Let’s (Not) Talk AI
Here’s a hot take! I was in a sound studio today and was in conversation with a fella who was curious about the state of the animation industry. As always, I made him aware of the fact that I was there as voice talent, not for having anything to do with animation, so… I guess… there’s your first clue. ALSO, as usual, I saw the lightbulb go off and he said, “Animation? So what’s going on with the whole AI thing?” And here’s where the conversation took a turn for the first time in about five years. He added, “You know what? I’m looking forward to the day that we don’t have to bring that up!” I laughed, agreed whole-heartedly and realized that he had the most interesting thought on it I’ve heard all year. There’s no question we’re at a paradigm shift in terms of everything we’ve learned in animation production, and also pretty much every other job on the face of the planet. Here’s my question: At what point does this divisive talking point between us disappear?
We’re all trapped in non-stop cycles of talking points in our daily conversations. American politics. The Canadian job market. Balancing family & work (for those that are lucky enough to have work… or families). And, my favourite, how do I keep my skin so soft and supple (that last one might not be entirely true). These are the subjects I talk about daily, whether it’s to a friend, colleague, or a sleeping vagrant on the sidewalk in front of the subway station. The AI conversation is number one with a bullet and I’ve realized that I’ve turned into a walking talking click-bait post on Facebook. I regurgitate 4th hand information and the ending conclusion is always, “I don’t know… I just… don’t… know.” The end. Now back to my supple skin: I use a twice-daily cream of… (you get the point)
6th Century BC: the paradigm shift in the concept of a flat earth to the understanding of a spherical one! How long did those Greek dudes walk around arguing over which side of the fence they stood on, getting into fist fights at the Acropolis, rolling down the stone steps, spitting blood and gouging out each other’s- sorry… I’m getting away from my point. That being, when did it stop being a common conversation starter? At what point did they stop talking about it and then went back to their daily lives, realizing that, ultimately, it shouldn’t affect what’s really important… life.
No matter what side you stand on AI, we should really reframe the tête-à-tête. Next time when someone brings up AI, rather than roll your eyes and dig into the points of why you hate it (or love it???), maybe swing the conversation into something else. A childhood memory? Who’s the most famous person you’ve ever met? How you’re thinking about learning the fine art of ventriloquism? The pros & cons of a DIY tonsillectomy?
This jarring changing of lanes could be exactly what it takes to make a stronger connection with your fellow man (or WOman). Ultimately, these human connections and interactions are what exactly take us in the opposite direction of AI, which is where I feel we should be heading anyways. Let’s not give in to AI and have it control, not only our working lives, but our personal lives as well. To quote the mock-Latin aphorism, "Illegitimi non carborundum!” Don’t let the bastards win!
