From Evolution to Revolution: The Life of a Professional Writer

My generation is well-equipped to evolve with the times. We experienced technological leaps during our lifetime, and we learned to embrace new technology after new technology in succession. We didn’t bemoan the typewriter giving way to the computer or the rotary phone’s downfall and the rise of the cellular phone. We adjusted to calling friends after 9 PM, and then we readjusted when we had access to unlimited calls and texts any time of day.

We showed that we can do more than survive; we can thrive in the technological age.

But when does evolution give way to revolution?

Lately, technology has presented a new hurdle, and I am tired of jumping. Artificial Intelligence has spent the last few years devouring the income I depend on as a professional writer and single mother. I’ve watched content writing jobs switch to AI use, and even in my capacity as a social media and website manager, I’ve seen companies opt for AI over paying real-life human beings.

At first, I tried doing what I always do. I evolved. I didn’t embrace AI. It is, after all, plagiarism. But I did try to find new avenues of income as a writer.

I learned to write for magazines. I built side hustles using other skill sets. I tried my best to survive in a climate that is increasingly hostile to creatives.

But now, I want to know when the revolution is to begin. What job does AI have to take for other people to care about it? I am exhausted from explaining to people why AI is problematic — from the personal aspect, the creative point of view, and the harm to the environment. If people can hear all of that and still not care, what has to change?

I don’t want to find another career.

I want to save my field from becoming obsolete. AI can do what I do, but it can’t do it well. It cannot champion an authenticity it doesn’t possess. It cannot speak from an experience it will never have. It cannot create true art, only a soulless copy of what art could be.

I didn’t complain when I finally bought an iPod only for streaming services to crop up on smart phones. I didn’t fuss when every website began to urge us to download an individual app. I learned to change, but in all that learning, I can also see when a form of technology presents harm. Then, my task isn’t to change but to resist.

Art is resistance. True art is meant to make us think and to feel something. AI cannot give us that. Every single thing it offers is plagiarized from one or more creatives who will never see credit for the work. I don’t need to find another career. I need to find ways of pushing AI out of the arts.

Of course, I can’t do it alone. I’ll need lawmakers who see the danger and oppose it. I’ll need other creators to speak out against AI. But more than any of that, I’ll need every day people who see the problem and stop using AI even if it’s convenient.

AI Is Dangerous, but Not for the Reasons You Think | Sasha Luccioni | TED

This is about me. This isn’t about me.

No, I don’t want to pivot into yet another career because the career I most wanted is being infringed upon by plagiarism. But I also want to raise the red flag of warning to others who may not yet see the danger.

Ask around. I’ve heard artists speak out. I’ve spoken to photographers who are concerned. Editors and writers are seeing a difference in their earning potential. Social media and website managers are monitoring the changes. It’s about our jobs, but it’s not just about our jobs.

AI is burning the environment. It’s contributing to a rapid increase in global warming. It’s causing harm outside of my own paychecks and ability to survive.

I don’t want to evolve. I’ve done that. I want a revolution. I want to have lived to see the rise and fall of AI. It’s risen. Now, I want to be a part of its downfall.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.