23 Comments
User's avatar
Sara Koert's avatar

I mean…so dang good! You did an excellent job capturing the dissonance between what God promises vs what chat gtp promises, as the source of one’s hope. Oof. Lord help us.

Expand full comment
Rebecca Marie's avatar

Awww thanks Sara! That means a lot!

Expand full comment
Jessica Hanke's avatar

Loved this! What an interesting piece. It is poignant, captures the problem in a way that is concise and very moving. The lines “I don’t notice my cup draining…” and also “surely self absorption and loneliness will follow me all the days of my life..” really stuck with me.

My husband works in a field where knowledge of AI is becoming more important, how to use it effectively for work and what the implications are for his job. It's been a topic in our house for a while, but more in a more overarching way (e.g. algorithmic discriminations, surveillance capitalism, ethics, environmental impact etc). A friend recently mentioned that she “chats” with ChatGBT and we were both confused because we use AI more in a utilitarian way (as a tool for very specific tasks) but it made sense, with so much loneliness going on in our individualistic societies- this could become a problem on a large scale. I haven't thought about that for a few weeks but to read the reviews you put here was pretty eye opening! So thanks for this.

I just felt compelled to write to myself and whoever else felt weighty and sad after reading those reviews. A little poem. A reminder that in all of this craziness we carry Light and Hope and the ability for real connection. So let us draw the lonely from their "unmade beds".

rise up, you carriers of Light

look up into faces, hold space

with body, with attention

rise up, you who are like

mothers, sisters, counselors

ask for eyes to see

where presence matters, where hope

will water dry cracked ground

rise up, you who are like

fathers, brothers, friends

wielders of wisdom, bringers of peace

you huggers, holders, hearers

rise up

Expand full comment
Jessica Hanke's avatar

Also, I found this article about GenAI worth the read: https://substack.com/home/post/p-166318565

Expand full comment
Rebecca Marie's avatar

Oh my goodness. Jess. Thank you for your thoughtful reply—and a poem!! Wow. Love it. Really enjoyed Griffin Gooch’s article. He really captured what concerns me about ChatGPT. You’re right, it’s not using it as a tool, but more the replacement for meaningful connection. And Griffin—learning changes US! We need the process of learning. So good.

Expand full comment
Kacie M.'s avatar

Have never used it. I do appreciate the aggregated AI google results when I just want a quick summary… but I do see the dangers in that too!

Expand full comment
Rebecca Marie's avatar

I tried it the other day in the DuckDuckGo browser and the summary is super helpful! It’s just these reviews just blew my mind. I can see how easily if you were lonely it could become more

Expand full comment
Erin Mount's avatar

Whoa, Bec. These are powerful and chilling.

Expand full comment
Rebecca Marie's avatar

Awww thanks Erin!!

Expand full comment
Taylor Epperson's avatar

Not a fan of chatGPT(haven’t used it, won’t be using it) but it does make me wary that people seem to rely on it so much for everything, instead of reaching out to real people or looking up something in a book. I feel like the use of AI like this (the reviewers) is making it harder for people to actually think and use their brains, which is kind of terrifying.

Expand full comment
Rebecca Marie's avatar

Yeah, I’m with you, I’ve tried it, but it just seems like using a wheelchair if you don’t need it. Muscles atrophy!

Expand full comment
Kym VdP's avatar

Whew that was something!! At a party last night we were talking about AI and so many people use it for practical things, or to make something more efficient (i.e. show my house with this colour render, give me a GF chocolate chip cookie recipe, write me a speech for this occasion including this and this (for someone shy and not into writing at all)...) I made a joke about how I am going to be one of those people stuck in the dark ages. I haven't used it ever and it makes me sad to think about it replacing proper human made art with fakes, but I can see how it can be helpful for some practical things. I don't know. It's confusing. And then I hear that it also has a huge environmental impact? Not that I've researched that. But I think your poems show how quickly it can replace normal human relationships ships. But has the Internet already been doing that for a long time? People turning to Google rather than their mother or a wise woman or man in their lives for advice? Many thoughts... 🙈🤪

Expand full comment
Rebecca Marie's avatar

Yes! So much nuance!! I’ve tried ChatGPT and it was helpful to summarise the internet. I can see how practically it can be helpful.

And I’ve been terrible for turning to Google because I hate the vulnerability of asking questions… But then it just scares me how quickly it could take over when people are vulnerable and lonely

Expand full comment
Lindsay Sledge's avatar

Wow Bec, love love love! Clever use of Psalm 23.

Expand full comment
Rebecca Marie's avatar

Aww! Sledge! Thank you 💛💛

Expand full comment
Stacy Bronec's avatar

So good, Bec!!

Expand full comment
Rebecca Marie's avatar

Thank you!!

Expand full comment
Ashlee Gadd's avatar

🔥🔥🔥 Wow. So good, Bec. I have never touched ChatGPT and don’t plan to.

Expand full comment
Rebecca Marie's avatar

Thanks Ashlee!!

Expand full comment
Tristan Dueck's avatar

My heart aches for the writers of those reviews! Challenging post, I appreciate it!

Expand full comment
Rebecca Marie's avatar

Me tooooooo. It made me so sad after reading it. It’s not that ChatGPT is bad, but it’s a symptom of a larger problem 😔

Expand full comment
Ashley C. Shannon's avatar

😥 Yes, so sad. I can't believe those reviews. What a compelling piece. Thanks for sharing.

Expand full comment
Rebecca Marie's avatar

Thank you!! ❤️❤️

Expand full comment