Blog
I’m Already Obsolete!
May
I first want to say the featured image for this Blog is not a Selfie.
I can’t avoid hearing about artificial intelligence, shorten to just AI. The modern multifunction cell phone is about 15 years old. It changed the world.
AI, the kind that is easily accessible to the masses around the world, has been around for a time range measured in months! Incredible!
I was curious when ChatGPT first came out, and I had it write a very good draft to promote my e-Book of my first year of Blogs. I was impressed with the result.
Some major projects, my priority ones, are lowering their time demands, so I decided it was time to teach myself to draw. Sketching stickmen is my current level of expertise. I decided to use the Procreate drawing app. I’ve followed a few YouTube videos for beginners, and I’m enjoying this learning process.
I thought it would be fun to ask ChatGPT to do a drawing of mountains in Procreate. After a few seconds, it responded. (I’ve included the actual response after my signature block for those who are curious.)
It couldn’t draw anything, but it did give me a good starting point, given my limited knowledge. The only wrong piece of information was that the final step #6 should have been step #3 to avoid loads of frustration, as in – “Why didn’t you tell me that earlier?”
There are some AI programs that look at millions of images and can ‘create’ a single image based on the text you give it, such as, “Show me a children’s birthday party with a cake and candles.”
I realized that my couple of months spent learning the very basics of the sophisticated Procreate software may be wasted if. In a year or so, I could just ask AI to draw the scenery for me in Procreate.
Deep breath.
I also understand that it was the learning process itself that I enjoyed. I’m sure I’ll enjoy learning how to create beautiful pictures for years to come.
I’m curious about your thoughts. Please give this a bit of a think. How might you dip your toes in the AI water? What would you like to ask it? I might even take some of your ideas and ask it myself, then post the responses – with no identifying information, of course.
Please share your bit of a think below.
Disclaimer: I received no compensation of any kind for mentioning the Procreate app.
Photo by Possessed Photography on Unsplash
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To ChatGPT:
Draw an image in Procreate of mountains.
From: ChatGPT:
I’m sorry, but as an AI language model, I don’t have the capability to create visual content like images or drawings. However, I can provide you with some guidance on how to draw mountains in Procreate.
- Start by creating a new canvas in Procreate and selecting a suitable background color or texture.
- Choose a suitable brush for drawing the mountains. A brush with a textured or rough edge will help you create a natural-looking mountain range.
- Draw the outline of the mountains with a light color and thin brush. You can use a reference photo or a rough sketch as a guide.
- Add shading and texture to the mountains by layering darker colors on top of the lighter ones. Use a variety of brush strokes and techniques to create a realistic texture.
- Add details such as snowcaps, trees, or rocks to make the mountains more interesting and varied.
- Finally, use layers to separate the different elements of your drawing and make adjustments or corrections as needed.
Remember that drawing takes practice and patience, so don’t be discouraged if your first attempt doesn’t turn out exactly as you imagined. Keep experimenting with different brushes, colors, and techniques until you achieve the desired result.
I was also a little curious when I first heard about ChatGPT.
A teacher I work with introduced me to it recently. The idea of a virtual writing system that can generate all kinds of answers to a variety of questions/prompts on endless topics, sounded intriguing. He asked ChatGPT to write a short social story for one of our grade 4 students. That’s a task that would have taken him a few hours of thinking and planning – GPT generated a response to his request in a matter of seconds.
After looking at some online examples, I noticed that the end result can be good or bad. It all depends on how well you’ve worded your prompts. For example if you’re going to ask ChatGPT to write a bedtime story for your 5 year old, you’ve got to be clear about tailoring your story to your child’s specific circumstances and interests. There’s seems to be a certain amount of planning before you hand it over to our virtual assistant. For instance, who are the characters? What type of story is it? Is it an adventure, sci-fi, will make a difference to the story. I think it requires a certain finesse or skill coming from the person asking the questions, otherwise the story won’t be what you expected. But hey, it’s another fine tool to add to your toolbox. When you’re stuck and you need to write an introduction, a speech, a covering letter, etc. etc. ChatGPT can do it in a flash (provided you give it the right information and prompts). The system is not without errors (as you’ve discovered) but it’s close enough.
I haven’t dabbled in it yet but if I were to ask it anything, I might ask some of the following questions:
1. Tell me a good joke that will make anyone laugh.
2. What are your projections for AI in the next 20 years? Which jobs risk becoming obsolete? What work opportunities will the next generation have with AI?
3. Write the lyrics for a song about ChatGPT
4. Act as a European tour guide. Come up with a 10-day itinerary for a trip to Italy. It must include hidden gems, off-the-beaten track, accommodations that don’t exceed $100 a night. Start the trip with a visit to Pisa.
5. I want to become an AI “Prompt Engineer” but don’t have a tech degree. Help me find a way to achieve this goal. What are the steps?
6. How do I build a 188 sq. foot tiny house in Ontario? Please include the cost, building codes, permits. I want to build a tiny house in Terrace, British Columbia.
7. What errors did you make in answering #7?
Interesting thoughts. I hadn’t articulated in my mind the need to frame the request to improve the success. It is similar to using Google. There is a skill that I have acquired that I only now realize when I watch someone else search with Google who has little experience. It can be painful to watch.