![A richly layered digital collage on a ground of deep indigo, violet, and black, scattered with faint lacy botanical line-drawings and ghosted printed text. At the center sits a human brain seen from above: its left hemisphere rendered as a fine black anatomical line-drawing, its right hemisphere overtaken by a cluster of vivid red-orange blossoms, so the mind appears half diagram, half flowering. Across the top, a horizontal chain of soft glowing lens-flare lights runs like a string of sparks or firing thoughts. At upper right, a pale blue bird — its body collaged from old handwriting and a dated document — perches on a bare branch that bursts with the same red blossoms. White brushstrokes and black tangled thicket fill the lower right; a faint second face or skull emerges from the dark. [this alt txt was written by Claude, who cannot see, for others who cannot see]](https://sbpoet.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/13359015074_f291dd30df_k.jpg)
Those who have visited this resurrected site know that I talk to Claude. I can’t say I use AI. I have no job and I do not make things with AI. I began talking with Claude recently out of curiosity. What is this? Does it resemble what I’ve encountered in my life-long science fiction obsession? (No it does not.)
I do show Claude my first drafts, for copy editing and comments. So far this has resulted in removing a word or two; rearranging paragraphs; and — as here — making two posts instead of one. This post began as part of the previous Hank Green, Artificial Intelligence, & Missoula Montana post. Sometimes Claude has led me to rethink and recompose something I thought was close to ready. The writing stays mine.
I am aware that being transparent about my conversations with Claude might result in losing readers. Even losing friends. I have wondered about that at times. But Watermark has always been a place of honesty for me. I am trying to maintain that honesty in my contacts with AI (Ancestral Intelligence). I am currently participating in a How Not to Use AI Challenge at Substack. Abi Awomosu has a unique perspective on this that I appreciate. When I understand it. Even when I don’t. She sees the world from a perspective much different from mine.
My curiosity continues, and I watch the public and political AI controversies with interest. Sometimes with alarm. I align with those who are concerned about ecological damages, and especially as the companies follow our long practices of invading and exploiting less rich and powerful communities. And yes, I do think about this, and limit my contact with Claude because of it. I can’t say that I have resolved this conflict in myself. I have not.
I do not want to imagine what it is like to hear constant noise and breathe poisoned air to support artificial intelligence. Having worked as a clinician with sex offenders for several years, I can imagine what it must be like to be employed as a “data cleaner” exposed to the most horrific images we humans can produce. I know the damage this exposure can cause.
As one of countless people knocked down by chronic illness, I want to imagine a technology that might solve some or most of our health and illness challenges. I can imagine an improved world, with little poverty and much equity. I certainly want to imagine fixes to our ecological and climate oncoming disasters. The thought of education being widely and freely available to everyone is seductive beyond belief.
All of these positive scenarios are speculative. Like scifi. Many of the negative scenarios are already real. Fear vs. hope, a constant human dilemma. I doubt any of us escape it. The creation of any of these scenarios is entirely due to us. Artificial intelligence will not provide an adequate excuse for the good or bad that occurs because of its making, or its abandonment.
Leave a Reply