Creating the Stars: A Tale about AI
Growing up in Africa, my childhood was enriched by the captivating tales of the bush and its wildlife. These stories, steeped in ancient wisdom, sparked my imagination and left a lasting impression on me, inspiring dreams that soared as high as the baobabs.
On warm summer nights, I would sit under the night sky, with the sound of the African bush in the background and gaze at the stars while listening to folktales and stories told from generation to generation. These cherished memories are now stories I share with my children.
Even though I am far from the African bush, these stories continue to inspire and captivate me. They are often more than just stories but timeless lessons that still resonate today.
I want to tell you a story from Africa, reimagined to remind us that lessons from the past can guide us on our path to the future.
The Origin of “The Girl Who Made the Stars”
One of my favourite folktales is “The Girl Who Made the Stars”. As part of my research for this post, I asked ChatGPT and Bing where it originated from, and I got the following responses:
Bing:
The African folktale is an ancient myth from the XAM Abathwa tribe of South Africa. The story describes the origins of the Milky Way and how a girl created the stars by playing with wood ashes.
The myth was retold in the Star Trek franchise as a short trek episode, released in December 2019 on CBS.
ChatGPT:
“The Girl Who Made the Stars” is a folktale that originates from the San people, also known as the Bushmen, who are indigenous to Southern Africa. The San people have a rich storytelling tradition, and their tales often reflect their deep connection with nature and the universe. This particular story is part of their oral tradition. It has been passed down through generations, embodying the cultural heritage and cosmology of one of the oldest continuous cultures on Earth.
In summary, Bing attributes the tale to the /Xam Abathwa tribe of South Africa, describing it as an ancient myth explaining the Milky Way’s origins. Interestingly, it was adapted into a Star Trek episode, showcasing its timeless appeal. ChatGPT, on the other hand, identifies the San people, or Bushmen, of Southern Africa as the story’s custodians, highlighting their rich storytelling tradition and deep connection with nature.
The Tale and its Lessons for AI
A long, long time ago, before there were any stars in the sky, the world was dark after sunset. Apart from the moon’s glow, there was only darkness at night.
A young girl known for her curiosity and cleverness wondered what it would be like to have specks of light in the night sky. One evening, as darkness set upon the land, she took a handful of embers from the fire and cast them into the sky. To her amazement, the embers stuck to the dark canvas of the night and began to twinkle like tiny suns.
Each ember she threw became a star; soon, there were enough stars to light up the night sky. Her people were no longer afraid of the dark.
This story teaches us that profound change often begins with a single, brave idea. Much like this ancient tale, the journey of implementing AI solutions in our world today is a testament to the power of innovation and the courage to bring new ideas to life.
· The Spark of Innovation: AI brings innovation to people and organisations like the girl who created stars by bringing light to the dark skies. It opens new avenues, shedding light on insights once hidden in the vast darkness of unprocessed data and time-consuming tasks.
· Visionary Foresight: The girl’s dream of a starlit sky reflects the foresight required to harness AI’s transformative potential, envisioning a future where AI solves problems and unlocks new possibilities.
· Empowerment through Knowledge: Once mere embers, the stars empowered the girl’s community to explore the world in new ways. Similarly, AI allows businesses to navigate complex ideas and discover untapped opportunities, guided by the light of insights and understanding created by the right AI solutions.
· Courage to Embrace the New: In the story, the girl, guided by her curiosity, shows us how a simple, creative idea can change the night sky. Similarly, organisations stepping into the world of AI can benefit from adopting a curious and open mindset, ready to explore and gently illuminate new paths in the digital realm.
· Simplicity: The story illustrates how something as humble as wood ashes can give birth to the magnificent Milky Way. It is important to start the AI journey with simplicity. A straightforward, manageable approach lays a solid foundation, allowing the complexity and sophistication of AI solutions to develop.
Through this story, I want to encourage all of us on the AI path to embrace innovation, vision and transformation to turn the darkness of challenges into a sky full of opportunities.
As Amit Ray aptly said:
“The future of innovation is about combining human creativity with the power of intelligent machines.”
As we enter a new year filled with untold stories, may the promise of the future inspire us. I wish everyone a year filled with innovation, courage and transformative experiences.
About the author
Joanita Radivoev is a Scrum Master here at the Version 1 AI Labs.
References
AI and the Workforce: 24 Insightful Quotes About AI to Reshape Your Perspective (aiifi.ai)
About the Sun, Moon and Stars | San / Bushmen Tales (gateway-africa.com)
How Generative AI Can Augment Human Creativity (hbr.org)
Photo by Harry Cunningham @harry.digital: https://www.pexels.com/photo/tree-under-starry-sky-3347324/
