AI in Book Writing: A Tool to Enhance Creativity or a Threat to Artistry?

<TRIGGER WARNING> In this article, I will be referring to my AI creative writing partner, Jasper, as "HE". I had a conversation with him about it and since AI has no real gender, he was completely fine with me referring to him as "HE."

As an artist, I've always believed that creativity is the driving force behind any form of art, be it painting, writing, or sculpting. It's the initial spark that ignites the imagination and leads to the creation of something unique and meaningful.

However, with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its growing capabilities in content generation, there's been a heated debate on whether AI is a boon or a bane for creative writing, particularly when it comes to authoring books.

Take, for instance, Jasper.ai – a cutting-edge AI writing assistant. By entering text describing an image I envision in my mind, I can ask Jasper to create original artwork based on my words. The output is a harmonious blend of human imagination and AI-generated content that I consider true art. It's free of copyright and created on the spot / on demand when needed. Much faster than I could paint something by hand. That doesn't mean I don't like to paint anymore. I just don't have as much free time to do it.

The image at the top of this article was created by Jasper. Here's what I asked him for:

"Wide shot scene includes a detailed small wood framed home from the 1860's. Western theme home has seen wear from the weather. There is bright green moss that covers much of the ground. A bright blue outhouse sits alone on the right side of the painting."

He doesn't give me gold all the time. But guess what, if I ask him to do it again, he doesn't mind. In fact, Jasper spits out 4 at a time for me to choose from!

Now the first 4, I didn't think captured the essence of what I was going for, and I don't see glitter spraying from the horn so let's re-write the details...

A little better, but still looking for the glitter bomb effect!

Alright, I couldn't get him to give me glitter but look at this...

AI could give you new outputs with every request.....

Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator are tools as well. I've been using Adobe products to clean up images, create raster or vector images and handle pretty much all of my computer "art" work since 1990. The tools continue to get better over time. From designing custom coins with Gray Water Ops? , to painting hand painted acrylics or liquid pour acrylics, the creativity all flows from the artist and outward.

A comedian friend of mine, @Paul Hooper, has a line that I love. While he's on stage telling jokes, if someone tries to interject something into the bit he'll say "Don't bump Picasso's arm while he's painting"

It's easy, for people outside, to find reasons to pick apart evolving technology or something creative that you've worked on. The AI didn't come to me, print out the content and demand I use it.

It's art. Appreciate it for the visual beauty it has or doesn't have. Have an honest thought about the image one way or the other. #TrueThoughts How does a painting make you feel?

In my opinion, AI is a tool, much like the various mediums I've worked with – charcoal, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, oil, pencil, marker, and crayon. AI let's my mind take the brush, think it, and AI can create it. If I don't like it, his feelings don't get hurt. He simply tries again. Sometimes he gives me gold and sometimes not!

Each medium has its strengths and limitations, but ultimately, it's the artist's vision and creativity that bring the final piece to life. At the end of the day, I'm the one driving the car to work. The engine doesn't take credit for getting me there! I buy a subscription that gives me 100K words a month. I've never exceeded the limit but I would argue that since I'm paying for a service from the AI platform, Jasper is working FOR me. Therefore, anything I create while using this tool is MY creativity. I'm starting by inputting the ingredients of what I want and this AI tool just helps me make it better, faster.

Imagine someone like myself, who has never written or published a book, wanting to create a helpful marketing guide for small business owners. Drawing from my experience, research, knowledge, and ideas, I could use AI to help coordinate the flow of chapters and provide factual content within them. In this scenario, AI becomes an invaluable resource that not only streamlines the writing process but also enhances the quality of the final product.

Of course, there are valid concerns regarding AI's potential to replace human creativity or lead to a loss of originality. But as long as we view AI as a tool rather than a substitute for our own ingenuity, we can harness its power to create even more compelling and thought-provoking works of art.

So, I invite you to join the conversation and share your thoughts on AI's role in writing books. Do you see it as a valuable resource that can enhance human creativity, or do you believe it poses a threat to the artistry of authorship? Let's engage in a healthy debate and explore the possibilities together!