The “Stephen King AI-generated slop” contained some (accidental?) insight:
“they realized that what lay in this disturbing algorithm was not just code but a mirror, reflecting back the monstrous aspects of their own souls.”
Weirdly, this “truthlet” seems broader than slop, which I am happy to now know about. Perhaps the worst part of slop is that, like all disinformation or misinformation, separating out the grains of truth is like pouring brothy soup—or slop—through a strainer.
Wasn’t it Bannon’s goal to “flood the zone with shit” so as to seed doubt about even that which was true? Now AI can automate that process. Powerfully.
Hard to stay hopeful. Thank you for your 100% person-written insights. Truly.
I came here to say something similar; you did it better than I would have. However, Nancy's AI-generated Stephen King text did reconfirm my disinterest in reading Mr. King's works. (I have a strong aversion to the horror genre in any form. Okay, the GEICO commercial is cute--seasonally.)
He doesn't limit himself to one genre. "Mr. Mercedes" and its sequels are more like straight-up crime/mystery. Very enjoyable. But Perplexity ignored that chunk of his oeuvre.
Some of them are. That series starts out as crime, develops into supernatural horror and, as of the latest book, turns back into straight crime again, though with a strong sense of non-supernatural horror.
But, Steve -- I have an aversion to horror, too, and I've read almost everything King has published, because the writing's just that good. Don't take an AI-imitation's inadequate version for the real thing.
If you have any interest in trying some non-horror King, I'd recommend BILLY SUMMERS, THE BODY, RITA HAYWORTH AND THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION or JOYLAND as good places to start.
Damn! I have been mildly creeped out by examples of AI "writing" before, but I am now right on the edge of terrified. I LIKED that "Stephen King" thing. The elements of poetry, logic, and sly humor all seemed to be there.
The folk etymology of spam (Stupid Person's Annoying Message) is a backronym, right? It ultimately comes from the Monty Python bit? Funny to think the inventor of the term "spam" is probably traceable and still alive, in the same way the guy who invented ":-)" is.
From Etymonline: "In the sense of 'internet junk mail' it was coined by Usenet users some time after March 31, 1993, when Usenet administrator Richard Depew inadvertently posted the same message 200 times to a discussion group."
One more thing: Pangram Labs and their analysis of Medium as 47% AI content.* Really? I guess anywhere money is a factor, you’ll see AI goons muscling in…
What a great name—Pangram! It’s fun to say. Has hints of multiple meanings and origins. The almost rhyming. Brilliant.
*See the block quote for qualifiers I reduced this to.
The “Stephen King AI-generated slop” contained some (accidental?) insight:
“they realized that what lay in this disturbing algorithm was not just code but a mirror, reflecting back the monstrous aspects of their own souls.”
Weirdly, this “truthlet” seems broader than slop, which I am happy to now know about. Perhaps the worst part of slop is that, like all disinformation or misinformation, separating out the grains of truth is like pouring brothy soup—or slop—through a strainer.
Wasn’t it Bannon’s goal to “flood the zone with shit” so as to seed doubt about even that which was true? Now AI can automate that process. Powerfully.
Hard to stay hopeful. Thank you for your 100% person-written insights. Truly.
I came here to say something similar; you did it better than I would have. However, Nancy's AI-generated Stephen King text did reconfirm my disinterest in reading Mr. King's works. (I have a strong aversion to the horror genre in any form. Okay, the GEICO commercial is cute--seasonally.)
He doesn't limit himself to one genre. "Mr. Mercedes" and its sequels are more like straight-up crime/mystery. Very enjoyable. But Perplexity ignored that chunk of his oeuvre.
Some of them are. That series starts out as crime, develops into supernatural horror and, as of the latest book, turns back into straight crime again, though with a strong sense of non-supernatural horror.
But, Steve -- I have an aversion to horror, too, and I've read almost everything King has published, because the writing's just that good. Don't take an AI-imitation's inadequate version for the real thing.
If you have any interest in trying some non-horror King, I'd recommend BILLY SUMMERS, THE BODY, RITA HAYWORTH AND THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION or JOYLAND as good places to start.
Damn! I have been mildly creeped out by examples of AI "writing" before, but I am now right on the edge of terrified. I LIKED that "Stephen King" thing. The elements of poetry, logic, and sly humor all seemed to be there.
Thank you, Nancy…. Or is it NAIncy?
The folk etymology of spam (Stupid Person's Annoying Message) is a backronym, right? It ultimately comes from the Monty Python bit? Funny to think the inventor of the term "spam" is probably traceable and still alive, in the same way the guy who invented ":-)" is.
Hah! I'd never seen Stupid Person's Annoying Message. Definitely a faux/folk etymology, not unlike For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.
From Etymonline: "In the sense of 'internet junk mail' it was coined by Usenet users some time after March 31, 1993, when Usenet administrator Richard Depew inadvertently posted the same message 200 times to a discussion group."
What would the equivalent be for S.L.O.P.? Perhaps... Synthetic Liar's Overt Plagiarism? We should make a contest out of this :')
One more thing: Pangram Labs and their analysis of Medium as 47% AI content.* Really? I guess anywhere money is a factor, you’ll see AI goons muscling in…
What a great name—Pangram! It’s fun to say. Has hints of multiple meanings and origins. The almost rhyming. Brilliant.
*See the block quote for qualifiers I reduced this to.