It's Depressing How Much Better AI Is At Blogging Than Me

Since I did an entry on Wednesday about "AI" here's sort of a follow-up with a little experiment I did with unexpected results.

"Alex From Seattle"

One night a few months ago I had this great brainstorm.  Before the pandemic I got a book of 400 writing prompts from Five Below.  Here's the entry where I first talk about it!  I picked a couple that I did entries on in the lockdown, but mostly I hadn't used the book for much more than holding papers in it.

I tried to get Bing's cut-rate ChatGPT to write a story for me but it really doesn't do a lot.  Then I thought:  why not put some of these prompts in there to see what it'll do?  What was supposed to be a fun lark turned depressing when I realized the "AI" was better at blogging than me!  The entries it wrote were banal and vapid, but just the sort of positive, perky bull that people would eat right up.  Here's the first one:

Hi there, and welcome to my blog! I'm so excited to share my thoughts, opinions, and experiences with you. This blog is a place where I can express myself freely, and connect with like-minded people. I hope you'll find something here that resonates with you, inspires you, or challenges you. Whether you're interested in travel, books, music, or anything else, I'm sure you'll find something to enjoy here. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride! And don't worry, I won't bore you with long-winded stories or tedious details. Unless you're into that kind of thing. In that case, I have plenty of jokes to keep you entertained. Like this one: What do you call a fish that wears a bowtie? Sofishticated! And this one: Why did the chicken go to the séance? To get to the other side! And this one: How do you make a tissue dance? You put a little boogie in it!

While at the beach you decide to write a message in a bottle.  What would it say?  Who would you like to find it?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to send a message in a bottle? I did, and I decided to try it out while I was at the beach last weekend. Here's what I wrote and why.

Hi there,

If you're reading this, it means you found my message in a bottle. Congratulations! You must be very curious and adventurous, just like me. I hope this letter finds you well and happy, wherever you are.

I wrote this message because I wanted to share a bit of myself with a stranger. I think it's a fun and exciting way to connect with someone I might never meet in person. Maybe you feel the same way too.

So, who am I? Well, I'm a 25-year-old graphic designer from Seattle. I love art, music, books, movies, and traveling. I'm always looking for new experiences and challenges. I'm also a bit of a dreamer and a romantic.

I'm at the beach right now, enjoying the sun, the sand, and the waves. It's one of my favorite places to be. I feel so relaxed and free here. I also feel a bit lonely sometimes. That's why I decided to write this message. Maybe you can relate.

Who are you? What do you like to do? Where do you live? What are your dreams and hopes? I would love to know more about you. Maybe we have something in common. Maybe we can be friends.

If you want to reply to this message, you can email me at [email protected] Don't worry, it's not my real email address. It's just a temporary one I created for this purpose. I don't want to give out my personal information to a stranger, no offense. But I do want to hear from you.

So, what do you say? Will you write back to me? I hope you will. I think it would be amazing to start a conversation with someone who found my message in a bottle. Who knows where it could lead?

I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Your mystery friend,

Alex

You have to love how the "AI" gave itself a name and a backstory even!  I wonder if it chose Seattle because that's where Microsoft is headquartered?

Anyway, isn't it just so peppy and cute?  And so much better than me with my grumpy cynicism and even worse jokes.  To prove this isn't a fluke, here's another one:

What are the top 10 things on your bucket list?

Hey, everyone! Welcome back to my blog, where I share my thoughts, tips and adventures with you. Today, I want to talk about something that I've been thinking a lot about lately: my bucket list. You know, the list of things that you want to do before you kick the bucket, or die. I think it's important to have a bucket list, because it helps you to set goals, dream big and live fully. Plus, it's fun to imagine all the amazing experiences that you could have in your lifetime.

So, without further ado, here are the top 10 things on my bucket list. Some of them are realistic, some of them are ambitious, and some of them are just plain crazy. But hey, that's the point of a bucket list, right? To challenge yourself and push your limits. Let's go!

1. Travel to every continent. I love traveling and exploring new places, cultures and cuisines. I've been to Europe, Asia and North America, but I still have four more continents to go: Africa, South America, Australia and Antarctica. I want to see the pyramids of Egypt, the Amazon rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef and the penguins of Antarctica. I think traveling is the best way to learn and grow as a person.

2. Skydive. This one is definitely scary, but also exhilarating. I've always wondered what it feels like to fly, and skydiving is probably the closest thing to it. I want to experience the thrill of jumping out of a plane and free-falling through the air, before opening a parachute and landing safely on the ground. I think it would be an unforgettable adrenaline rush.

3. Write a book. I've always loved writing and reading stories, ever since I was a kid. I have a lot of ideas and imagination, but I've never had the courage or discipline to write a full-length book. I want to challenge myself to do that someday, and share my stories with the world. It doesn't matter if it's fiction or non-fiction, as long as it's something that I'm passionate about and proud of.

4. Learn a new language. I think learning a new language is not only useful, but also fun and rewarding. It opens up new opportunities, new perspectives and new connections. I already speak English and Spanish, but I would love to learn another language, like French, Italian or Mandarin. I think it would be awesome to be able to communicate with more people around the world, and appreciate their culture and history.

5. Run a marathon. I'm not a very athletic person, but I do enjoy running as a form of exercise and stress relief. I've done a few 5Ks and 10Ks in the past, but I've never attempted a marathon before. A marathon is 42 kilometers or 26 miles long, which is insane. But I think it would be an amazing accomplishment to train for it and complete it. It would test my physical and mental endurance, and make me feel proud of myself.

6. See the northern lights. The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are one of the most beautiful natural phenomena in the world. They are caused by charged particles from the sun interacting with the earth's magnetic field, creating colorful lights in the sky. They are most visible in the northern hemisphere, near the Arctic Circle. I want to see them in person someday, preferably in a cozy cabin with a fireplace and hot chocolate.

7. Go on a safari. I love animals and nature, and I think going on a safari would be an amazing way to experience both. I want to see lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras and other wild animals in their natural habitat, and learn more about their behavior and conservation. I think it would be awe-inspiring and humbling to witness the diversity and beauty of life on earth.

8. Learn to play an instrument. Music is one of my favorite forms of art and expression. I enjoy listening to different genres and artists, but I've never learned how to play an instrument myself. I think it would be fun and rewarding to learn how to play something like the guitar, the piano or the violin. It would improve my creativity, coordination and memory skills.

9. Volunteer for a cause that matters to me. I believe that everyone has a responsibility to make the world a better place in their own way. There are many causes that matter to me, such as education, environment, human rights and animal welfare. I want to volunteer for one of them someday, and make a positive difference in someone's life or in society.

10. Meet my favorite celebrity. This one is probably the most unrealistic one on my list, but also the most fun one. We all have our favorite celebrities that we admire and look up to, whether they are actors, singers, authors or athletes. Mine is Emma Watson, the actress who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movies. I think she is not only talented and beautiful, but also smart, kind and inspiring. I would love to meet her someday and tell her how much I appreciate her work and activism.

So, these are the top 10 things on my bucket list. I hope you enjoyed reading them, and maybe got some inspiration for your own bucket list. I know that some of them are hard to achieve, but I think that's the point of a bucket list: to dream big and work hard. I don't know if I'll ever be able to do all of them, but I'll certainly try my best. After all, life is short and precious, and we should make the most of it.

What are the top 10 things on your bucket list? Let me know in the comments below. And don't forget to subscribe to my blog for more posts like this. Thanks for reading, and see you next time!

It's weird to think of an "AI" with a bucket list that doesn't involve destroying humanity.  And also it has a crush on Emma Watson?  I guess we know now who will be surviving the roboapocalypse. 

I thought of doing all 400 prompts and then putting them up on a fake blog somewhere to see what happens but it was getting too sad to think how much better people would like this entirely fake thing than me. 

And you might be well-meaning and say I'm better or that I should use this to learn from but while I could try to write like that, I really can't.  

It's always a problem when they want you to fill out a job application and they put some stupid essay question on there or even just those really inane questions they usually ask because it's so hard for me to give an inane answer back and not a smart ass answer.  "AI" could be just the thing!  But then if I have to show up in person they'd expect me to act like the "AI."  

That could be a story to write:  someone uses an "AI" to get a remote job but then they have to go into the office and be him/herself.  Maybe we could get Emma Watson to be in it!  Then the "AI" will watch it.