AI is nothing new. I first started experimenting with machine learning or artificial intelligence (AI) way back in the early 1980s. The phrase 'Artificial Intelligence' had been coined way back in 1955 by John McCarthy, but many years before this, others had been speculating on, and experimenting with the idea that machines could 'think' or at least mimic human patterns of thought. The entire history of AI can be read at this link.
In 1966 computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum developed a program that mimicked a psychotherapist. He called it Eliza, and it was probably the first artificial dialogue program (or chatbot) ever created.
I sit at the nexus between psychology and computer science. As a former associate professor in education I have a professional and personal interest. In 1982 I developed a chatbot based on Eliza's source code which I named Dr Fraud. Essentially, the program analysed whatever you inputted and then spat back an insult or some form of abuse at you. This rapidly became a very popular program with my student nurses (especially the psychiatric nurses), and they queued up to use it. Often you would hear gales of laughter as the student nurses read the rude, but inventive lines the 'psychiatric insultant' chatbot known as Dr Fraud would hurl at them. It was all good fun, and it introduced my students to the idea that not only could they learn from using computers, but that it could be fun, because of the dialogic and interactive elements.
Today of course, AI has developed rapidly from the early forays to the point that it is now a constant news and media item, and everyone seems to be talking about it. Generative AI (G-AI) is built into so many applications we use, from banking and shopping to home use of devices such as Siri, Alexa and smartphones. The popularity of free AI tools such as ChatGPT, DALL-E and Synthesia is transforming the way we create, analyse and disseminate knowledge and content.
Where poetry is concerned, we can perceive AI as either a threat or an opportunity. Most online poetry groups have banned the sharing of AI generated poetry because in essence it is plagiarism. The AI tool will spider the web for existing poetry texts, steal from them and construct a 'poem' for the user. It takes away from the creativity of poetry and makes a mockery of the process of writing a poem. Why claim to be a poet when all you are doing is pressing a computer key? There are similar arguments from the art, entertainment, literary and music industries who sense the same threat.
What is the alternative perspective? It is this - that in all of the above fields, AI can be used as a starting point, an inspiration or a series of steps toward creating something new and unique. The view is that creativity can be supported and even enhanced through the use of G-AI tools, if used sensibly, ethically and appropriately.
So for example, could AI be used to prompt an idea for a poetry topic, or to offer a template for a villanelle or a pantoum? Could it be used to suggest s good end rhyme, or as a check for grammatical or syntactic accuracy. How about using it to translate your poem into another language... or as a co-author of your work. Which of these is ok and which is going to far?
The jury is still out. What are your views on the use of G-AI in poetry?
Steve Wheeler
Image from Wikimedia Commons
