Scripting Souls: A Face-off Between Authors and AI

Ani A. Asatryan
ILLUMINATION’S MIRROR
9 min readSep 2, 2023

--

The Write-off: Art of Crafting Sentences

Photo by Valeria Boltneva: https://www.pexels.com/photo/three-round-green-fruits-on-person-s-left-palm-14120/

As we venture deep into the evolution of language, we’re about to uncover the core of this dichotomy that defines the very art of crafting sentences.

1. Emotional Resonance

Human authors masterfully infuse words with emotion, imagery, and authenticity.

Photo by Vlado Paunovic from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/window-on-a-wall-3028961/

Tears of Memories

In the hands of a human author like Alice Walker, words become vessels of sentiment.

“Tears welled up in her eyes as the memories flooded back, each one a bittersweet reminder of what was lost.”

In this profoundly moving sentence, the imagery dances with emotion, invoking a vivid sense of loss and nostalgia as tears well up, mirroring the cascading memories.

Unpacking Human Expression

The brilliance of this human-generated gem lies in its artful composition. The reader is transported to a world where emotions and memories collide, and the weight of what’s lost is felt deep within.

AI-crafted Attempt: A Glimpse of Sentiment

Conversely, AI attempts to mirror emotion through the lens of algorithms:

“She felt a sense of sadness as memories rushed back, reminding her of what had been lost.”

While it carries a hint of emotion, the sentence remains on the surface, failing to reach the depths of the human-created counterpart.

Understanding AI Expression

The AI-generated sentence, while technically accurate, lacks the same emotional tapestry woven by human hands. The sentiment is present, yet it’s as if the heart’s whisper remains unheard amidst the calculations.

The Divide of Emotion

Delving into the nuances, we find that while AI can mimic sentiment, it lacks the ability to interlace it with the rich tapestry of imagery and raw authenticity that human authors effortlessly wield.

The human-crafted sentence envelops the reader in its emotional resonance, while the AI creation provides a mere glimpse of what’s truly felt.

2. Sculpting Language

Human Touch vs. Algorithmic Precision

Ray Bradbury’s iconic line from ‘Fahrenheit 451’ captures this timeless clash, as ‘It was a pleasure to burn’ dances between paradoxes, kindling intrigue.

Image by Ani A. Asatryan

Human-crafted:

Bradbury’s genius shines:

“It was a pleasure to burn.”

In this concise blaze, Bradbury conjures curiosity by fusing ‘pleasure’ and ‘burn,’ igniting readers’ imagination.

AI-crafted:

AI’s algorithm takes a shot:

“Burning brought a sense of enjoyment.”

AI’s effort mirrors the sentiment but misses Bradbury’s paradoxical finesse.

In this showdown, AI’s sentence flickers like a faint flame next to Bradbury’s literary inferno. Algorithmic precision falters in the face of Bradbury’s vibrant imagery and human touch, spotlighting machines’ struggle to sculpt language with true depth.

3. Diving Deeper: Unpredictability

Human writing possesses a magical knack: surprising readers by weaving disparate threads into resonant narratives.

Image by Ani A. Asatryan

Human Craftsmanship

Bitter Almonds of Fate

Gabriel García Márquez’s stroke:

“It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love.”

Unexpectedly linking almonds and love, this sentence ignites curiosity.
Human hands craft a bridge between sensory cues and emotional resonance.

Unpacking Human Expression

Márquez’s brilliance lies in uniting the unconnected — scent and emotion meld, drawing readers into a tapestry of feeling.

AI’s Attempt

AI ventures:

“It was predictable: the smell of bitter almonds always brought his mind to the fate of unrequited love.”

Echoing the human version, yet missing its surprise. Predictability mars its impact.

Understanding AI Expression

AI replicates structure but lacks the human touch. Its words follow a path already trodden, devoid of Márquez’s unforeseen twist.

Diving Deeper: Exposing Anticipation

Contrast uncovers AI’s shortfall. It mirrors patterns but lacks the improvisation human creativity thrives upon. Originality fuels the human sentence, while AI barely scratches the surface.

4. Cultural Threads

Narratives of Evolution

Human narratives, gateways to cultural shifts, grant insights transcending time and place.

Image by Ani A. Asatryan

Human Craftsmanship:

Chinua Achebe’s handiwork:

“Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond.”

His words unveil a character whose influence expands beyond his enclave. “Nine villages” and “beyond” hint at societal interplay.

Unpacking Human Expression

Achebe’s ingenuity unearths broader dimensions, entwining culture and character. We glimpse Okonkwo’s realm and the currents that shape it.

AI’s Attempt

AI ventures:

“Okonkwo was widely recognized in the nine villages and beyond.”

The AI-generated version echoes human expression but lacks cultural depth. It skims the surface, bypassing sociocultural intricacies.

Understanding AI Expression

AI mimics recognition but misses the human touch. Its words relay the basics while sidestepping the cultural undercurrents Achebe’s craft thrives on.

Diving Deeper: Culture’s Silent Currents

Comparing the two showcases AI’s shortfall. It captures essence but misses the vibrancy of Achebe’s intricate cultural weave. The human-generated version is a tapestry, while the AI replica remains a mere thread.

5. Emanating Emotions

Human Sentiments

Sentences birthed by humans resonate beyond words, evoking universal emotions that touch the very essence of the human soul.

Image by Ani A. Asatryan

Human Craftsmanship

The Moron Paradox

J.D. Salinger’s craft:

“All morons hate it when you call them a moron.”

A play of irony, it spotlights the sensitivity within labels. The words hold a mirror to empathy’s essence and the words’ emotional weight.

Unpacking Human Expression

Salinger’s sentence dances with irony and insight, revealing the emotional chords hidden beneath the surface.

AI’s Attempt

AI ventures:

“People dislike being referred to as idiots.”

It echoes the sentiment, yet lacks the resonating phrasing and poignant irony.

Understanding AI Expression

AI captures the surface, missing Salinger’s linguistic alchemy. Its words convey but fail to touch the emotional core.

Diving Deeper: Echoes of Humanity

Contrasting the two uncovers AI’s limitation. It paints the picture, but lacks the soul-stirring quality that Salinger’s human touch imparts. The human-crafted sentence sparks connection, while AI’s version merely narrates.

6. Innovative Fusion

The junction of human ingenuity and AI innovation unlocks uncharted territories, probing the synergy between technological strides and artistic ingenuity.

Image by Ani A. Asatryan

Human Craftsmanship

Isaac Asimov’s masterpiece:

“The three laws of Robotics: 1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.”

Precision births exploration. Asimov’s structure lays the groundwork for intricate explorations in ethics and technology.

Unpacking Human Expression

Asimov’s words set the stage, a foundation for profound pondering of morality entwined with AI.

AI’s Attempt

AI’s endeavor:

“Artificial intelligence can contribute to creative endeavors, helping humans explore new frontiers of expression and imagination.”

The essence aligns, but the execution lacks the succinct punch.

Understanding AI Expression

AI sketches the idea, but lacks the poetic thrust of Asimov’s craftsmanship. It lays the concept but misses the heartbeat.

Diving Deeper: Innovation’s Tapestry

Comparing the two unearths the divide. AI offers a glimpse, but lacks the depth that Asimov’s eloquence achieves. The human-crafted version erects a scaffold, while AI’s words remain bricks awaiting structure.

7. Navigating Ethics

The Creator’s Spectrum

The dance of ethics and creation illuminates the intricate web of human pursuits, ushering an exploration of technology’s sway and human prowess.

Image by Ani A. Asatryan

Human’s Craft

George Orwell’s brushstroke:

“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”

The surreal hue hints at a dystopian narrative, an aberration from norms.

Decoding Human Ingenuity

Orwell’s words, a riddle that unveils the heart of his tale, hinting at the enigmatic.

AI’s Attempt

AI’s endeavor:

“On a chilly April day, the clocks chimed thirteen times, deviating from the usual pattern.”

A parallel path, but a diluted palette. The essence remains, yet the resonance wanes.

Understanding AI Expression

AI charts the course, yet its words lack the haunting undertone of Orwell’s. The surface ripples, but the depth remains untouched.

Diving Deeper: The Ethical Canvas

AI’s narrative captures the scene, but misses the shadowy nuances that define Orwell’s penmanship. The human-written version casts an enigmatic spell, beckoning readers into a world off-kilter.

8. Harmony

The dawn of partnership between human innovation and AI brilliance opens the gates to a symphony of collaboration, dispelling notions of rivalry between technological marvels and human ingenuity.

Human-crafted

J.K. Rowling’s brush sweeps aside the veil, revealing Mr. and Mrs. Dursley’s boast:

“They were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.”

The humor in mundanity prevails, a prelude to the whimsy to come.

Decoding Human Brilliance

Rowling’s artistry, a whisper that heralds the extraordinary hidden in the ordinary.

AI’s Attempt

AI’s endeavor:

“In the future, a detective solves a murder case in a futuristic city.”

A glimpse into the future, a scene that unfolds. But the spark that ignites the intrigue remains dim.

Understanding AI Expression

AI sketches a tableau, but its lines lack the Rowlingesque sparkle. The canvas is set, but the colors lack vivacity.

Diving Deeper: The Convergence

Comparing the strokes draws the divide. AI’s narrative outlines the scene, but misses the enchantment that dances within Rowling’s words. The human-written rendition unfurls the curtain, setting the stage with a hint of whimsy and a promise of enchantment.

9. Unveiling Imperfections

Human expression thrives not in flawlessness, but in its intricacies — threads that weave bonds of empathy and resonance, often eluding polished perfection.

Image by Ani A. Asatryan

Human-crafted

William Faulkner’s words spin a tapestry where

“Clocks slay time… time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life.”

A poetic journey into the cadence of existence, where life pulses in stillness.

Deconstructing Human Ingenuity

Faulkner, the architect, fashions a metaphor that stirs contemplation, unraveling time’s mysteries.

AI’s Attempt

AI’s endeavor:

“Timekeeping devices mark the passage of time, and time comes alive when these devices cease their ticking.”

A mechanical narrative, efficient, but devoid of the emotional cadence.

Understanding AI Expression

AI deciphers time’s rhythm, but the heartbeat eludes its grasp.

Diving Deeper: Imperfection’s Elegance

Comparing the narratives unveils the rift. AI delineates a concept, while Faulkner paints a canvas rich in metaphor, where clocks transform into reapers of time and stillness begets life. The human narrative embraces the beauty of imperfection, leaving a lingering echo in the reader’s soul.

10. Timeless Echoes: The Legacy of Human Narratives

Human-crafted narratives are conduits of enduring wisdom, carrying the collective human experience across epochs.

Image by Ani A. Asatryan

Human-crafted

Charles Dickens, a maestro of contrast, paints a canvas of contradictions:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…”

In this symphony of opposites, societal complexities unfurl.

Exploring Human Ingenuity

Dickens, a weaver of paradoxes, preludes societal dissection.

AI’s Attempt

AI’s endeavor:

“In an era of wisdom and foolishness, times were both good and bad.”

A factual recitation, devoid of Dickens’ artistry and rhythmic tension.

Peeling Back AI’s Expression

AI echoes the essence, yet its voice lacks Dickens’ resonance.

Beyond Time’s Horizon

Dichotomies unmasked, the chasm widens. AI paints a tableau of epochs, while Dickens waltzes with contrasts, orchestrating tension and anticipation. Human-crafted narratives transcend the ages, echoing the heartbeat of humanity through generations.

--

--

Ani A. Asatryan
ILLUMINATION’S MIRROR

Featured in Words Without Borders and Absinthe by the University of Michigan reaching 750K worldwide. Let's connectand collab.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ania