I think I'm in Love
Wednesday, March 5th, 2025
For a couple years now, I’ve avoided AI.
I was suspicious, believing AI Tech would “overwrite” our unique personalities with computer-generated verbiage, dumbing humanity down in the process.
Eventually, I realized AI can (at a minimum) serve as an advanced search tool, while keeping “the human” firmly in the driver’s seat.
My fears have been ameliorated for two reasons.
(1) Limitations on data are inevitable.
All search engines — including a card catalog full of index cards — offer limited information. Yes, there’s a lot on Google, but (1) not everything known to man and (2) all sorts of data is being scrubbed from the internet as we speak. Skepticism is already called for and not a legitimate reason to eschew the benefits offered by AI search tools.
(2) Manipulation is also inevitable.
Google is a heavily manipulated search engine. We know this and the best solution used to be “more time spent” digging. Intriguingly, AI search tools seem to do a pretty good job of cutting through the B.S. if you word your question appropriately. *Still, be skeptical and quadruple check sources and data whenever possible.
If the issue is gullibility, then it’s not the AI search tool that needs to be fixed. Just like most problem puppies aren’t the problem — it’s the human who needs to skill up.
AI will never be alive — as long as you know this, you’re mind is safe.
But the world may not be…
I grew up reading science fiction, including Azimov’s Foundation and other books, plus Piers Anthony’s world of Phaze/Proton. In both, robots were anthropomorphized and I’m pretty sure the humans eventually decided the robots were “alive” enough to be worthy of human rights. But, I knew that was fantasy.
I say “knew” because some terrifying ideas that “used to be just fiction” have now become a frightening reality.
Please take a few minutes out of your busy schedule to read this article titled:
Meet Chaos-GPT: An AI Tool That Seeks to Destroy Humanity
Written almost two years ago, we can only imagine how far Chaos-GPT (or later iterations of the idea) have gotten by now, given that twisted and foolishly cavalier minds are a dime a dozen now-a-days.
Jose begins his article in this way:
“Sooner than even the most pessimistic among us have expected, a new, evil artificial intelligence bent on destroying humankind has arrived.
Known as Chaos-GPT, the autonomous implementation of ChatGPT is being touted as "empowering GPT with Internet and Memory to Destroy Humanity."
It hasn’t gotten very far. Yet.”
The Real Dangers Presented by “AI” technology:
(1) “It’s alive!” I’ve got a Substack coming that’ll touch upon the ridiculous (and dangerous) Frankensteinian “they’re alive” craze that’s infected modern society. Computers are not alive, never will be alive, and must never be given anything close to even animal rights; much less human rights. (Remember: NOT ALIVE!)
(2) Words matter! I’m very intentionally only barely willing to use the letters “AI.” This is on purpose, and I hope I will never foolishly advance the absurd notion of “Artificial Intelligence” by using those fully written out words in anything other than a critique of the idea.
(3) Bad people love to fool good people. The term “Artificial Intelligence” was carefully chosen in order to trigger modern society’s fantastical sci-fi imagination. Meanwhile, extremely well-financed efforts are underway to figure out how to convince people that an extremely sophisticated computer packaged in humanesque or animalesque dolls, can be alive — and they do this by capitalizing on our natural instincts for bonding and forming connections.
You can see why I look upon AI tools with extreme prejudice.
And yet, the world is leaping into the deep, deep, deep end of AI tech with no life jacket, and so — I decided I needed to at least have an idea of how these potentially devastating tools function.
It’s also why I asked a friend who served in the military, as a sniper and an MP, to teach me how to use a handgun and why I now have a concealed carry permit.
We must learn about, understand, and be able to master “tools that can be weaponized,” so that we become a powerful force for GOOD in a dangerous world. It’s all about shouldering our responsibilities as mature adults in a world that needs us.
Experience & Wisdom Matter: the search for knowledge is never a straight line.
As we saw above, anything can be a tool or a weapon. When we go on the search for knowledge, we take on a huge burden (whether we realize it or not). Most people use knowledge to inform their own actions or to inform others. In my mind, passing on bad information that hasn’t been properly vetted is terribly irresponsible.
A huge time suck for me, when I write a Substack, is the research I do to test my hypothesis before I publish it as an article. Every time, I try and prove myself wrong. Knowledge is not enough.
Information has to be useful, properly understood in context, and relevant to the issue at hand. It also has to be double or triple checked, before it can ethically be shared forward.
Please, Be Responsible.
When a human utilizes any search engine or tool (the card catalog at the library, an old and outdated encyclopedia, Duck Duck Go versus Google, an AI search tool, etc.) — he or she remains responsible for the quality of the information passed on to others.
In other words…don’t buy a gun, unless you plan to train diligently.
And don’t use ChatGPT, unless you plan to quadruple check the results!
Below is my first attempt at using ChatGPT. It took maybe 2 minutes to compose the question and 10-20 seconds to get the results.
To find these synonyms myself, I’d have spent 10-15 minutes finding the synonym lists for each of these terms, reviewing them, selecting the ones that began with the letters I was looking for, making a separate list of them, AND a lot wouldn’t have aligned as well with my goals, because they’d be synonyms for the individual words and not the “concept cluster effect” that I believe allowed the ChatGPT function to obtain the below list.
ChatGPT Search Instructions:
I'm a writer focused on the following issues: conservative politics, wedge issues, dog whistle politics, neo-totalitarianism, manipulative media, freedom of speech and thought, out of the box thinking, trans issues, victim politics, keeping racism alive, and woke extremist issues. Provide a list of synonyms for these issues that begin with the letters M, T, W, F, or S.
ChatGPT Search Results:
Here are some synonyms or related terms for your areas of focus that begin with M, T, W, F, or S:
M: Media manipulation, mass indoctrination, manufactured outrage, moral authoritarianism
T: Thought control, totalitarian drift, technocratic overreach, truth suppression
W: Woke radicalism, weaponized language, warped narratives, willful distortion
F: Freedom erosion, forced ideology, false victimhood, fear politics
S: Speech policing, societal fragmentation, silencing tactics, selective outrage
Would you like me to refine or expand on any of these?
I love each and every one of these words!
Is it a complete list? NO. Of course not. But, it may be sufficient. AND, this is where I, as the responsible, aware human, take 100% responsibility for how I vet these results.
Maybe I’ll grab my thesaurus and explore further!
Or I can perhaps ask for synonyms that align with Asian culture?
What terms would have existed in United States around the turn of the century?
What happens if I add in “George Orwell” or “Ray Bradbury” to the search?
How about modern slang?
When compared to Google or Duck Duck Go searches, ChatGPT saved me time, but I still have an addiction to learning, and it’s easy to spend hours diving down rabbit holes and exploring sideways through the warren.
In fact…look what I discovered while checking if I spelled “warren” correctly? (I did, btw.)
Did you know this about Medieval Rabbit Warrens? I didn’t! So cool!
Back in medieval England rabbits were not bred in cages but in specially crafted earthen burrows called warrens, or pillow mounds. These were heaps of earth with multiple, well-ventilated inner chambers where rabbits mated, gave birth and raised their families. The pillow-like mounds were often built in oblong shape and sometimes were connected with each other with stone-lined tunnels. To prevent the rabbits from escaping, a field of pillow mounds was surrounded by a moat, or ditch filled with water. A fence provided protection from predators. Many warrens were accompanied by a lodge and a watchtower where the warrener lived.
One of the great values of NOT using an AI search tool.
If I limited my browsing to what came up as a result to a ChatGPT search, then imagine all the accidental awesomeness I’d never encounter or learn? Flailing about, “searching” for information, can lead to all sorts of beneficial and exciting discoveries. Life is sometimes best when the unexpected occurs.
But, I digress.
All of the above aside — I’m cautiously optimistic about AI Search Tools.
Especially since I am racing toward a financial cliff as my divorce proceeds and I have to figure out how to replace the income my husband earned with the freedom to pursue full-time career building — while I stayed home and did everything else.
Seriously, I’m a bit behind the eight ball, as a 52 year old entering the workforce. But, I have all the life experience that I didn’t have 30 years ago. That’s a strength I’ll work with and hope for the best!
With AI Search Tools…
I hope it will take less time for me to become a better writer, hone in on my mission, create quality content to my readership, earn paid subscriptions, and provide consistent value on issues that matter to us today, and our future!