Generative AI has gone too far, argues writer Rebecca Shaw, who adds her voice to the growing criticism. She cites multiple reasons for her opposition, including environmental harm and the erosion of human creativity and authenticity.
Environmental and creative costs
Shaw highlights that generative AI requires massive, water-guzzling datacentres, wasting precious water in a world where many lack access to clean water and regions like Australia face worsening droughts. She criticizes people using AI for trivial tasks like sending emails or writing grocery lists, noting that even a child using AI to see themselves as a ninja turtle consumes litres of water. She argues that this waste extends to human intellect: 'People are already asking a machine to have their thoughts for them, and it's just going to get worse.'
Ruining the joy of real animal videos
Shaw contends that generative AI's biggest crime is destroying the simple pleasure of watching cute animal videos online. 'The thrill of seeing a video of a cute animal as you scroll ... is gone,' she writes. She describes the loss of joy from seeing a baby whale breach beside its mother or sending a video of a fat bird to a partner. AI-generated videos have made viewers immediately suspicious: 'When I see such a video, before any other reaction I immediately wonder if it's AI.' She notes that even if a video is real, the joy is replaced by suspicion and disappointment.
Authenticity matters
Shaw emphasizes that real videos are special because they are authentic. She contrasts this with AI-generated content, which she finds unimpressive and disturbing. 'I will never be impressed or delighted at something produced with generative AI,' she states. She calls for real human-created art: 'I want books written by complicated people, bad drawings by sweet idiots, songs written by mentally ill gay people who have felt every moment of their life.'
A call to preserve humanity
Shaw concludes by urging people to appreciate real animals and save resources. 'We don't need fake animal videos, I promise you. Animals are already being awesome, cute and real out there. Save some water, be a human.' She warns that generative AI is 'stepping away from what makes us human, stripping ourselves of the capacity to think and feel that took us eons to evolve.'
