Technology

James Francis

They finally got me. I watched a charming YouTube video featuring an old man giving advice as he reflected on his life. It was informative and interesting, if a little obvious in the insights category. But like a good pep talk, I found value in a familiar message flowing from this man's life experiences.

Only, there was no life experience. He was an AI-generated fabrication, something I only learned months later. Should that matter? To me, it does. Without the grounding of an actual human's lived experience, I might as well take advice from bathroom wall graffiti. Actually, that would be better, because the graffiti's creator wasn't motivated by attracting views for ad money. I don't question AI slop as much as the motives behind it.