Could not agree more on the ai writing. If I see the phrase “and honestly?” in a writing piece someone is trying to pass off as a human-written article one more time I might lose my mind. Thank you for being a refreshing and authentic voice. Best of of luck with a lot of exciting summer races!
I just actually wrote a reply to a comment that I started with, “Honestly?” Uh oh. Didn’t know that was a thing. In a crazy twist, maybe I need to start understanding what people think is written by AI — the much-maligned em-dash, for example — and edit it out of my own very human writing.
Haha oh no! I struggle with the em dash, too, so I feel your pain with all of it. Eight or so years ago I worked in a social media job and all the digital writing tips and resources included frequent use of it at the time! I hate the thought of humans changing their tone to sound less like ai as much as I hate us beginning to sound more like ai! What a strange learning process all of this is. Extremely hard for me not to end this comment with something along the lines of “and honestly?” now lol
I’ve been using the damned em-dash for a decade or more without so much as a second thought. It’s an expressive tool — if you know how to use it.
Nothing easy these days. Not only am I a sentient, emotional human, I actually prefer people to know I’m a sentient, emotional human when I spend days writing 2000 real words about my real experience.
Agree! I've been trying to make mention of it on my own substack here and there to highlight that it's 'fully human' writing, but I'm not sure if that really makes a dent in anything. It's hard to come up with a good overall solution to both noticing ai writing in the world and figuring out how to navigate it. It's all so tricky!
Tricky for sure. And maybe it doesn’t make a dent. But if we stop, then the machine gets the last word by default. Which is actually the worst outcome.
Great piece, Sarah! I have been contemplating a longer post on AI as well. I don't use it, don't want to use it (and I'm sadly one of those writers who lost one of their favorite -- tools -- cause now it looks like a robot) The atrophy of creative thinking is the most worrisome part to me as well. Not the "save time" "summarize this" (which still boths me), but what I love about writing is the WRITING. The hard part where I stumble and start over, re-read, and re-organize my thoughts. I feel like I want to scream "just do it yourself!!"
People tease me, but I would rather have an excuse to call my grandmother and ask how much ground turkey I should buy to feed 20 people than "Google it." Keep the humanity!
"The more I care about something, the more I tend to procrastinate because I want to get it just right." - If there's a FB Support Group for this terrible syndrome, let me know so I can sign up.
Great job staying healthy and knocking down the mileage and vert at altitude.
AI is a massive topic, so please excuse my brief thoughts:
1. The train has already left the station, it's going full steam, so the only question is what to do about it.
2. These LLM's (what is currently termed "AI") are scraping the internet and stealing all written work ever done, then re-packaging it, which is a collosal IP theft.
3. And it works great. This is not just the future, it is now. An attorney friend said, "Any lawyer who doesn't use AI should be sued for malpractice", because it can cut your work time in half or more.
4. The real problem to me is: this will make the rich richer and everyone else a servant. We are heading from the American Dream to extreme classism. There will have to be a corporate profit-sharing plan, or the the future has a dystopian look.
I stand with you concerning AI. As an engineer, I have been spending quite a bit of time considering whether I should incorporate AI into my job. Every single problem I try to solve or new project I try to implement tests me and leaves me with new insights, better and stronger intuitions, and a sense of accomplishment. I feel that leaning on AI would have a negative impact on some or all of these results. I'm sure I could use it to make data organization much easier and save myself an incredible amount of time, but even that part of the process is sometimes beneficial for me. I will likely continue doing things without AI until my workplace makes it mandatory.
As for race plans, I am running a 70k late next month. It runs through the mountains of Southeast Tennessee and has 10k feet of elevation gain. This will be my second ultra. I'm running 50 miles a week right now with 10/15 mile double long runs on the weekend and anywhere from 3k to 5k elevation each week. Hoping to max out at 65 to 70 miles for the week and 16/24 for the long runs a few weeks before the race.
I’m with you on the AI 100% thanks for being awesome. Damn Yeti for me Saturday A goal for this first one is get an idea what I’m getting into and above ground and upright. 😬🤣
Love this, Sarah. Happy Birthday to your kiddo. Happy 40th reunion to you! And thanks for sharing my post. We're certainly in this new weird unwelcome world of AI together!
-Best wishes on your summer plans...sounds like a full and rich schedule of memory making.
-Your race calendar looks like fun! Do you WANT to get into Hardrock? I was recently in your neck of the woods for the first time (Road tripped in Montrose-Telluride-Ouray-Glenwood Springs-Fruita-Grand Junction... loved it! I want to go back and get some running in!). I did a scenic nerdy detour to the rock in Silverton :) Pretty cool.
-No shit, indeed. Keep holding that human-powered line! AI is a crafty yes-man (yes-bot?) who sycophantically feeds users what they want but at the same time somehow homogenizes everyone's taste and disregards accuracy and attribution. Gross. Human brains need stimulation and friction and the satisfaction of actual accomplishment, not this slippery beige slope. I agree that there are some useful tools and analysis that are AI supported, but SUPPORTED is the key word. I could go on...
Thank you! As for HR yes, but I don’t like uncertainty and the possibility of getting picked the morning of the race. But I’d be ready to go. If I don’t get off the waitlist, however, I will be fine with that because I’m looking forward to the aid station volunteer assignment.
I was 2nd on the wait list and dressed and ready to go morning of Hardrock a couple years ago. Stressful, yes, but it would have been a great adventure!
Could not agree more on the ai writing. If I see the phrase “and honestly?” in a writing piece someone is trying to pass off as a human-written article one more time I might lose my mind. Thank you for being a refreshing and authentic voice. Best of of luck with a lot of exciting summer races!
I just actually wrote a reply to a comment that I started with, “Honestly?” Uh oh. Didn’t know that was a thing. In a crazy twist, maybe I need to start understanding what people think is written by AI — the much-maligned em-dash, for example — and edit it out of my own very human writing.
Ugh. This is getting harder.
Haha oh no! I struggle with the em dash, too, so I feel your pain with all of it. Eight or so years ago I worked in a social media job and all the digital writing tips and resources included frequent use of it at the time! I hate the thought of humans changing their tone to sound less like ai as much as I hate us beginning to sound more like ai! What a strange learning process all of this is. Extremely hard for me not to end this comment with something along the lines of “and honestly?” now lol
I’ve been using the damned em-dash for a decade or more without so much as a second thought. It’s an expressive tool — if you know how to use it.
Nothing easy these days. Not only am I a sentient, emotional human, I actually prefer people to know I’m a sentient, emotional human when I spend days writing 2000 real words about my real experience.
Honestly? We’re fucked.
Agree! I've been trying to make mention of it on my own substack here and there to highlight that it's 'fully human' writing, but I'm not sure if that really makes a dent in anything. It's hard to come up with a good overall solution to both noticing ai writing in the world and figuring out how to navigate it. It's all so tricky!
Tricky for sure. And maybe it doesn’t make a dent. But if we stop, then the machine gets the last word by default. Which is actually the worst outcome.
So we keep writing.
Right on, Maria.
Great piece, Sarah! I have been contemplating a longer post on AI as well. I don't use it, don't want to use it (and I'm sadly one of those writers who lost one of their favorite -- tools -- cause now it looks like a robot) The atrophy of creative thinking is the most worrisome part to me as well. Not the "save time" "summarize this" (which still boths me), but what I love about writing is the WRITING. The hard part where I stumble and start over, re-read, and re-organize my thoughts. I feel like I want to scream "just do it yourself!!"
People tease me, but I would rather have an excuse to call my grandmother and ask how much ground turkey I should buy to feed 20 people than "Google it." Keep the humanity!
Thank you, keep it up!
"The more I care about something, the more I tend to procrastinate because I want to get it just right." - If there's a FB Support Group for this terrible syndrome, let me know so I can sign up.
Great job staying healthy and knocking down the mileage and vert at altitude.
AI is a massive topic, so please excuse my brief thoughts:
1. The train has already left the station, it's going full steam, so the only question is what to do about it.
2. These LLM's (what is currently termed "AI") are scraping the internet and stealing all written work ever done, then re-packaging it, which is a collosal IP theft.
3. And it works great. This is not just the future, it is now. An attorney friend said, "Any lawyer who doesn't use AI should be sued for malpractice", because it can cut your work time in half or more.
4. The real problem to me is: this will make the rich richer and everyone else a servant. We are heading from the American Dream to extreme classism. There will have to be a corporate profit-sharing plan, or the the future has a dystopian look.
Wise words, Buzz, and thank you as always for reading!
My attorney husband uses AI but also knows the pitfalls of how it can mis-cite and mis-interpret cases.
Thanks for the signal boost, Sarah. I hope you have a great time in Ojai!
I stand with you concerning AI. As an engineer, I have been spending quite a bit of time considering whether I should incorporate AI into my job. Every single problem I try to solve or new project I try to implement tests me and leaves me with new insights, better and stronger intuitions, and a sense of accomplishment. I feel that leaning on AI would have a negative impact on some or all of these results. I'm sure I could use it to make data organization much easier and save myself an incredible amount of time, but even that part of the process is sometimes beneficial for me. I will likely continue doing things without AI until my workplace makes it mandatory.
As for race plans, I am running a 70k late next month. It runs through the mountains of Southeast Tennessee and has 10k feet of elevation gain. This will be my second ultra. I'm running 50 miles a week right now with 10/15 mile double long runs on the weekend and anywhere from 3k to 5k elevation each week. Hoping to max out at 65 to 70 miles for the week and 16/24 for the long runs a few weeks before the race.
Good luck with the San Juan Solstice!
Thanks, Jason, and let me know how your 70K goes!
100% with you on AI. I hate it!
I’m with you on the AI 100% thanks for being awesome. Damn Yeti for me Saturday A goal for this first one is get an idea what I’m getting into and above ground and upright. 😬🤣
Let me know how the Yeti goes!
It was awesome!!!!! 😎 totally hooked
Congrats!
Thank you
Will do fingers crossed just got into town 10 hr drive for me 🤣
Love this, Sarah. Happy Birthday to your kiddo. Happy 40th reunion to you! And thanks for sharing my post. We're certainly in this new weird unwelcome world of AI together!
-Best wishes on your summer plans...sounds like a full and rich schedule of memory making.
-Your race calendar looks like fun! Do you WANT to get into Hardrock? I was recently in your neck of the woods for the first time (Road tripped in Montrose-Telluride-Ouray-Glenwood Springs-Fruita-Grand Junction... loved it! I want to go back and get some running in!). I did a scenic nerdy detour to the rock in Silverton :) Pretty cool.
-No shit, indeed. Keep holding that human-powered line! AI is a crafty yes-man (yes-bot?) who sycophantically feeds users what they want but at the same time somehow homogenizes everyone's taste and disregards accuracy and attribution. Gross. Human brains need stimulation and friction and the satisfaction of actual accomplishment, not this slippery beige slope. I agree that there are some useful tools and analysis that are AI supported, but SUPPORTED is the key word. I could go on...
Thank you! As for HR yes, but I don’t like uncertainty and the possibility of getting picked the morning of the race. But I’d be ready to go. If I don’t get off the waitlist, however, I will be fine with that because I’m looking forward to the aid station volunteer assignment.
I was 2nd on the wait list and dressed and ready to go morning of Hardrock a couple years ago. Stressful, yes, but it would have been a great adventure!
Upon reflection, it was a dumb question. Morning of would be CRAZY tho, mentally.