Let’s talk about AI, kids
So, I was at this conference in Austin last March, right? And this guy—let’s call him Marcus—stands up and says, “AI is the future.” And I’m sitting there thinking, “Oh boy, here we go again.” I mean, honestly, I’ve heard this song before. It was 2010, and some dude named Dave was telling me the same thing over coffee at the place on 5th.
But look, I’m not some luddite. I get it. AI is kinda cool. I use it. You use it. We all use it. But this idea that it’s gonna replace us all? That’s where I draw the line.
I remember this one time, about three months ago, I was talking to my friend Lisa. She’s a writer, too. And she’s like, “What if AI takes our jobs?” And I said, “Lisa, honey, AI can’t write a feature about the time I got food poisoning in Tijuana and lived to tell the tale.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But here’s the thing
AI is good at stuff. Like, really good. It can crunch numbers faster than a room full of accountants on Red Bull. It can spot patterns in data that would make a detective novel look like a coloring book. But here’s what it can’t do: it can’t commit to a story. It can’t feel the weight of a sentence. It can’t sit in a dive bar at 11:30pm and interview a source who’s had one too many.
And that’s what writing is, you know? It’s not just about the words. It’s about the person behind them. It’s about the committment to the truth, the physicaly feeling of a story, the emotional aquisition of a subject. AI doesn’t have that. It’s just… yeah. It’s just not there.
Now, let’s talk about the real issue
We’re all so busy chasing the shiny new thing that we forget about the old stuff. The important stuff. Like cybersecurity. Like, have you seen what’s happening with data breaches lately? It’s a mess. A completeley unorganized mess. And AI is not the answer. It’s part of the problem.
I was talking to this cybersecurity expert—let’s call him Greg—last Tuesday. And he’s like, “AI is making our jobs harder.” And I’m like, “How so?” And he says, “Because now the hackers have AI, too.” And I’m like, “Oh. Right. I didn’t think of that.”
So, yeah. AI is great and all. But it’s not the be-all and end-all. It’s not gonna save us. And it’s definitely not gonna replace us. So, let’s all take a deep breath and remember what’s really important.
Oh, and if you’re into sports, check out the Las Vegas sports clubs results. Because why not? Variety is the spice of life, right?
Anyway, I gotta run. My cat’s been sitting on my keyboard again, and I need to determing if she’s trying to tell me something or just being a jerk.
About the author: I’m Sarah, a senior magazine editor with more opinions than sense. I’ve been in this game for over 20 years, and I’m not gonna lie—I’ve seen some things. I love tech, I hate jargon, and I’m always up for a good debate. Let’s connect!
