COULD AI WRITE THIS?
This is a creative experiment I ran which made be think about artificial intelligence (AI), design and human consciousness.
This is not a value judgement or a comparison, but an exploration of thought; open to starting conversations and constructive criticism.
Me: Could AI write this?
ChatGPT:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has advanced significantly in recent years, and its capabilities continue to expand. One of the most fascinating applications of AI is its potential to write documents, including news articles, essays, and even creative writing.
However, the question remains: Could AI write this? While AI has shown remarkable progress in generating text, there are still limitations to its abilities. Current AI algorithms can generate coherent and grammatically correct sentences, but they lack the creativity and emotional depth that human writers possess.
AI writing is often formulaic, and it struggles with understanding the nuances of context and culture. For example, an AI-generated news article may be technically correct, but it may lack the human touch that makes a story compelling.
Despite these limitations, AI has already made significant strides in writing. Some news organizations are experimenting with AI-generated articles, and there are even AI-written books on the market. As AI technology continues to improve, it is likely that we will see more AI-generated content in the future.
In conclusion, while AI writing has come a long way, it is still not at the level where it can replace human writers entirely. AI-generated content is often lacking in creativity and emotional depth, and it struggles to understand the complexities of human culture. However, AI is a powerful tool that can assist human writers in their work, and it will likely continue to play an increasingly significant role in the world of writing.
Above is what AI wrote in a few seconds — that was not in my agenda when I began to write this article, but I was prompted to ask AI out of sheer curiosity.
Now, it’s my turn to write — and I have been thinking about this for a few days now.
The landscape of questions about AI
After reading about AI all across social media and popular culture there’s many streams of conversation — which is a good thing.
“Will AI take over our jobs?”
“Will AI destroy the social/ economic/ political/ cultural fabric of society?”
“How can humans collaborate better with AI?”
“What are some of the possibilities that AI can make into a reality? What problems can it potentially solve?”
These are good, valid questions to ask and a very human thing to do. So I have a few questions of my own:
“How can AI help solve or remediate the climate crisis at a systematic level?”
“Does AI help to democratize society through technology or does it further deepen the already evident digital divide”?
“Is AI real? Does it have some semblance of consciousness? Can it really understand me when I ask a question?”
“Can AI design or help me become a better designer?”
If you are expecting answers to these questions, I don’t have them. I ponder over them just like many of us are pondering about so many questions right now. However, I have a few opinions, and these do come from my own experiences.
My reflections
As a designer, I have always followed a process — and if you really ask me “What process do you follow?” I can give you a straight answer by saying the “double diamond process” or something along those lines, and say I try to be ethical, thoughtful, etc. The truth is… the process changes every time. It depends on the problem I am approaching, the different ways and perspectives that need to be considered, understanding the context, the people’s lives it impacts and the people who come together and co-create.
I believe design is inherently ethical, even though design can be curated to fit a certain need or serve a certain purpose. It can be exploratory and act as a system or a network with nudges or triggers to create a ripple effect across.
There is no straight answer to the question and my thinking changes everyday that I learn something new about my life experiences, my personal relationships, my professional endeavors, my culture and identity, other cultures and the diversity of it all… everything!
Design and the creative endeavors we take up are fluid, and it definitely can’t be formulated and packaged into something entirely comprehensible. It’s a continuous evolution.
The human experience, consciousness and infinity
My point is, I think deeply. I reflect, and I have been reflecting more often at this stage of my life about the question, “Who am I? And Why am I doing what I’m doing here today?” Quite existential. No surprises, I am dealing with some mental health challenges like many others, and I’m figuring out each day as it comes.
But that’s the human experience. We internalize and we externalize in so many ways. We have life experiences. We make mistakes, learn and grow or adapt. We feel things. We create, we innovate, we are critical, we are curious, we are unique and diverse and yet, we connect and we can relate.
The list can go on — you get the idea because maybe this has been your experience in so many different ways.
Of course, our collective consciousness is greater than the sum of us. And even if AI could access all of it and create infinite permutations and combinations — where does it start and where does it end?
The concepts of infinity and consciousness are compelling, and may almost be impossible for us to ever fully fathom.
So, for your sake I’ll pause here for today to ask you:
“Could AI write this?”
I’m going to continue exploring, asking and creating rather than just consuming information like AI does. I am optimistic about the possibilities and I could have just let AI write this article on my behalf, but I couldn’t help being critical and I don’t trust it quite yet to do the question justice.
After all, it is “Artificial intelligence” and still pales in comparison to our individual or collective consciousness.
Selected Works
Curious to go deeper? Inspired by something you saw?
Whether you have a collaboration in mind, are seeking mentorship, or just want to chat about design, I believe in the magic of human conversation.
Let’s grow, learn, and imagine what’s possible—together :)
© ipsita a mallik 2025