I asked the AI chat tool ChatGPT to write a blog post about cats. This is what it came up with. It seems very pro-cat.
A Blog Post About Cats
Cats are fascinating creatures that have been beloved by humans for thousands of years. From their playful personalities to their graceful movements, there is something captivating about these mysterious animals.
One of the most interesting things about cats is their unique ability to make themselves at home in any environment. Whether they are living in a cozy house with their human family or roaming the streets as a feral feline, cats are experts at adapting to their surroundings.
Another thing that makes cats special is their independent nature. Unlike dogs, which are known for their loyalty and eagerness to please their human companions, cats tend to be more self-sufficient and aloof. This can make them somewhat challenging to understand, but it also adds to their charm and allure.
Despite their independent nature, cats are also highly social animals. They are known for their strong bonds with other cats, and they can form close relationships with their human companions as well. Many cat owners describe their feline friends as being like family members, and there is something deeply satisfying about the special bond that can develop between a human and a cat.
In conclusion, cats are fascinating creatures that are full of surprises. From their adaptability to their independent nature, there is always something new and interesting to discover about these captivating animals. Whether you are a lifelong cat lover or just getting to know these mysterious creatures, there is no doubt that cats are truly one of a kind.
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And here’s a picture of cat from DALL-E (prompt: house cat sunning itself indoors) to round off this AI edition of cats cats cats:
And a somewhat less successful (that “face”) “digital art” version:
In Stable Diffusion, I entered this prompt and set it to 50 steps (the default is 25):
sunrise over a verdant field in the countryside. Oil on canvas.
And I got this lovely pastoral scene about a minute later:
And I thought, “How long would it take me to actually paint this, even using a digital canvas?” It would not take about a minute. It would take many minutes. It would take hours. It would take time to experiment with colour and tone, adjusting texture and light. But I feed the text into the AI and it produces something that is actually pretty good–probably better than I could do (I was never great at using paint as a medium) and it gives me pause and think about all the articles out there raising flags over AI-generated art.
I must ponder this. I currently think of AI-generated art as an actual form of art, but a different one. It requires a human hand to do anything (ostensibly, at least) and the prompts can result in dramatically different results with some seemingly minor tweaking. There is art in the crafting of the prompts themselves. But still, I get why people are concerned. This stuff is already shockingly good, and we are in the early days.
Does this mean some guy will no longer have to paint hundreds of black velvet Elvises to make a living? That it can be done in moments by an AI instead, freeing him up to do something more meaningful, possibly with orphans? Or does it just mean this guy has lost a job?
Ponder, ponder.
(And yes, I will do a black velvet painting of Elvis prompt later.)
(Also, amusingly and fittingly, the spelling checker did not recognize “Elvises” and suggested “pelvises.”)
