AI Is Getting Scary: What's Next?

This image is insane.

It was entirely generated using an AI prompt with a new model called "Reve."

At the same time, ChatGPT just announced native image generation within their 4o model, which has finally nailed accurate text.

Just a few days ago, I found it fairly easy to tell whether an image was AI-generated. The soulessness also stuck out. But now? I’m not so sure.

We've already seen how AI's rapid evolution is impacting the software engineering industry, making certain levels of programming jobs obsolete.

Now, we’ve gotta handle the ethical implications, and ease of plagiarism that is going to come with sophisticated AI art.

On the one hand, AI provides the average person with an incredible opportunity to create marketing campaigns using generated images. It levels the playing field, allowing those who can’t afford professional designers to develop and enhance their brand at little to no cost.

Does that mean artists’s work will be devalued? Well, it depends.

In some cases, artists might find it harder to get work from people who could just barely afford the talent, but will instead opt to choose AI now.

And some big companies, who very much so do have the budget to hire talented artists, will also choose to use AI to cut costs at every corners. In fact, we’re already seeing this.

So what happens with human work? Well, personally, I think there will always be a market for things made by humans, for humans.

There will be instances of people selling things as “original” when it is actually generated by AI. And in those cases, there needs to be new regulations and laws set around disclosing that type of information. However, the value of human connection through art will remain intact—because authenticity, emotion, and the unique imperfections of human creativity are irreplaceable.

As AI continues to infiltrate more industries, I actually think it will create a workforce increasingly dependent on AI for efficiency. Ironically, this could make those who specialize in purely human-driven work a rare and valuable asset—perhaps even more so than before AI reached its current scale.

I’m not entirely anti-AI. It has helped me refine my ideas, enhance my writing, and streamline research across various topics.

That said, fully resisting AI won’t maximize your potential—but neither will outsourcing all your thinking and creativity to it. The key is to use AI as a tool, not as a replacement for your own mind.

And man oh man, do we have to adapt to these changing trends and tools faster than any other generation.

Book Chronicles #10

As promised, I’m here to give you updates on my upcoming novel, Fractured Worlds. (That name is not official yet, but I’ll probably end up going with it.)

Things are getting real.

The protagonist and mentor have just had their first encounter. It left the protagonist dumbfounded at what his soon-to-be mentor was telling him, and how the mentor knew everything he did about him.

He revealed to the protagonist that he has the same mind-fracturing ability, and that the ability is refinable. The protagonist now must take a leap of faith: Does he trust this random man’s word, who lied to his Dad to get access into his house and talk to him? Or does he try to expose the antagonist by himself and ditch this guy?

I’m sure you can guess what he chooses.

I’m finding it interesting how the mentor figure acts as a strong contrast to the antagonist, yet is also surprisingly similar to him in many ways. (I just found out there’s a word for this in literature: a foil.) They’re both a little unhinged, but one genuinely wants to help, while the other only wants power.

Cool stuff. See you next week.

Quote of The Week

Thanks for reading, everyone. Hope you enjoy your weekend.

-Cole