From the dawn of mankind, our creative expressions evolved alongside what it means to be human. From dyes and pigments to hammer and chisel, we have continuously adapted new technology to bear the imaginations of our souls. Printing presses, typewriters, word processors, Email, and computer assistance have altered how works are created, produced, disseminated, and communicated. Nothing about the use of technology in the production of authorship is new.
While new technologies promise new forms of expression and collaboration, they also force us to reconsider old assumptions about authorship, originality, and ownership. At the heart of the current debate is a fundamental legal question: Who owns AI-generated content?
It is without argument that human creativity is protected by law. While courts, policymakers, and industry bodies grapple with how to treat machine-generated works, deeper tensions are surfacing. Today, we start our exploration by examining what the United States Copyright Office (USCO) has to say on the topic.
“Neither the use of AI as an assistive tool nor the incorporation of AI-generated content into a larger copyrightable work affects the availability of copyright protection for the work as a whole.” Page 1
“For a work created using AI, like those created without it, a determination of copyrightability requires fact-specific consideration of the work and the circumstances of its creation.” Page 2
In the coming days, I will post other statements about my use of artificial intelligence. I do this for several reasons, among them being transparency and declaration. You, the consumer of my works, have the right to know that I used technology to refine the imaginations of my soul.
“Where AI merely assists an author in the creative process, its use does not change the copyrightability of the output. At the other extreme, if content is entirely generated by AI, it cannot be protected by copyright.” Page 2
To be clear: Nothing I produce is entirely, nor even close to substantially, generated by artificial intelligence.
“The Office agrees that there is an important distinction between using AI as a tool to assist in the creation of works and using AI as a stand-in for human creativity.” Page 12 Granting that human authors may use AI in the creative process, the report states that “the nature and extent of a human’s contribution, and whether it qualifies as authorship of expressive elements contained in the output.” Page 1
I have studied the USCO’s report, incorporated articles and media output on court rulings, ideas, and postulations about the use of AI as I create my works of art. I am conscientious about how I interact, collaborate, and utilize GPT Chatbots in every aspect of story creation, from original ideas to plot and character arcs, technologies of the near future, descriptions of people, places, events, actions, and dialogue. Everything I read, watch, or listen to on this subject confirms my ethical and legal use of technology in my creative process.
I stood on the beach one evening with my toes in the sand and gazed across the waves out to where the slight curve of the horizon touched the sky. I reflected on the distance I could see, and thought about the lands beyond my sight. As evening fell, and I looked up into the expanse of the known universe, I contemplated how small and insignificant the vastness at my feet were compared to the celestial distances above. Who was I in relation to the enormous sights before me? What right did I have to think I could make a difference, to cast my light and be noticed, to touch the lives and hearts of others in any meaningful way?
I walked away from that moment profoundly humbled but determined to answer these questions. What came to me in the following weeks and months left me bewildered. Allow me to share with you, introducing situations and individuals who helped me along the journey.
We live in a world that says it values humility, yet in order to get ahead, it seemed I had to engage in constant self-aggrandizement, an oft-repeated plea to “notice me, see beyond mistakes to my potential, value me.” In interviews, I was supposed to project a confidence I didn’t feel, and knew others could see right through my façade. This nagged at my core until I began discussing those things I could do—my past accomplishments, my desire to improve, to learn, to evaluate mistakes and discover ways to turn them into strengths. I realized I didn’t have to be good at everything, but I could excel in some ways, and work to strengthen others.
It started with a man who I met one evening. He apologized for interrupting a conversation a coworker and I were engaged in, to ask a question. As we talked, he apologized again and again, for taking up our time, for his uneducated questions, for not knowing some answers, for seeking guidance, for… well, everything. I wondered to myself, as the two of us gladly turned our attention to aid him, why he felt the need to apologize so much. He had every right to interrupt us and ask for assistance. It was why we were there in the first place—it was our job to help him. Until that moment, I thought by demeaning myself I was acting humble.
Then there was another man I had the privilege to work with. He was one of the smartest, most talented developers I had ever worked with. He questioned every programming choice I made, never once accepted my logic, overrode every suggestion, derided many ideas, and discounted the rest. Regardless of the treatment, I learned a great deal and improved my skills in areas I had not considered before.
From these two men, I learned that hubris existed on a plane. On one end, self-debasement was an attempt to appear humble. The deflection of compliments, false portrayal of helplessness, and self-deprecating humor covered an inferiority complex. Likewise, tearing down others’ ideas, devaluing their contributions, and determining for everyone the “right’ course of action equally hid an inner feeling of inadequacy. Both were two sides of the same coin.
We often hear the phrase “in my humble opinion.” It is a sad commentary on today’s society of sixty-second soundbites and 280 character tweets that our words are judged before character. Of the truly great men and women I have known, any single comment, taken out of context, could appear arrogant. I have come to realize when I make such snap judgments, I am merely giving voice to the shallowness of my soul, a mirror reflecting my own self-loathing. When I feel the need to express a humble nature, fearing an utterance of conceit, I add my voice to the constant clatter surrounding us. Instead, if I personify my priorities through action, and those activities build another, repair a relationship, or celebrate an achievement of myself or others, am I not walking among the gentle giants?
I learned that a humble demeanor was not a denial of my worth, but rather a tool that allowed me to be on good terms with all people. As Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sack said,
“Humility is an appreciation of oneself, one’s talents, skills, and virtues. It is not… self-deprecating thought, but the effacing of oneself to something higher. Humility is not to think lowly of oneself, but to appreciate the self one has received. In recognition of the mysteries and complexities of life, one becomes humbled to the awesomeness one is and what one can achieve.”
Acting with humility does not in any way deny nor deface our own self-worth. Rather, it affirms the inherent worth of all persons. It places others first, and appreciates their worth as important. It does not deny our talents and gifts, but recognizes them, and encourages us to live up to our worth and something greater. To be clear, I’m not talking about devotion to God or religion, though. There are causes beyond our own self-interests in desperate need of our contributions, time and efforts. We only have to open ourselves to see them.
Every time we act in fear, and view another person with disgust, contempt, or even dissatisfaction, our universe, our circle of influence shrinks. Whenever someone crosses our path and we focus on their weaknesses, their not-like-us-ness, their presence hindering our ability to achieve self-inflating goals, our capacity to affect change diminishes. Its immediate effect may not be noticeable, but the cumulative effect appears in our countenance.
Once, several years ago, I was having one of those days, the kind where nothing seemed to work, In fact, it lasted for a couple of weeks. Then my boss called me into his office for a project status update. Knowing I had nothing but bad news to give him, I feared his reprisals over missed deadlines, potential termination of the project, and my usefulness and continued association with the team. After hearing my report, he looked up from his notes, and asked a simple question. “What can I do to lift your burdens?” He continued, “I’ve noticed you struggling lately, your countenance deteriorating almost daily, and the reason I called you in today was to find out how we can help you. Are there tasks we can reassign to someone else on the team? Do you need some time off, can we make a reservation for a car and hotel for a couple of nights somewhere?”
His genuine concern for my well being made all the difference. Knowing he’d make good on his offers gave me confidence to worry less about my inadequacies and focus more on the problems and profoundly altered the situation. His accurate perceptions of my capabilities and expressed trust enabled me to accomplish the tasks at hand.
On a sunny summer day, a softball player approached home plate. The batter picked his pitch and hit the ball sailed into right field, which bounced into the fielder’s glove. As the batter approached first base, the fielder threw the ball to the second baseman, who hesitated. Had he thrown the ball to third base they would have tagged the runner who slid past the base. Instead, he held the ball and prevented the batter from advancing past first base. I listened in horror as the coach berated the players, denouncing the pitcher for not throwing the pitch called in from the sidelines, the outfielder for not running faster and catching the fly ball. He spent an inordinate amount of time berating the second baseman for not throwing the ball to third base. As the next hour would prove, the mistake sealed the win for the other team. I was that second baseman and it was the last time I played softball. The toll that humiliation caused lasted far longer than the importance of that game.
I stumbled upon a quote by Abigail Adams which taught me a valuable lesson regarding the power of humility. We must actively practice true humility or its effects will wane, its potential will dwindle, and the circle of influence we have will diminish as the universe constricts around us.
“If you begin to think yourself better than others, you will then become less worthy, and lose those qualities which now make you valuable.”
The very nature of human existence is fallibility. We are flawed and imperfect, our efforts impaired, inadequate at times, insufficient and inefficient at others. Seldom do we see the whole picture, but base our judgments and criticism on incomplete and often biased information. If we do not embrace these facts, we deny the nature of our uniqueness. By declining to acknowledge our limits breeds an exaggerated internal sense of self. Uncomfortableness with perceived weaknesses feeds our self-contentedness, often felt as fear and expressed as anger. How we accept criticism determines the level of humility within us. When received, criticism can be perceived as degrading us personally, or a commentary of our performance. If we choose, critique offered with the highest intentions can signal a devaluation of our self-esteem. Criticism given in the basest sense does not lower our value nor lessen our contributions unless we allow it.
I severely cringe when I read definitions such as those at the top of the article. Or others identifying humility as an act or posture of lowering oneself in relation to others; or, as poor, deferential, undistinguished, underprivileged, demeaning, degrading, or debasing. I can’t think of anything less accurate and more destructive to interpersonal relationships than these definitions.
Consider this: the word humility derives from humus, Latin meaning from the earth or grounded. This suggests that humility is firmly grounded in a sure foundation. It is the recognition and acceptance of reality through open-mindedness to truth.
One day I wanted to purchase an item online. The company’s website offered a great deal on one line of their products, and I began the purchase process. Unfortunately, their shopping cart was less than admirable and I was unable to complete the purchase without paying full price for the offered sale item. When I called customer service, the representative failed to assist me, derided my comments, and in essence told me there were numerous other satisfied customers. The more I thought about the exchange, the more upset I became, until I telephoned and asked to speak with a supervisor. Following company guidelines the new representative wanted to know the reasons behind my request, and after unsuccessfully attempting to resolve the situation, forwarded my call to the supervisor. Even though I lacked perfect calmness in explaining the situation for the third time, the supervisor did not interrupt. Instead, they listened. When I was done with my remarks, they asked a few clarifying questions. They offered a coupon code and suggested I wait a day to try my purchase again. The customer service manager exemplified true humility, gathered information without prejudice and pretense, and made a change for good. All by just listening and learning.
True humility allows us to see real limits, in ourselves and others, and accept everyone as equals. Each person has something to teach us, even if you’ve crossed paths a hundred thousand times. For everyone grows and that growth can enlighten and enrich us, if we allow it. Regardless of how much you already know, practicing humility means remaining teachable. All of us are great, for we stand on the shoulders of greatness. Everyone has a story to tell for those who know how to truly listen. How much better would our exchanges with other people be if we entered them able to reconsider our evidences, sources, and premises, willing to be wrong, and ready to admit the limits of our own knowledge?
But what about those times when someone close needs correcting? Perhaps it’s merely a misunderstood fact, preventing them from a course leading to self-annihilation, or somewhere in between. It is not easy to correct someone without feeling superior to them. The fact that correction is needed indicates a mistake has been made by the other person. It is natural for us to feel superior and believe we know the answers.
All too often, though, we remain silent, hoping to preserve the relationship without “rocking the boat.” We allow fear of their reaction to guide our steps. Yet, in remaining silent, we demonstrate our concern for self overrides our love for the other. But the truth needs to be shared or the person who has done wrong, regardless of severity, will not be able to grow and change. For we who are to bear one another’s burdens, mutual correction is a profound expression of charity: it is a way of loving others who, like us, are prone to missteps.
We cannot control how others will respond (mamma aint happy? What a horrible misconception!), but when correcting others, we can approach them with gentleness. In true humility, we can approach them without fear of being wrong, superficial, or appearing superior. In this instructable attitude, if we, as Stephen Covey says, “seek first to understand, then to be understood,” we foster a personal interchange more conducive to building and uplifting one another.
Humility helps develop trust in others to do their work and reach their potential. Without it, one becomes skeptical of others, even control freaks, convinced that no one knows better what needs to be done. The highest form of authenticity possesses humility and fierce resolve. This suggests that humility is multidimensional and must include self-understanding and awareness, openness, and perspective taking. It is the non-judgmental state of mind when we are best able to learn, contemplate, and understand everyone and everything else. I like the way Lao Tzu put it:
“I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.”
The lessons I learned about the nature of humility profoundly changed my life. And while the answers to those questions on the beach will be different for each of us, for me they became a driving force. I appreciate the vast differences in all of us, the unique perspectives others bring to every encounter, and the lessons I learn by watching and observing. I learned that to not voice my opinions severely diminishes not only myself, but others as well. I don’t have to be great at everything, but hiding my experience robs you of the lessons you might gain and the growth you might achieve.
The human experience is not about conquest, but lifting and building each other. Hate is born from fear, love is created by comprehending ourselves and the world around us as we truly are—behind the anxieties and selfishness.
Our lives are made so much easier because of the efforts of great men and women of past generations. This world needs constant improvement and renewal. We are not here to merely gratify our impulses and consume what others have made, but to contribute to a cause higher than ourselves.
Acquiring humility isn’t easy, but it is a quality worth striving for. It doesn’t mean we have to give up on the ideas we love and believe in. It just means we need to consciously choose those ideas, be open to adjusting them, seek out their flaws, and never stop being curious about why we believe what we believe. True humility takes a strength and confidence to know who you are. You cannot display true humility without the power and confidence to express it!
What makes art… art? Is it the hand that shapes the clay, the mind that imagines the story, or the soul that bleeds into the brushstroke? As a species, we have told our stories with stone, chisel, and paint. We gave them voices around the campfire, in oration, with melodies, and etched them into the fabric of our collective memory. We’ve poured ourselves into our creations—our thoughts, fears, and passions rendered in words, paint, statues, and songs.
Did those works cease being art because we picked up the quill, invented the printing press, or created them on a digital platform? Everybody can draw, but only gifted masters create works that move us.
Skilled craftsmen created mighty structures from the Giza Plateau to Île de la Cité to Agra, Uttar Pradesh, and beyond. We have touched the moon and reached for the stars.
Was the Mona Lisa diminished when Van Gogh brushed Starry Night? Did Mozart eclipse Ode to Joy when he conceived Requiem? Does Michelangelo’s David overshadow all other creations?
And yet, the hammer destroyed Alexandria’s lighthouse, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and the Temple of Artemis. That which is created can be ruined by darker intentions.
The advent of the typewriter, a new, smaller, and improved version of the printing press, ushered in an age where larger stories moved faster and with less effort from artist to publisher to consumer. Mankind’s creativity soared. Easier still, electronic mail created conduits, improving the lives of editors across the globe. Quicker communication improved the story creation process. The quality, depth, and inventiveness stepped beyond previous plateaus through this medium.
Art—that which is created by man’s ingenuity, imagination, sweat, blood, and tears—is carved out of the earth by human will. The tools we use to bring to life the expressions of our souls do not threaten our creativity. We, the masters of our trade, exert dominion over the tools, conjure emotions from raw materials, and evoke memories with the structure of words.
Why, then, are we afraid of the next tool to come from our imaginations?
Without a doubt, machines cannot feel emotions. They will never know the human experience. Nor will they ever express the human condition with the same perspectives, authenticity, and vulnerability that have filled our lives with living color, vivid imagination, and dark, gruesome horror.
The very nature of how the Large Language Models (LLMs) were trained comes under great scrutiny. Were copyrighted materials used in their development? That is a question already before the legal community. Without a doubt, violations have and will be addressed, appropriate punishments proclaimed, and mitigating measures meted. Responsible parties will adjust. Updated models will be trained in legally administered manners.
As time marches onward, there will be other cases, new judgments, and appropriate measures taken. The tool will mature. Whether you believe in its place in creative work or not, AI is here to stay. Will AI diminish the value of the art we create? THAT is the ultimate question.
LLMs generate text based on statistical analyses of existing works, but they are limited by the patterns and materials they are trained on. To use the words “melancholy,” “abyss,” or “madness” might mimic Poe’s choices. Describing scenes with personification, foreshadowing, or trochaic octameter as he did, unless the exact combination of words and phrases is used, does not plagiarize the master.
Because LLMs are trained on a vast array of sources, their output is homogenized. But it is up to the artist to ensure their voice is heard. Every effort must be made to build upon the mechanical processes and enrich the human collective with unique spiritual and philosophical dimensions. Failure to invest the time and effort to master and correctly use the tool devalues one’s labor.
Can words manipulate emotions? Can they spread propaganda? Can they mislead, misinform, and blind the innocent? Has there ever been a time when these were not so? Words, like music, can lift the soul or send it crashing into the pits of despair if you, the consumer, permit them.
“The use of AI” conjures an implicit bias that users prioritize efficiency over authenticity, reinforcing skepticism about the depth of human involvement in AI-assisted work. Not without merit, the bias proves true because most people fail to engage with the output critically. Question, output, and acceptance, treating chatbot responses as the final draft, is the true demon, the ultimate laziness.
As an artist, I conversed with Artificial Intelligence through various chatbots and programmatic instructions—not just one. After receiving an output, I carefully examined the text, replying with clarifying questions, pouring my ideas into every prompt, until the story took shape and was exactly as I imagined.
Then, I wrote.
The story that filled my mind, waking thoughts, and dreams was crafted by me and written within these pages. Not a single word was left unattended.
Did AI make my creation process easier or faster? Hardly. I invested considerable time and effort contemplating every aspect of the story, from the major and minor themes to characterization to plot developments. Every twist and turn, every sight, sound, flavor, and scent placed by my imagination told the story. I studied dynamic story creation and applied every literary technique to bring this tale to life. AI did not invent my innovative approach to near-future society.
Doing so required careful review, contextual adaptation, and refinement to ensure AI output alignment with my personal voice, professional standards, and intended purpose.
Do not be misled. The originality of this, or any other tale penned by me, ventured out of obscurity solely through the conduit of my imagination. AI did not write this story in any sense of the word. If you believe any tool nullifies craft, this argument won’t change your mind. If you believe craft still matters, then master the tools of our trade. Let the fear drive practice, not contempt.
Those who howl first and refuse due diligence do not defend art; they advertise incompetence and weaken the art. I cannot, I could not, and I will not allow my words to be devalued. If they failed to connect with readers emotionally, viscerally, or spiritually, that is on me and my frailty as a wordsmith.
This is my promise to you: I will not publish anything less than my full active participation in the story-creation process. I will not accept anything less than my best to come forth. In the end, I do not exert this level of effort for the money. I write for the love of the story, to give voice to the imaginations of my soul. I do it all for art’s sake.
Dead Stars and Stone Arches, an upcoming anthology by the Utah chapter of the Horror Writers Association, has accepted my submission!
I wrote a Lovecraftian-style short story about a forensic historian from the future and her discussion with an Artificial Intelligence, called Scarlet’s Final Gift. We’re currently organizing the submissions and formatting them for ebook and print with a publication date for early June. I’m so excited!
We had so much fun at the Eastern Idaho Renaissance Fair, we’re doing it again! Come find me Fridays and Saturdays June 24 – July 16 and we’ll talk about my newest work, Waking the Wight, and other upcoming releases. Here‘s more info on the fair.
We’ve signed up for others as well, and as soon as our appearances are confirmed, we’ll make more announcements. Stay tuned!
This year, in a post-COVID lockdown move, Salt Lake City is opening its FanX doors. I am ever so grateful to make in person connections with fans. Come find our booth September 16 – 18, 2021, connect with me, and learn about my latest release, Waking The Wight!
I find it difficult to describe the effort it takes to create a novel, edit it, rewrite, redraft, and worry the whole time whether it will be enjoyed or vilified. Then, after all that, the hours spent formatting the layout, obsessing over spacing, indentation, and calculating page counts, remembering to insert promotional materials for past and upcoming works. Now, find an artist and stress over cover art, back cover promotional language and decide whether to include a selfie. Go online: two separate websites, two completely different processes to publish paperback. Hard cover? Yeah, right! EPub? Sure, but previous formatting doesn’t work here, work it all over. Again.
Imagine that for every word published, over a minute is spent in a sound studio, reading aloud, stumbling over those awkward phrases, and forgetting the pitch and tonality used previously for that character, editing out goofs, inbreaths, sighs, coughs, sneezes, and explicative made in frustration at the umpteenth mistake, compiling chapters, prelude, endings, and more promotional materials. And waiting for uploads and initial analysis, more editing, and more submitting. Once you think you’re done and everything is ready for sales, yes, there’s more waiting while more analysis and review is queued and processed. Oh, yeah, just try and make a male baritone sound like, um, you know, a teenaged daughter. I mean, come on, really, how hard can it be? It’s not like it’s rocket science, or anything like that, is it?
There were days when it felt that way. Finally, it’s done. Complete. Finished. Published, and awaiting sales. Yeah, you can find it here, here, or listen to it here.
Think I’m done, yet? No way! Now I have to promote it, in a day when social distancing is both ignored and required, when assembly is discouraged and feared. Book signings a thing of the past? Yep. Will they come back? Hard to say, even after vaccinations are handed out. Will last years’ conventions, postponed due to the pandemic, occur this year? Will we rub shoulders and take in the ambiance of the hallway, enjoy the atmosphere and table conversations over dinner? Or will I sit in my living room, promotional material as a backdrop, and hope people follow the link to my corner of the universe? Undetermined.
Will I continue writing, voicing, creating images and movies? Absolutely. Wouldn’t have it any other way. Do I care about making money? For now, no, I’m interested in perfecting my craft. Ahem, crafts. Do I have enough time for all this? The only deadlines I have are the ones I’ve placed on myself.
The folks at Marquis Who’s Who recently announced my inclusion in their Top Professional Series. You can find the link here.
It is both an honor and a privilege to be recognized for years of dedication and effort. As I look into my crystal ball and divine the future, my optimism in humanity wanes, until something like this sends a shock-wave through my system.
I’ll admit, this year frustrated me to my core. While I sit in my living room everyday and enjoy the work environment more than the cube-farm, I had planned, paid for, awaited and anticipated face-to-face contact with potential readers. I know, as a writer with extrovert personality traits, a rarity to be sure, I struggle to market my writings from isolation. Some days, the isolation melts into desolation.
From those pits of despair rise ideas, fueled by humanity acting in surprising ways. In the coming weeks, keep an eye on this blog. Announcements of more YouTube videos are in the works. More bloopers are coming to make you laugh. And innovation. Multiple media co-mingling with the creativity of grammar is churning new ideas. If working as a writer of software and science fiction, voice acting, marketing director and entrepreneur isn’t keeping me busy enough, wait until you see what else I’m planning!
As I venture into the world of Voice Acting and Narration, I have learned a few things. The most important lesson is: never, ever take yourself seriously. We all make mistakes, and nowhere are they more apparent than when you record yourself. Try as you might, you will error.
So, if you’re going to fail, why not fail huge? Fail with Gusto! Fail magnanimously, fail with enthusiasm. If nothing more, you’ll have stories to tell.
If you’re interested, join me on my new YouTube channel where you can witness me making mistakes.
I have been selected to create a video presentation by the League of Utah Writers! The presentation is part of their 85th Annual Quills Conference. I’ll rub shoulders with the likes of Jonathan Maberry, Cat Rambo (Keynote Speakers), and others! Look for more here. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be refining and recording my presentation, How Technology Affects Future Creativity.
Stories That Bring Technology To Life 