A trick I use when I write about AI

I don’t really have a hot take on AI. But I do have a trick I use when I write about it. After I’m done, I replace the word “AI” with the name of someone I know, and read the sentence aloud to make sure it still makes sense. 

For instance, you’d never say, “I wrote this copy in Matt.” Or, “I wrote this copy using Matt.” You probably wouldn’t even say, “I wrote this copy with Matt,” unless you and I sat down at a keyboard together. 

It’d be more accurate to say, “I asked Matt to write this copy.” Or “I directed Matt to write this copy.” Or even, “I got a rough draft of this copy from Matt and then edited it.” 

Performing this exercise does two things. 

1. It helps make sure I'm thinking about AI accurately. As a collaborator, one with proclivities and processes I may not understand. 
2. More importantly, it ensures I don’t casually overstate my role in the creative process. Because the dangerous thing about AI isn’t just AI. It’s the way it lets us fool ourselves.