The launch, and the understandable hype within VC circles, of GPT-3, in July 2020, inspired me to dig this out of the ExCapite archive. A post in two parts, written circa 2012-13, at the height of the blog's popularity.
TBH the inclusion of Trump sample... and in retrospect... the attribution of lucidity in the words generated by the imaginary AI Software... was a surprise
But alas, such is the art of forecasting... Impressionistic, or otherwise
(Part 1) Writing in the Wilder Moments
What's that?
It's my new SCIgen machine. I'm investing in JaaS
JaaS?
You know. JaaS. Journalism as a Service.
You just type in the key words. Select an authoring template and hit the button.
Instant article.
Here let me show you.
Let's try Oscar Wilde... and the topic?
How about blogging?
Here goes...
I will say here and now that the post was a great success, but the audience was a disaster.
After all one writes on the web not to be understood. But to be shared, to be googled, to be gamed and occasionally to be experienced.
As you can see it produces a sample and if you like the style you hit the complete button. Otherwise you adjust the template.
Let's try George Bernard Shaw
Let it be known that he who can, writes - he who cannot, tweets.
And that we have no more right to curate knowledge without first creating it than we do to spend wealth without first working for it.
Indeed, if all the curators were laid end to end, they'd never discover the truth as fast as I can Google it.
Wow that's a bit deep. But at the same time... err... kinda messy...
Chaotic perhaps?
Obviously it takes a while to get a hang of the touch and feel when your playing 19th Century JaaS.
Let's try something a little more modern.
I know let's give Kurt Vonnegut a run.
Like so many Americans, he was busy trying to construct a blogging career based on things he'd Googled on the Internet.
Misunderstanding all along that the practice of writing isn't to make a living but make your soul grow.
Smooth. But still not on the money. Let's try Henry Ford
Writing isn't particular hard.
If you have everybody else provide small pieces for you to assemble into something new.
But be aware, if everyone is busy writing, then nobody is going to be reading, once you get around to posting.
Or, perhaps the Donald Trump preset
You can't build a writer's reputation merely on the words you type.
Think about it. What's the primary ingredient for passion?
Success! You have to profit from what you are doing or how is your audience going to love you for what you write?
Humm. So what happens when you begin playing with the faders and the rhythm control?
That's when things get really interesting. That's when JaaS becomes MaaS.
MaaS?
Music as a Service. Listen to this. This is my Bruce Springsteen mix.
blinded by the like
vexed by text
another reader of the post,
blinded by the like
vexed by text
another reader of the post,
Madman bubbles numbers,
Fumbles in the summer with yet another paste n' hack
In the dumps with grumps the author pumps out another knuckle aching list of facts
With a chip on his shoulder, feelin' kinda bolder,
He writes about the merry-go-round
With all this tweetin' share'in and comment'in
This market it'll crash to the ground
This market it'll crash to the ground
But he was...
blinded by the like
vexed by text
another reader of the post
Pretty cool huh? I call it Blinded by the MaX. Get it? Meaningful Addictive Experience. Blinded by the Meaningful Addictive Experience. Blinded by the MaX.
I kinda guess so. I think you lost me some time back. Just out of interest who is or was Bruce Springsteen?
(Part 2) Now available with Network Effects
Of course machine manufactured meaning isn't the only reason I have invested in Journalism as a Service (JasS) to help me write my blog. The big selling point for me was the news that it now comes with (yes you guessed it) Network Effects.
Yes, thanks to my investment in JaaS I no longer have to slog away for years building an audience. Optimising every word to be Googled.
Simply by switching on the JaaS Network Effects every piece I write is automatically shared by every other JaaS writer who has switched on the Network Effects.
Millions of tweets, likes, shares, follows, comments and page hits are there for the taking simply by switching on the Network Effects.
My new post is automatically processed by the other JaaS engines connected to the network and then amplified as each of the engines writes a response to my JaaS piece.
You can set your JaaS auto response engine to write counterpoint, harmony, contrapuntal, inversion, dissonant, polyphony or even rounds on any number of topics you want to specialise in. What makes it really special though is, not just that you can not only write about things you know very little or nothing about in a really deep and meaningful way, you can also converse online with the world's great minds on their chosen topic of expertise and not sound like a complete idiot.
It is all automatic of course. No need for human involvement once you have switched on the Network Effect you just sit back and count the page hits and of course the advertising revenue.
I can honestly say that some of my best writing is done while I'm down the beach or out having a lunch. And as for the conversations I have in my sleep with the world's great minds. Well could I tell you some stories there...
Yes there is something to be said about having the power of the Network Effect in your hands.
And in the end isn't that the true measure of any successful technology? The time and energy it saves so you can get on with living the rest of your life?
That's why I am such a big fan of the Network Effect.
In fact I would go so far as to say that without it the network would be, well essentially meaningless.
Till next time...