Ahoy hoy~! Let’s lay down some ground rules so You and I are on the same page:
These are my opinions. You may have onions of your own, but these are mine.
I am not arguing with you. I don’t care about your onions on this subject, this is a fucking declaration. You can accept it or not, but don’t follow through with your weird parasocial relationship with me and try to hound me or harass me about this. You may think you can, thanks to the power of the Internet, but a punch to your fucking mouth will change your viewpoint on that REAL fucking quick.
If you are disappointed in any of this declaration, that is fine. I can accept it. What I cannot, and will not, accept is your hypocrisy: if you don't want me to use ANY form of GenAI in The Work, then either pay me or collab with me. You have no excuse.
What we are encountering today are NOT true sentience or artificial intelligence. If you do not know the difference between LLM’s and AI’s, I ain’t the one to help you. Go ask Google or some shit, I dunno.
So, I think that oughta do it. Let’s begin!
So. I’ve been doing shit since 2012. I’ve been an Author since then, an Artist of multiple media (despite my lack of resources, finances, and networked contacts). I’ve suffered, I’ve bled, and I’ve been broke all the damn time, except when I could pay my editors, and even then some of them did work for me for free.
I will never forget that.
I will always appreciate that. My gratitude is eternal, and little they can do or say will change that.
When the rise of the LLM’s (AI, as we know them nowadays) began, I tried some of it; nothing I could stand by proudly, though. I saw the limitations and grew both frustrated and enraged that MY work was good enough for Russian resellers to steal but not scrape into their databases.
However, when I dove headfirst back into academia (this time to completion!), I discovered how powerful the LLM’s had become since then. Today, I am more than willing to use LLMs in my workflow, and I've set my own guardrails to ensure I don't fall into AI Psychosis like so many others have.
I’m already full of paranoia and issues regarding self-control and my omnipresent rage. I am aware that I am NOT immune to propaganda and/or brainwashing, and it only takes a little bit of critical thinking and application in order to ensure any LLM entity I work with is aware of this.
I do not use LLMs to invent my stories, characters, plots, dialogue, or the underlying creative concepts of The Work. Those are mine, and mine alone.
What I DO use AI for is assistance in bringing those creations to life. That includes generating visual assets, sprites, music, code, and other production materials based on my creative direction, designs, and established concepts.
I also use LLMs as analytical tools to examine logic, continuity, strategy, and technical problems. I want criticism and outside perspectives, not somebody or something writing my stories for me.
In short, AI may help me BUILD The Work, but it does not decide what The Work IS.
And yes, sometimes an LLM might offer a story idea I never asked for. That doesn't make it part of The Work. I don't ask LLMs to develop my stories, and I don't treat unsolicited suggestions as canon. I decide what belongs in my stories, what gets rejected, and what gets written. The creative decisions are mine.
I do not have the finances. I don't have the bankroll to hire humans and other artists to work with me. I have, historically speaking, had to fucking TWIST arms and take fingernails in order to even get people to fucking beta read for me. You have NO IDEA how frustrating it is to get family and friends, let alone actual fans, in the past, to engage with me beyond a direct mention of “Oh, dude, that ROCKED!” only to never leave a review.
It has never done my paranoia any good to see so many people who have beta read for me in the past only to do nothing else. My paranoia tells me that they are lying. My anger tries my patience.
I stop talking to them.
Your advice about “hurr durr go find the websites where you can get these for free!” is useless. Do not even try, not anymore. I am done with waiting for months on end only to be ghosted. It does NOT serve The Work, nor will it ever (EVERRRRRR!) get the job done.
However, utilizing LLM’s in my workflow HAS gotten the job done.
I am aware of the murky copyright laws. I am aware of the tech bros' dirty laundry and the actual history of these things, however!
I am also aware that there is no ethical consumption in a crony, nepotism-loving hypercapitalist society.
I am Thomas Duder, Author of the Things. I am an Artist. I will use what I will to complete what I can.
Do you dislike this? Okay. Then either give me money or support me enough that I don’t HAVE to use these tools.
I am open to collaboration with just about anyone, and I’m absolutely DOWN to discuss some stuff with you if you hit me up with your own talents!
But I’ll be damned if I’m going to stop because it gives you the ick. I’ll be damned thricewise sideways when hypocrites and Luddites assemble torches and pitchforks against me while actively being one of the millions of people viewing AI video, music, and literature content on the various social media platforms.
I don't fear you peasants, since you can’t even fucking read.
I only fear losing people who have decided to join the Witch Hunt against any and all uses of LLMs without recognizing the difference between AI-assisted and AI-generated work.
I only fear the loss of possible fans who, for whatever reason, do not understand the difference between actual diffusion and actual theft.
I do not fear losing your trust as a consumer.
I fear the loss of your trust in the face of my declaration that you never read me to begin with and would never engage with me otherwise.
So. TL;DR - I’m using AI sometimes for production assets and analytical assistance, but I ain't outsourcing my storytelling. I literally go out of my way to push back when my LLM agents offer story ideas I didn't ask for. An unsolicited suggestion is not a creative instruction, and it sure as hell isn't canon. The Work remains mine to write and direct.
However, if I come to one of my LLM assistants for advice, they provide it. They don't glaze over me, as per my guardrails, and give me an outside perspective I can’t even pretend to have myself.
If you want to get involved with me, then come fuck with me. If you don’t, then stay the fuck out of my way.
Either help me or at least don't hinder me.
And woe betide any who try to hinder me.
I thank you for reading this, even all the way up to this point. Don't be mistaken: this isn't a threat, and I'm not trying to edgelord/badass my way to your graces or some shit.
This is an open request for collaboration, for assistance, and grace.
One of the hardest lessons I had to learn over the past few years was to give MYSELF grace, and despite your misgivings (or the extreme opposite!) regarding the use of GenAI, I am asking for grace from you as well.
I am asking for your understanding, for your interaction, and for your involvement.
Read my works. Play my games. Encourage me. Being entertained by The Work.
Fall for The Work as I have, and together?
We will achieve wonders.
I am Thomas Duder, Author of the Things. I will use LLM’s to the fullest extent I use any tool to complete the work.
Hopefully you’ll understand what I’m talking about.
Sincerely,
Thomas Duder, Author of the Things
P.S. – Y’all have NO idea how many em-dashes (which I’ve never used) or single spaces after a period I have to correct! I also never use colons, but the LLM’s are ABOUT them shits. XD