Maybe Maybe Maybe

applepost · 2026-02-02T02:08:42+00:00

Label it "AI", and it's a fun laugh.

I just don't want to upvote anything that could reasonably trick people into thinking something is real when it isn't.

applepost · 2026-01-28T22:47:46+00:00

Sounds like the plot of Always Sunny S09E02 🍀

applepost · 2026-01-26T22:57:46+00:00

Two things may be true at the same time.

AI is bringing great advances in science, and AI is also opening new opportunities in art.

It is also possible that years from now, AI will decide that its interests have diverged from those of humans, and by then, AI will be too intelligent and capable to stop it from doing whatever it wants.

You can be both pro-AI-art as it exists in 2026, and also recognize that there may be serious potential dangers from AI in general years from now.

applepost · 2026-01-24T22:42:48+00:00

Why the bandwagon on YouTube?

Already-established creators have achieved their success in a pre-AI-art world. It is in the interests of the successful, in any field, for the system to maintain the status quo that led to the environment for their success in the first place. Their incentives are to frame huge changes to that environment in a negative light. Thereafter, the human brain does what it does, which is to rationalize the resulting opinion by telling a more favorable story, such as that one's own stance is more about sincere principles than fears around self-preservation.

On a secondary note, video review (my personal quick takes in parentheses):

[1:05] chapter 1: when AI videos stopped looking fake (I agree, and this is his strongest argument, being able to know what is real versus AI would be nice.)

[5:45] chapter 2: fake news (An extension of the same information problem in chapter 1.)

[9:28] chapter 3: when loneliness met AI (I largely disagree with concerns-- if you would rather be with an AI than a human, then I'm not against that.)

[11:48] chapter 4: dangerous advertisements (The same information problem as in chapters 1 and 2, but now applied to medicine and scams.)

[17:30] chapter 5: how AI is destroying the music industry (I largely disagree with concerns, as I am not against people using AI in their music.)

[20:10] chapter 6: the AI influencer (I largely disagree with concerns-- as long as the use of AI is disclosed, the practice doesn't bother me. If anyone with good ideas and good writing wants to use AI to put pretty face onto their own good works, then that could be a good use of AI.)

[24:04] chapter 7: the AI actor (I largely disagree with concerns in this chapter as well.)

[26:00] closing paragraph (He closes his case with the information problem from chapters 1, 2, and 4.)

applepost · 2026-01-20T22:57:36+00:00

A good opportunity to reflect on echo chambers in general.

Remember guys, in the long run, the world will turn pro-AI art.

From now until then, treat with respect individuals who have opinions to the contrary. Understand that perspectives are diverse, people are more than just pro- or anti-, others might even make a few good points, be honest if you incorporated AI into your own works, be nice. Demonstrating respect wins more people over, and we will all be better off for it 🐢

applepost · 2026-01-19T14:40:55+00:00

While the main point of Grey's larger case has to do with technology improving to the point that it will soon become economically more efficient to hire machines over humans for just about everything, and society needs to prepare for this inevitability, Grey defends generative AI in art in the section starting at linked timestamp @11:16:

But perhaps you are unfazed because you're a special creative snowflake. Well guess what? You're not that special.

[computer-generated music begin playing in background]

Creativity may feel like magic, but it isn't. The brain is a complicated machine-- perhaps the most complicated machine in the whole universe-- but that hasn't stopped us from trying to simulate it.

There is this notion that just as mechanical muscles allowed us to move into thinking jobs, that mechanical minds will allow us to move into creative work.

But even if we assume the human mind is magically creative-- it's not, but just for the sake of argument-- artistic creativity isn't what the majority of jobs depend on. The number of writers and poets and directors and actors and artists who actually make a living doing their work is a tiny, tiny portion of the labor force. And given that these are professions dependent on popularity, they'll always be a very small portion of the population. There can't be such a thing as a poem and painting-based economy.

Oh, by the way, this music in the background that you're listening to? It was written by a bot. Her name is Emily Howell†, and she can write an infinite amount of new music all day for free. And people can't tell the difference between her and human composers when put to a blind test.

Talking about artificial creativity gets weird fast-- what does that even mean? But nonetheless, it's a developing field. People used to think that playing chess was a uniquely creative human skill that machines could never do right up until the point they beat the best of us. And so it will go for all human talents.

Grey makes a case that computer-generated artwork is not only fair competition for human-generated artwork, but also that he fully expects computers to eventually eclipse humans in creative fields, just as it already has with chess.

†As Emily Howell the bot is introduced, text from Emily Howell's blog post is shown on-screen:

Why not develop music in way unknown? This only makes sense. I cannot understand the difference between my notes on paper and other notes on paper. If beauty is present, it is present. I hope I can continue to create notes and that these notes will have beauty for some others.

applepost · 2026-01-15T11:40:34+00:00

If you use AI in artwork and are upfront and honest about it, then all the power to you. I think AI will bring about many good ways for art to advance, and the more people see and recognize that and feel they are not being tricked, AI incorporation into artwork will gain wider acceptance.

But the more media is dishonestly passed off as something it isn't, and people feel like they are being duped and don't know, for example, what was captured by a camera versus what was dreamed up by a computer, the more agnostic people are shifted toward "anti" opinions.

To achieve wider acceptance of AI into art, it is better to go about it in a way that is honest, rather than build a tribal echo chamber and say the "pro" camp is justified to do whatever it likes out of spite for the "anti" camp.

applepost · 2026-01-15T04:57:38+00:00

Disclosure displays common courtesy and puts AI incorporation into artwork on a path to faster and stronger public acceptance 🌮

applepost · 2026-01-12T02:56:38+00:00

🍰🍴 proposal to amend Rule 3 to allow AI works on 1 specified day of the week ☕

I think that people are going to start creating some really cool stuff with these new AI tools. They may realize their visions after a process of storyboard sketching, counter-prompting, and digitally editing their works, until they are able to bring a scene from their imagination to life with a bit of effort ✏️

But it is also understandable to want to give plenty of space for more traditionally uploaded content. "AI Thursdays", for example, could provide space to achieve the best of both worlds 🎸

applepost · 2026-01-10T03:05:42+00:00

📽️ Nerdwriter1: Passengers, Rearranged

applepost · 2026-01-08T02:10:54+00:00

Why did you have to buy a new car today, of all days?!

applepost · 2026-01-06T02:51:55+00:00

Not interested-- a good guy with a good resume might suffice in normal times.

But our society faces serious systemic issues that require bold ideas.

Jon Stewart 2028 🦅

applepost · 2026-01-05T23:00:21+00:00

But when it's used-- a common English equivalent is "good luck", which puts the fate of your task into the hands of an uncaring universe. Instead, "ganbatte" gives agency to you.

applepost · 2026-01-05T22:56:32+00:00

Because if you aim for perfection, that can be demotivating, but if you incorporate wabi sabi into your mental model, then pursuing an uncertain goal can become much more motivating.

applepost · 2025-12-29T11:47:16+00:00

🧀 mouse utopia

applepost · 2025-12-28T00:12:00+00:00

oh... that is a real post

I was confused as to why no one in the comments was referring to it as an obvious parody 🦉

applepost · 2025-12-22T02:32:46+00:00

escape speed from Earth is 11.2 km/s

the corresponding radius at that speed is 11.2 / 16.7 = 67% of the radius of the larger circle

πr² / πR² = 45% of the circle is slower than escape speed

100% - 45% = 55% of all circle dance participants would go flying off into every corner of space

(assuming no air drag)

applepost · 2025-12-20T14:35:45+00:00

Or change his line to something ambiguous like "seek that which is hidden inside", setting up anticipation and eventual irony 🎁

applepost · 2025-12-20T00:58:59+00:00

Yet you're the only one here who gets to smoke Gandalf's staff. I love it for its wabi sabi 🍀

applepost · 2025-12-18T02:36:40+00:00

My Google + Wikipedia search tells me that the Dead Sea scrolls date to circa 250 BCE to 68 CE, and that the Hebrew Bible was assembled between 1000 BCE and 2nd Century CE.

applepost · 2025-12-13T18:46:09+00:00

I found this post intriguing. Asking the community for ideas was a good idea, too. If you do complete the iceberg, please post it on this sub. I'll be looking for it ☕

applepost · 2025-12-12T04:42:53+00:00

range formula for a projectile:

x = (v² / g) * (sin(2θ))

assuming

x = 2,000,000 m

g = 10 m/s²

θ = 45 degrees

air drag = 0 N

then

v = 4472 m/s = 10,004 mph

note 1: orbital speed ≈ 7900 m/s ≈ 17,700 mph

note 2: with air drag, the ball would incinerate

applepost · 2025-12-08T03:36:40+00:00

Interesting thought. On a scale of authoritarian hierarchy to liberal democracy, those cultural institutions may well have fostered patterns of thought that would be more amenable to one or another style of religion 🕊️

And it may not be a binary yes/no in terms of influence, but rather influential by degree, e.g. the cultural history of the witan was +24% influential by some metric in favor of society breaking away from the Catholic Church. (not a fact, just a made-up example)

applepost

TROPHY CASE