Play

...is the highest form of research

I’m writing this at a great time. I am thoroughly sick and tired of AI—which is funny, considering it’s the main focus of my writings here in the Wily Chronicle. So far, I’ve told you: you can do it, you’re already doing it, and I’ve encouraged you to get up and dance with it. Now, maybe it’s time I show you what I’m talking about.

I started with Suno and Kling—online sites where you can make music and generate videos. I quickly learned to make both, but like everyone, I can hear and see the difference from reality in the things I make. I need to say that because you might think I am mind-blind if I don’t acknowledge it: the output is rarely the same thing as the unacknowledged standard in our heads.

But perfection has never been the point. I have been making music in my head since I was a kid, and trying to make videos intermittently since YouTube came out. I am aware of what notes on a sheet of music say; I just lack the attention span to remember so many at once, or to write them down from my head onto paper. I’d rather create the song in my head and forget it. That’s a pleasant experience for me. It’s similar with video—I know how to construct a scene, but editing is unappealing. I’d rather dream it up in my head than waste time and money filming with people for something I’m going to abandon in twenty days for the next sparkly project.

So why did I start with those AI products? It was easy instant gratification, for sure. I got to play with songs and scenes that had only existed in my head prior. So there was that. But really, it was all about how incredibly fun it is. And this is the saddest thing to me with AI right now: people won’t let down their guard long enough to just play and have fun with this stuff.

Am I a musician? Music has always been an unexpressed part of me. I lack the discipline to be a musician, but I’ve made music my whole life. Am I a scriptwriter, film director, and cameraman? On this one, kind of more yes: I’ve always been an unpublished writer, and part of that is creating scenes heavily influenced by modern cinema. But I never had the chance to go there—to actually make scenes that truly show and don’t have to tell.

These things interested me, they are something AI could do, and it was fun. This is the key to learning AI. Because it is not just a matter of telling the machine what to do and watching it magically happen. That’s really not how it works at all. It might someday, but that is not where we are right now. Instead, you have what feels like a live-action, choose-your-own-adventure video game where every interaction produces a response. You learn to improve the outcome by simply engaging. On its own, AI is fun, but when you self-generate a goal and accomplish it? That’s better than beating any video game boss at any level in any game anywhere.

I started this by saying I am sick and tired of my AI right now. And I am. But that’s the best part of the game! It’s when it frustrates you the most—when you are down and out and there’s no guide, no map of the dungeon. I’m on my own in depths where nobody can really help me, and I’m not actually mad at the AI. I’m mad because I am challenged. And I’m not challenged by some dumb work problem I’m being paid to do; I’m challenged by something I chose to do. Something I am trying to build. Something I want that becomes real if I can just coax the AI to help me create it.

You can see my music in these spots. Go ahead and judge, but when you do, remember that I have had a ball doing this. If I had more free time, I would like to expand each with videos. I am working on it, but that is significantly harder. You can see my early attempts at video, too. (I will leave links for all.)

The point is to start with the Crayola crayons of AI: do the fun stuff. That’s the message. Get your hands dirty. Open yourself up to being childlike, make mistakes, and play like nobody is watching—because that is where all the fun and learning happen. Play leads to understanding. From these simple interactions you enjoy, you will learn to interact with AI. You will learn why it’s not as simple as asking for something and receiving it. This is a new kind of work, but if you can just let your guard down and see it as play, this may be the best time in history to have a job.

Please post all your attempts on your websites and socials (your public refrigerators) with pride like I am doing here. Next time I’ll share something far more complicated to further flesh out where starting with this play lead me to next.

(Note: If you’re a Trump supporter, you may feel bad if you go there. I got jokes, that’s all. I still want you to play and learn to work with AI, whoever you are, whatever you believe.)

(This article is 85% human. I failed to make my point sharply on my own, so granted extra leeway to tighten it up.)