Getting Directions from Dad

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I asked my father for directions recently because I wanted to take the scenic road to the highway, not the efficient route generated by Google’s algorithm.

He got out a pencil, ripped a sheet of lined paper out of a notebook and drew a map.

Dad’s picture included the roads and the key visual landmarks, like the Spring Lake Golf Course, the Investors Savings Bank and the Whole Foods.

It’s such an iconic example of how we once communicated.

That’s all changing with ChatGPT.

I’ve been experimenting with generative AI but find myself still writing the way I have for decades. I start with an idea and type until I finish.

ChatGPT works well when you ask it to write a history of Einstein in 500 words or a dozen bullet-point lessons from Warren Buffett. It’s good for translation and researching big ideas. I probably use it most often to summarize what other people have written.

Everyone writing today should be practicing using generative AI.

But so far, it hasn’t helped me write anything that connects deeply with people.

No matter how “real” the text seems, humans can detect that it’s automated. And when that’s the case, as recent research on LinkedIn has shown, it gets less engagement.

People using AI online tend to write longer pieces. Often, they forego the hard work of editing.

It brings to mind the famous quip from Mark Twain: “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”

Using technology that makes it easier to publish at the cost of connecting seems like a Faustian bargain.

It’s easier to send an electronic birthday card than a hand-written one.

But people notice the lack of effort.

Content is no different.

We will soon be swimming in cheap, plastic ChatGPT content.

You stand out by producing thoughtful, original work.

I asked ChatGPT for the same scenic directions my father gave me. It wrote:

–Begin your journey in this charming coastal town.

–Enjoy the scenic views as you drive along Route 35, passing through picturesque towns and coastal landscapes.

–Cross the Driscoll Bridge: Take in the views of the Raritan Bay as you cross.

–Merge onto the Garden State Parkway North: This iconic highway offers glimpses of lush greenery and rolling hills.

It was fast and efficient.

But there is always something just a bit off about the results.

In this case, no one who knows New Jersey would say the Parkway is famous for rolling hills and lush greenery.

And no one would save those directions in a scrapbook.

Like you might keep a hand-drawn map from your dad.

BRIEF OBSERVATIONS

ISAAC NEWTON: Putting a needle in your eye seems extreme, but I guess it got the job done.

SAMUEL BECKETT: “There is no ease for the heart to be had from words or reason.” Timeless advice from writer Samuel Beckett to a friend who suffered a loss.

FEWER AND BETTER WORDS: Timeless advice from my friend Toby Barlow quoting Samuel Beckett on the need to use fewer words when writing.

LIQUID DEATH: Liquid Death is one of those genius brands built based on viral marketing. CEO Mike Cessario realized how to create media from content.

TOM’S RESTAURANT: Tom’s is an iconic dinner on the Upper West Side made famous by Seinfeld. I’ve walked by hundreds of times during the three decades I lived in New York. I just stopped in for the first time. A good reminder not to ignore trying the obvious.