Please Welcome My New Research Assistant, Nova
I don't have a very high opinion of the so-called "AI" that has come to dominate every aspect of our lives, from regurgitated content on social media to AI-first initiatives from every CEO with a Fortune subscription. Furthermore, as a writer, I'm firmly against the use of AI in the writing of books and stories, and I can't imagine ever wanting to read such a thing when real, human authors are out their creating real, human art.
I recently wrote about Generative AI, Grammarly, and the Fall of NaNoWriMo. One takeaway was that AI isn't inherently evil and does have some value if used correctly. I've also been looking for a new job, and you can't throw a stick these days without hitting another posting with AI littered throughout the description. It made me wonder if AI is just one of those things I will have to accept if I ever want to be employed in a technical role again.
Eric N.
Notify the FBI
Speaking of throwing sticks, you can't toss one into AuthorThreads these days without hitting someone posting Don't mind my search history, FBI! I'm just writing a book! Tee hee! It's cute, but extensive research is the norm for any author trying to add veracity to their stories. We go down rabbit holes on everything from the history of the Sig Sauer P226 to the rise and fall of Trump's Atlantic City empire to the various pattern types of gingham.
It's a necessary thing, but it's also time-consuming and interrupts the writing flow. But what if there was a way to research faster? To get the answer fast enough to switch right back to Word and continue writing? If ChatGPT could do that, then maybe it would be a useful tool after all.
Generational Ice Storm
A few years ago, an ice storm ravaged Texas, knocked out our power grid, and almost 250 people died. As with all significant life events I don't want to forget, I chose to weave the ice storm into House of Nepenthe, allowing it to deadlock most of my characters in Austin. However, there is one character in Oklahoma City experiencing the storm, and I just didn't know enough about what OKC's experience was like during that storm.
I could have googled it. I could have read articles. But really I just needed a number. Tell me how cold it got.
I asked ChatGPT two questions that likely could have been combined into one. And yet, it was able to figure out which storm I was talking about, tell me when it happened, and get the weather for that time period in Oklahoma City.
In less than thirty seconds, I had my answer: -11 degrees. I popped back into Word, threw in the number, and continued writing. It was such a quick context switch that I didn't lose any momentum.
You Keep Using That Word
Have you ever wanted to use a phrase but weren't sure if you were using it correctly? That usually meant googling and reading a Grammar Girl post. But with ChatGPT, I can get an answer pretty easily.
For example:
And:
But Let's Be Clear
I write my own stories, and even if ChatGPT tried to convince me that using its ideas would make me a more successful author, I still wouldn't entertain them. It's just not the done thing, as Chili says. Imagine sitting around with the world's best authors and there's King and Blume and Hemingway... and Earl with his Dell laptop open to chatgpt.com. Gross.
Memory updated, indeed. Don't forget your place, ChatGPT.
You're Hired
Now it's time time to update the corporate directory.
Welcome to the team, Nova. I can pay you $20/month, but no health insurance or 401k matching.
Anyway, this is your sign to check out ChatGPT and see if it can be the research assistant you've been waiting for all your life. You won't use it to actually write anything creative because you're a good person with a strong moral fiber.
