Lately, there has been an uproar against A.I. and its ability to replicate artists’ styles and use their art as references (without permission). This post is not about that.
I love technology, but I can also see how many of us can be threatened by what it means. It’s a story that’s old as the wheel. And I foresee the battle going on for a while.
To the fun part! This experiment started when a friend showed me OpenAI and how it can be used to write any content you can imagine – lease agreements, business plans, homework essays, computer code, and even stories. It’s a web-based program where one can type a prompt, and the A.I. spits a few paragraphs in reply.
So I tried it and asked it to write a children’s story. While the results were not groundbreaking, it’s not horrible either (and mildly entertaining). I decided to take it up a notch using MidJourney (another A.I. tool for making images). I asked M.J. to create a cover for our story, and the results are pretty good too. And all of this was created in under 15 minutes.
So what does this mean for us humans? We will have our battles, but for those of us who are resourceful, we will learn to adapt and use these technologies as tools to help us work better and faster. Is art going to die? I think not. Art is in our DNA, and as long as we live, create, and support each other… art will live.
So I hope you enjoy these A.I. results and that you can incorporate these groundbreaking technologies as you have with the computer, cars, the internet, and many others. Cheers!
THE LOST PORCUPINE (Transcript)
Once upon a time, in a beautiful forest, there lived a porcupine named Prickles. Prickles was a happy little porcupine who loved to explore the forest and make new friends.
One day, while out on a walk, Prickles got lost. He wandered and wandered, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find his way home.
As Prickles wandered through the forest, he came across a group of colorful balloons. The balloons were floating high in the sky, and Prickles thought they were the most beautiful things he had ever seen.
Prickles wanted to play with the balloons, but he didn’t know how to reach them. He tried jumping and climbing, but he just couldn’t get high enough.
But the balloons were kind and gentle, and they saw that Prickles was lost and alone. They gently floated down to the ground, and one of the balloons spoke to Prickles.
“Hello, little porcupine,” said the balloon. “You look like you’re lost. Can we help you?”
Prickles was so happy to have found some friends. He told the balloons all about how he had gotten lost, and how he was trying to find his way home.
The balloons listened carefully, and they knew just what to do. They told Prickles that they could help him find his way home, if he would hold onto them tightly.
Prickles was thrilled, and he eagerly grabbed onto the balloons. The balloons gently lifted him up into the sky, and they flew through the forest together.
As they flew, the balloons pointed out landmarks and told Prickles stories about the forest. They showed him where the babbling brook was, and where the tall trees grew.
And before long, Prickles saw his home in the distance. He was so happy, and he thanked the balloons for their help.
“You’re welcome, little porcupine,” said the balloons. “We’re glad we could help you find your way home. And remember, no matter how lost you may feel, you’re never alone when you have friends.”
Prickles smiled and hugged the balloons tightly, and he promised to never forget his new friends. And from that day on, Prickles and the balloons were the best of friends, and they had many more adventures together in the beautiful forest.
Here are some more MJ results using the prompt “cute porcupine in a forest with cute balloon characters, in style of children’s book illustration“
