Why I keep writing about AI

I frequently write about generative AI from the perspective of a writer. Occasionally, a chirkut tech bro with the mental horizon as broad as a his dick will ask what gives me the right to talk about tech when I am not from a tech background. Here is a list of reasons for that unfortunate soul.

1. We all have a "tech background" now. Much as how every company is a tech company now. If nothing else, we can very authoritatively talk about our relationship with personal tech like smartphones, social media, algorithms, and now generative AI.

2. The writer was happy just writing. He didn’t have to talk about your precious AI. You dragged him into it when you plagiarised from him and his people by illegally scraping creative works from all over the internet. Because of this, you left him no choice. He will now talk about AI and you will learn to live with it.

3. I am a journalist by training who studied what was known as New Media in 2005 at one of Asia’s most well-respected journalism institutes. I have had a career in the very same New Media in one form or the other for the greater part of the last two decades. I have watched tech affect and be affected by culture and politics of the world over the same duration of time and written about it. I know this isn’t as fancy as being from the sixteen thousandth IIT from falana town and dhimkana village, but I am sure it counts for something, no?

4. I personally have been online for more than two decades now. In 2006, I was one of the first Twitter users of India and have seen platforms and tools and practices rise and fall like the tides of time. I’m pretty sure that qualifies me to at least have an opinion on what is going on right now, especially because, as pointed out before, it all directly impacts me and my ability to do my work.

As an engineer with little understanding of sociology or history, it is easy for you to float away in the waves of hype and propaganda about AI that is being shoved down all our throats by big tech. For those of us who have gained our perspectives by looking at larger trends, that proves harder. I wish I could be as gullible as you, I really do! But life and experience has made that harder. Ah the innocent optimism of youth unhindered by real life experience and fuelled by trending buzzwords!

But here, let me take you one step ahead and explain why none of the things I mentioned above really matter. Let me explain why, even if I didn’t have the aforementioned experience, it would still be completely okay for me to comment about generative AI as it exists right now.

What many of these innocent tech bros fail to understand is that technology is written about, not only by technicians, but also users of technology. People who review mobiles don't build mobiles. People who review books aren't always writers. People who critique films and music aren't always filmmakers and musicians themselves. Journalists who write about politics and policy are often not politicians or policymakers. Consumer tech (which generative AI tools definitely are now) can be talked about, critiqued, and condemned by everyone who uses them.

It is perhaps a sad commentary on our education systems that we fail to teach students the bigger picture. Our engineering college passouts often remain wage slaves whose perspective doesn't stretch beyond the manuals they memorise to pass exams and get jobs. They remain oblivious to broader social and cultural impacts of technology and because of this, they fail to appreciate any perspectives on technology beside what is served to them by silicon valley CEOs. I have written about the oblivious Indian engineer in the past.

When a tech bro says that in order to talk about AI, you need to be an expert on AI, he is being naive in the same way as when a believer says that in order to critique their religion, you need to be an expert in its scriptures. When something is having widespread negative consequences for multiple real world domains, the real world will comment on it and complain about it. Please adjust!

So the tech bro call for silence from non-techies is usually just in service of one pursuit — they need the playing field to be clear of pesky hindrances like a writer talking about how indiscrimiate integration of generative AI into creative endeavours is a terrible idea that will hurt young creatives in more ways than one, or that much of the song and dance about AI continuing to evolve into smarter and smarter versions of itself is mostly just corporate hype designed to raise stock prices and maximise profits.

So with all due respect, this writer will continue to talk about AI. I hope, that in these tough times, you can find the strength to adjust to a reality where you are not the only one with a view about which future humanity needs to chase. Thoughts and prayers!