Q: You sure you’re ready?

Me: Are you sure you’re ready?

As a writer, I am both fascinated and wary of Generative AI. Chat GPT has been EXTREMELY useful in helping me flesh out the story for a book I am currently working on. From the flora and fauna of the book’s setting to character backstories, having the ability to bounce ideas off a bot that never tires is absolutely wonderful. With that being said, it can also be akin to working with someone who has had too much Redbull with their Adderall prescription.

Look, I’m guilty myself of finding Generative AI to be extremely helpful to communicate ideas to Q, the badass gentleman who has been doing my tattoos for the last three years. Using it as an idea is great, because I can barely draw a stick-figure, despite my attempts to learn higher forms of art. Q was able to take my idea and translate it to a beautiful head tattoo that both encapsulates his style and reflect the current tattoos I have on my head.

In my opinion, AI will NEVER be able to replicate the tattoos that an artist can produce. While it can obviously come up with killer designs and ideas, it will never be able to calm you as you have needles tap your skull.

For example, anyone can generate a story in Chat GPT, Gronk, or Claude. It’s been done, it’s happening, and there is nothing that any of us can do about it. What AI can’t replicate, though, is the massive amount of human emotion that goes into every piece of dialogue, how the setting makes you feel, or the moral consequences you are left to dig through after a good read.

Tattooing, to me (again, who isn’t an artist) is no different. My first head tattoo was my spiderweb that is on the left side of my noggin. Many don’t know, but that was Q’s first head tattoo as well. We had discussed it for over a year before sitting across from each other if we were ready. Ai could have generated the design, sure. What it can’t generate is the masterful execution, the nerves, the fear, and the excitement of two people in a new experience.

To me, that will never be able to be replicated. It’s a core memory that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Thanks, Q, for journeying with me and allowing to journey with you.

Ai can only replicate, it cannot create.

At least, not until SkyNet. Then we have a different scenario on our hands (along with naked Arnold Schwarzenegger).

xoxo

-Jake