botbooks

The New AI Consumer

Some tech geek out there wannabe startup tech bro is actually selling an AI pen. That’s what he’s advertising it as anyway. I guess it’ll do your handwriting for you, on those rare occasions you need to write anything by hand.

photo of an actual tech geek


Next up: An AI prompter. Having to think about what your AI botbook novel will be about is too mentally stressful. I mean, if the chatbot does all of the writing and most of the thinking for your literary masterpiece, why can’t it do all of it? Makes sense, right? I mean, what are you paying for, or not paying for? You’re using it, aren’t you? Should be enough.

Soon they’ll have AI shopping, done by algorithms. No shopping list required. The bots will know what you need and want. Transport will be provided by AI cars– autonomous, they’re called– which you won’t really need, because everything will be delivered to you by autonomous trucks, manned, I guess, by robots. I’m not making this up. Automakers and tech companies have invested billions in the premise. It’s coming soon. I promise.

When the groceries are delivered, there will be AI stoves to do the cooking for you. And AI dishwashers. Then AI laundry, and AI robots to make your bed and vacuum the carpeting. Modern conveniences, for your own good. So you’ll have more leisure time for, you know. Something. Sitting on the sofa watching television, or smoking pot. Vegging out. Or sleeping. It’s always pleasant to close the blinds on the world and go to sleep. Then in the morning the AI alarm clock will wake you and your coffee will be ready and you’ll be ready for– I don’t know. Another day.

It’s all in the works, believe me.


-KW

The Tech Hustlers

It’s interesting to me how tech hustlers like Sam Altman have conned several hapless literary figures of some repute into being their patsies.

For instance, esteemed author Stephen Marche, who was recruited by Pushkin Industries owners Jacob Weisberg and Malcolm Gladwell into being a spokesperson for AI chatbot capabilities. I really don’t think Marche knew all he was getting into when he was enlisted to construct, via chatbots, an AI novel, aka bot book. Or the company he would keep. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been a seat-of-the-pants player since he dropped out of Stanford University at age 19. I’ve known people like him– one a fast-talking character running a boiler room calling operation outside Philadelphia in a temporary office. Very temporary. The kind of place the crew could pack up and leave with phones and equipment within a day. The goal of the operation: to get the credit card number, the money, no matter what was said to obtain it. The promise was to get people out of their time shares. Orientation: “These people are easy marks– or they wouldn’t have bought the time shares to begin with.” (I left after two days, though I badly needed employment. Of course I was never paid.)

Anyway, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is that guy, but on a much larger scale. He wants disruption alright: power and money. A lot of it.


Chatbot purveyors are going to be hit with a lot of lawsuits, because the basis of their operations is stolen material. (See our post “Literary Pirates.”) Now, a billionaire like Altman couldn’t care less about lawsuits, nor about unfavorable news articles. He’s a big-money gambler. Blowback is part of the game. But for patsies like Stephen Marche who thrive on their respectability– or at least the appearance of same– it could turn out to be a very different story.

-K.W.

The Disgrace of Using Chatbots


A sign of A.) ineptitude B.) gullibility: using the latest tech gimmick produced via the plutocratic pipeline.

We view chatbots as a form of bicycle training wheels. Or as batting tees used for beginner baseball players– where they need to keep the ball stationary before they take a swing at it.

In sum: If you use a chatbot in any way– including to write your own emails, you’re NOT a writer. You’re not even a beginner writer. You’re a poser. A fake. A wannabe.

Use the word “writer” to describe yourself if you’re a chatbot user and you’ll be sued for misrepresentation and fraud.

Or should be.