: a human’s touch.

Humans are deeply flawed, and in contrast, AI is seemingly the perfect invention. Even though it has superhuman intelligence, AI lacks the most human ability of all, to show emotion. In art, we see emotion on display at every turn. Take Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, for example. We’re shown an encapsulation of Melville’s experiences on the sea, recounting both the beauty and horror of something so majestic yet mysterious. Melville doesn’t shy away from anything in his descriptions of life on the sea and, through Ishmael, we are shown a deeply troubled man suffering from the events of the story. AI will never be able to truly experience the sea. It can read every small detail of it, but truly experiencing the sea is a different wellspring of feelings and ideas. 

Along with this, AI is not able to create humans. AI can research what the character should be, but it will never be able to capture that aspect of humanity we crave. Moby-Dick also acts as a perfect encapsulation of this. Where AI is without fault, Melville is deeply flawed. The man was obsessive and suffered from PTSD during his adventures at sea. Because of this, he creates characters that bend the norm. I don’t want to read the same story with the same happy ending; I want to read about people who are trying to overcome their trauma with me on the sideline rooting for them as they go. AI cannot capture this. Life and humanity are all about facing struggles and striving to become greater from them, all of which AI is incapable of experiencing.

This encompasses more than just literature as well. Yes, AI can create visual art, but this lacks the emotion from the artist. It can create a painting in the likeness of Van Gogh, but not like Van Gogh. AI would never have the mind to create a work like that on its own, and (for better or worse) the sheer lunacy that we as humans possess! Some of our greatest pieces of art come out of memories of hardship, triumph, and loss, all emotions which AI will never be able to grapple with or put into words. 

In art, we search for a connection with the artist; we wish to see what inspired them to create what they made and relate it to the piece. Was Tolkien inspired by his time in World War 1 when he wrote The Lord of the Rings? How did Poe’s mental state affect his writing? Will George R.R. Martin ever finish Game of Thrones? With AI, we have none of this. Humans want to consume art made by humans. Yes, AI can create vast works of fiction, poetry, lyrics, and anything else under the sun; however, at a surface level, you only see the shallowness of this “art.” With people, we see the good and the bad; we see conflict, criticism, and disagreement, and these aspects create discussion; they create banter; and, most importantly, they create community. What AI fails to take into account is that as readers, we don't want something perfect; we don’t want something that's completely without flaw; sometimes we don’t even want something good at all! All we want is something real, something human. 

What Inspired Us Before AI?

I feel that with how fast-paced modern society is, we tend to forget just how recent these new groundbreaking innovations are. It was less than 200 years ago that Henry David Thoreau chose to spend a year by himself in nature, which he would later recount in Walden. Throughout Walden, we see Thoreau’s love and passion for nature mixed with a reflection of his personality and ideals. We are painted beautiful descriptions of nature through the seasons, intricate discussions on philosophy, and shown a picture of nature that still exists right in front of us. I draw this comparison to show just how blinding this technology has become. We are completely blinded by the beauty in front of us because of all these new fancy inventions. Where Thoreau could go and become one with nature, we tend to force ourselves into a world where we forget nature even exists. This trend repeats itself throughout numerous other cultures and people. Many Native American tribes view nature and their relationship with it as spiritual. In Buddhism, it is believed that humans and the earth are one. Bob Ross became famous for his ability to capture nature on the canvas. AI can imitate this art, but it will never be able to truly capture it. When we view a portrait or a work of poetry capturing the true beauty of nature, we discover an aspect that AI cannot replicate. 

We see inspiration in more than just nature; we also find it in the ideals and beliefs of others. Religion has always been a driving force in history, both good and bad. Through the conviction of people, we see how strong their beliefs are. Works such as Paradise Lost and Dante’s Inferno serve as fanfiction for the Bible in a way that AI would never be able to ponder because it cannot capture the sheer conviction and faith of the authors. We also see political work in this vein. AI cannot have critical thought. When asked to choose a side, it would sit on the fence until the very end. Through this reluctance, it would never be able to recreate the thought-provoking works of someone such as George Orwell or the philosophical works of someone such as Aristotle and Plato. AI lacks conviction and willpower to create these scenarios and thoughts. A machine created by us has no possible means of outthinking us, especially when we provide it with everything it knows. 

When we critically look at art in this way, it becomes something more. In his essay, “Criteria of Negro Art,” W.E.B. Dubois declared that “ALL art is propaganda and ever must be.” No matter what we try to create, however disconnected from us it may be, art will also reflect the artist’s soul and passion. AI can never capture thought and emotion in this way, no matter how hard it tries. Not all art is created to satisfy its audience. Artists create art to push boundaries, test ideals, and explore new ways of thinking, all of which AI is incapable of. 

How Can We Use AI to Help Us Instead of Replace Us?

AI itself is not the problem. It is a wonder how far human innovation and technology have come in such a short amount of time. AI can do a lot of good, and it can make a major, positive impact on many jobs. Where we find a problem with AI is in how we choose to use it. We see it as a replacement for tasks and creativity, especially in the field of digital art, as opposed to an assistant that helps to enhance these tasks behind art and creativity. When we use AI to solve our problems, we aren’t making advancements ourselves, just capitalizing on the advancements made before us. If we choose to rely solely on AI, nothing will develop after AI. 

AI, when used in excess and unnecessarily, can also have a negative impact on our planet. AI data centers use millions of gallons of water in their facilities and draw power from fossil fuels, polluting the Earth in order to keep their programs running. With this, we end up subverting the Earth’s resources for a cause that has only been hurting it. If this continues, we’ll see nature, which has served as an inspiration for poets, storytellers, and artists, be ruined. The landscape that inspired so many beautiful pieces of art will become a thing of the past. Animals that once brought us so much joy will cease to exist, and the planet will be left even worse for our ancestors than it was handed to us. 

Art tells us the story of humanity, and no matter how hard it might try, AI will never be able to replicate this; so how can we use AI to help us? With the power to learn anything in the palm of our hand, there is so much good that AI can do. It’ll never be able to capture your voice, but it can help you to refine it. For me, I find AI extremely helpful during research. What are the best books on this subject? Or could you tell me some authors who align with this topic? When AI is used as a tool instead of being used to replace your work, you’ll find just how productive a tool thought to be so destructive can be. Humanity as a whole gains no benefit from AI being used solely out of convenience and laziness, humanity grows when we use AI in combination with our own intelligence to make further advancements.

About the Author

Tyler Falls is an English major at UNLV with a concentration in creative writing and literature. His interests include reading, writing, music, video games, and hanging out with friends.