Fluent as an Owl

Somehow, I think anyone can already guess what this post will be about. The keywords "fluent" and "owl" probably gave it away. It would've been even more on-the-nose had I typed "green owl." Hahaha! 🦉 😂🦉

I must admit one thing. The first draft of this post started as a Fool's Errand entry detailing a flashback of my foray into the language-learning app, Duolingo. However, the fact that I've reached more than 1,300 days in the app only means the foolish attempt no longer feels as foolish. Am I right? Thus, it no longer feels appropriate to be in the same category. 🤔

That initial draft was planned to go up more than five months ago. In mid-May, specifically. Sadly, my health went downhill, which led to a long period of recuperation. But why May, one might ask? Well, there were a couple of reasons. Besides being inspired by a video (which I will share below), some unpleasant news made me want to write about this famous linguistic app. As of the time of this writing, that development may not be as fresh. Still, I've decided to build on the draft and turn it into this opinion piece anyway. 😅

Of course, it would be remiss of me not to share my history with Duolingo first. How could I comment, analyze, or perhaps criticize it if I have zero experience with it in the first place? I'm aware that ODD BEHAVIOR seems to be the trend in recent years. People complaining and saying bad things about a topic or product at face value has become the new norm. No, that's not how I roll. My opinion would only feel valid, at the very least to myself, if it’s supported with actual research and experience. 😌🙆🏻‍♂️

So, let's rewind the clock for a bit. My memory may be a bit fuzzy with the details. But I'll do my best to keep it accurate and short.

(Source: Duolingo)

One Flew Over the Curious' Nest

As everyone knows, the world paused in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. My primary job was already happening from home at the time. Therefore, the lockdown didn't quite affect my daily routine. 💻⏳

That said, there was a sudden absence of outdoor escapades I could previously do as I pleased. Strict stay-at-home mandates and all! It opened up my schedule to add an extra task. Learning that people used that window to pursue new academic degrees or other online activities/courses from home intrigued me. Even so, I was (and am) not in a place of privilege where a big financial decision like that could happen with a magical wink. My option was any service that didn't require excessive spending. 📚💸

Besides, my main goal was to challenge myself. “Can I stay loyal and diligent with something that doesn't cost a dime?” Oh, and also, something that's not a GAME! Hahahaha (despite the waning interest, 9 years in Pokémon GO speaks volumes, huh?). That's how Duolingo flew into my radar with its promise of FREE lessons. 📱👀💵

Funnily, it took me around another entire year to finally step into it. During the consideration stage, I kept going back and forth, pondering which language I should choose. English was never considered due to a rather conceited confidence that "I think I'm doing okay in it already." Not that it's the reality, if I'm being fair. Japanese? I had learned it already, albeit only on an entertainment level. German or Dutch? Both were great choices, especially the latter, thanks to my parents' Dutch-influenced upbringing. My Filipino pen pal then suggested Spanish, stating that the language is widely used in many countries, from Spain to Argentina. 🌍🌎

(Source: Thalia)

He made a really great point! Even if not as prominent as in the Philippines and its colonial history, Spanish is a familiar language in my country. Growing up, telenovelas were no strangers on my TV. And the stations never dub the theme songs, keeping them exactly as the original versions. ¿Creo que en todos los espectáculos, no? At the time, I was on a streak of viewing Spanish-language shows and movies as well. Moreover, much like Japanese, the pronunciation (phonetics, phonology, and phonemic orthography) doesn't require excessive adaptation from my mother tongue. 😃👂🏻

And so, in January 2022, I made my official debut in the app. When this post goes up, I should've reached my 1393-day streak. The actual number may be more, considering I've used Streak Freeze several times when my health prevented me from opening the app. But yeah, almost 4 years! Not bad, huh? 😉🤭

(Source: Duolingo App)

The Good to Hoot

Has the progress been worth the time and effort, though? That's likely the biggest question about Duolingo as a service. After all, Duolingo isn't the only language-learning platform in the virtual space. Besides other global and country-specific alternatives, non-digital methods of language studies are also available in various centers, offering experience with native coaches. 😲👱🏼‍♀️👨

I find it somewhat hard to answer that question because it inevitably cannot be objective. Frankly speaking, though? Duolingo certainly has its charms and addictive side, though it's nowhere near perfect for my taste. Let's focus on the technical for now. 🤔🤷🏻‍♂️

(Source: Duolingo App)

Arguably, by design, Duolingo gamifies language learning by making the process feel less like a strict or rigid classroom. Early on, the app relies on common words and daily sentences that give a casual touch. It then repeats the same lines— sometimes exactly, sometimes with a change in delivery or a flipped scenario. Generally, we fill in the blanks with the missing words or verbally say them to the microphone. Later on, we translate those same sentences again, either within the same level or as part of a future review. By the time we reach that point, the app expects us to have memorized it already. 😅

Learners go through each Level, consisting of 1 to 6 Lessons. The Lessons cover the four core language skills: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. A group of Levels completes a Unit. Every one or two Units, the app boosts the Language Score. The Score is a new feature debuting early this year, available once Learners clear a certain number of Units. 🏃🏻🎯

Accumulated XP (Experience Points) can eventually be used to purchase items in the Shop. Each day, Learners receive three Quests to clear. The points from those then build up to a Monthly Badge, which serves as a milestone and collectible bragging rights. Achievement Medals? Yep, those, too! It really does play out like a game. 🃏🖥

Social interactions add to the process. If that's not obvious enough, the nonstop ads promoting the paid Family Plan (which doesn't really require actual family members) will! Each week, Learners engage in a Friends Quest to tackle a shared task. Friends Streak, a newly added feature, allows learners to enlist up to five close friends to have mutual encouragement to learn together. I'm grateful to have found good, diligent friends to handle this. Alas, there's a caveat to this social aspect. More on that later. 🧑🏻‍🤝‍🧑🏻👫🏻

As part of the larger community, the weekly Leaderboard randomly puts up to 30 learners to compete for ranks in a gem-named League. Diamond, the highest rank of all, then has a Tournament Mode that filters top-learners and pits them to win more prizes besides bragging rights. Again, Duolingo treats study progress like a fun game, either solo, with friends, or among other learners. 💎💯🥇

Have I mentioned the app has colorful and diverse characters that guide learners through their lessons? 😂

(Source: Fans of Duolingo)

Boo-hoo, Señor Buho!

Roughly one year after entering the Duolingo circle, the app greeted me with some surprising news. Two learners, Amanda Lopez and Rob Ciesielski, met on the app as fellow learners around 2021. Eventually, they interacted off-app, became a couple, and tied the knot in January 2023! I suppose I was too focused on my lessons and collecting Top-3 Finisher Streak that I didn't realize that was possible. People had photo profiles and could exchange messages on the app after all. Hahahaha. 💍💒

Yet, merely five months later, Duolingo introduced a new Avatar feature that somehow prevented, if not outright canceled, more potential romance stories. The Avatar turns learners into an animated character, eliminating their previous profile photos. Of course, it's still possible for friends to extend their interaction beyond the learning app and see how each other looks in real life. But love at first sight may be a bit harder to accomplish now. 😒🤡

Besides, posting comments has also been moderated. I've repeatedly experienced my comments on friends’ successes vanishing for no clear reason. Speaking of, the Friend Streak bit I mentioned above is great on paper. But guess what? The harmless reminder we can send them may sound rude and passive-aggressive! I've been in a situation where one friend apologized to me nonstop, saying sorry for making me angry. That incident left me puzzled until I realized the cause. All I did was push a Nudge button, yet it triggered Duolingo to send an angry reminder. 🔉😱

Simply put, the social aspect is nice. But the execution can be confusing. Whoever decided that's a good thing to do? 😟

THAT's my recurring issue with Duolingo, really. Its team behind it likes to make changes, but also questionable decisions. Updating software is nothing new, and as an app, Duolingo does that too. Some changes are good. Even Duo, the mascot, didn't look as cute as we know now. Then again, not every update sparks supportive reactions. Around November 2022, for example, the team altered the tree-like lesson structure into a path-sequence format. While it didn't bother me as much, the shift did alienate older learners who had already established a learning style in the tree approach. 🚷😤

Such an adverse reaction is understandable. The recent July 2025 update is a good example that hit me personally. The team decided to eliminate the Heart system and turn it into Energy. Megan Ellis of Android Authority explains how the new system works. In summary, though, it's all about monetization. 🤑

I'm not surprised that Ellis and a horde of others are feeling uneasy, if not strongly, about this. At first, it also seemed harmless to me. Yet, over time, the Energy system has slowly discouraged me from doing and completing any actual lessons. Going through the lessons becomes so unpleasant that I definitely won't achieve my monthly goal of increasing my Spanish Score by one. 😔

Before, I could clear 10 to 20 lessons per day simply by trying to land a perfect score. After all, the Heart system only requires a refill by watching ads once a Learner depletes it completely. That means, the Hearts can last numerous Lessons by being careful enough. With the Energy system? I tested this last night and noticed that 25 Energy per day only lasts for 3 Lessons, assuming the Learner doesn't make many mistakes. Afterward, we have to recharge by watching several ads, which, in my case, breaks the rhythm of learning for too long. 🥱🙄

I may be wrong, but the Energy system seems to encourage Free learners to watch more ads if they want to learn more in a day. Or, to cave in and upgrade to Super Duolingo, which rewards Unlimited Energy. Can you guess where I’m heading with this? Yeah, this change feels implicitly ANTI-Free users. I won't be surprised if Duolingo eventually turns into a fully paid app and is no longer available for Free. The updated official term used on its webpages has changed to "Free to install" anyway. 😐

There's a bigger issue at hand, of course. Content creator Evan Edinger shared in the video below five months ago. It served as the reason the draft of this post came to be. The video was a response to the startling news that Duolingo was turning into an AI-first company. 🤖😨

(Source: Evan Edinger)

Much like Edinger's stance on AI, I'm neither a proponent nor a detractor of the service. Similarly, despite my fewer years of experience in the app compared to him, I could sense the small changes that he mentioned. The overall goal of this "AI-First" move seems, once again, to be profit. Luis von Ahn, the CEO and co-founder, has even patted himself on the back through the company's news page, saying, 

"Developing our first 100 courses took about 12 years, and now, in about a year, we’re able to create and launch nearly 150 new courses. This is a great example of how generative AI can directly benefit our learners."

Yikes! Sorry to admit, but reading von Ahn’s words about that "150 new courses in a year" only raises my concern. I'm not averse to them using AI. But relying too much on AI means losing the human touch. And language, as far as I know, is a deeply human thing that thrives on voice and emotion. No matter how much AI can replicate it to "look like" one, there's always a missing human factor in it. Loads of em dashes instead! 😖🙅🏻‍♂️

(Source: Duolingo App)

Is Migration Truly Mandatory?

Okay, let's not go into the AI argument altogether. As a learning app, the most important goal for Duolingo to achieve is really just one. To motivate people to learn. Using that benchmark, has it soared high or ruffled a few (green) feathers? Hmmm... 🤔

From a personal standpoint, it's yet another case of “it depends.” On the one hand, I do sense benefits from taking the lessons. Even so, I'm still wondering if I have gotten better, or at least made any real progress. This sentiment applies not just to Spanish, my main Course, but the other three that I added after: Dutch, which has been the most inactive; Japanese, the third language, driven by my curiosity about how high my previous autodidact process would score; and the newest addition, Music. 🎼🎹

(Source: Duolingo)

Music is not really completely new in Duolingo. It has been around since October 2023. That said, international users like me could only start using it around March. In a way, I was a bit late getting into the groove. Heck, I even wanted to use that for a separate Fool's Errand post earlier this year. 😅🎶

Honestly, I enjoyed it during the early Units. Now? Not so much. 😟

Maybe it's my phone that cannot support the lesson smoothly? I've been experiencing weird tempo lags that easily fail me every time I start a new song. It makes me question whether my understanding of rhythm and how to keep up with a song's tempo is awkwardly awful. After all, the notes I play tend to receive the LATE, TOO SLOW, TOO FAST, and other discouraging remarks. But when I replay the level, the sound I hear on my earphones no longer comes too early or too late. My timing was good all along. 🎧😑

Sadly, such a dubious doubt lingers on, as I still can't tell if my music skills have improved or not. Does the course jump too quickly to sharp notes without clearly explaining what they represent? Are the modern pop songs (which exist mainly to promote Super Duolingo) even helping with the practice? 😩😵

(Source: Duolingo App)

The same applies to the language Courses, too. In an earlier video this year, Evan Edinger shared his experience after reaching a 2000-day streak on the Spanish Course. What he said, once again, struck a chord. And not the Duolingo's delayed one! 😲

I can relate to what Edinger stated early on about the state of his Spanish skills at that point. "Can I understand this sentence? 100%. Could I communicate this way?" He then summed up, "I can have practical conversations, but I'm still far from native fluency." 😳👍🏻

To Edinger, it's an honest impression. To me? It's more like a frustration that I've shared with my Spanish-speaking pen pals. I want to be able to use Spanish to actually communicate with them in their language. For now, I can read and understand the gist of Spanish texts quite well. The same applies, though less confidently, for hearing dialogues in Spanish. But writing, more so speaking? My mind just checks out. 😫🤯

The fact that I still need to rely on ChatGPT to translate my letters definitely negates that target. And don't get me started on the different vocabulary used by different countries. Perhaps after a 600-day streak from now, once I'm around Edinger's current progress, that nagging doubt might "feel" different? 🤦🏻‍♂️

My sentiment, which is in line with Edinger's, isn't even new. Other videos online echo similar reactions that the language skills they build with Duolingo "don't sound natural." Oh, goodness me! It's never a personal issue all along! 😅

This is even more apparent in non-mainstream languages, such as Japanese or Mandarin. As Edinger pointed out, Courses for English, Spanish, French, and German have always had better content. It makes sense, considering Duolingo is based in the US, geographically closer to those languages. That’s why Japanese-native content creators, like Let's Ask Shogo, are shaking, if not scratching their heads, seeing the Duolingo Course's content and choice of words. Even during my Japanese lesson, I've consulted with my brother, who has an academic background in Japanese, several times about lines that simply sound... off. 😶

Without trying to discourage fellow Learners, it's a bitter truth we must accept. If we are truly serious about mastering a foreign language, Duolingo alone is NOT enough. Duolingo's accessibility and availability aspects are convenient, yes, especially for those who don't mind the repeated ads popping up after each lesson. That's how we "pay" for the service, making it seem "free." Unfortunately, to reach a more advanced stage, to sound natural? Duolingo may not have what it takes. We may need to migrate to warmer grounds to further expand our horizons and escape the stagnant chills. 🕊🦢

(Source: Duolingo App)

Doesn't Take a Duo

Why not just ditch Duolingo completely, then? Well, yes, that option is on the table. 😁

Nevertheless, to be fair, the app does implement handy features that motivate the learning experience. In his video, Shogo praised the Daily Streak approach. He does have a valid point, as that gentle push may inspire Learners to take at least one lesson regularly. While not every change applied to Duolingo is pleasant, some may work brilliantly to suit one's needs. The app’s attempt to diversify content and keep it exciting is admirable. I mean, they just released a short anime adaptation, for crying out loud! 😱

(Source: Duolingo App)

The Japanese Course, for example, has underwhelming Listening Lessons so far. The separate kana and kanji practice tab, on the other hand? It is delightfully helpful for non-native speakers like me who have limited exposure to the language's writing system and even orthography. I found myself breezing through basic Hiragana reading tests, having done regular kana reading and stroke practices on Duolingo. 📝🖌

No doubt, the risk of burnout will continue to loom large anyway. That happens to anything in life, naturally. It's easy to stumble upon comments on social media expressing how tedious and repetitive the Duolingo experience can be. Contrary to the playful animation below, no passive-aggressive notification or enraged-looking Duo on the app Icon could fix that! 😅 

(Source: Duolingo)

Ultimately, it all comes back to personal learning style and goal. The challenge, as Edinger pointed out through his video, is making it a habit. "It's that hard part of starting," he emphasized. "Just start a little bit, you'll find yourself learning a bit more," he shared his approach. Consistency is the keyword.

Learners just need to discover what inspires them to keep going. Code-switching may not be advisable. However, to some people, including yours truly, it does help to stay active in the app. Moving from Spanish to Japanese, then to Music the next day, adds variety and dispels fatigue to my learning process. Although that may explain why my Spanish is still far from sub-par, at least I'm sensing a slight growth in my Japanese character reading now. 🤓

Maybe it's the Leaderboard Leagues feature that can act as a key driving force? I've seen people who have become hell-bent on winning by any means necessary. Even my diligent, high-scoring Japanese friend was surprised to see others skyrocketing with thousands of XP above her. Still, if that method works for them, then why not? 🤷🏻‍♂️

To me, the Leagues no longer become a priority. Trying to maintain a Top 3 streak dragged me to massive exhaustion instead. I soon realized it distracted me from the actual learning goal while speeding up my burnout. So, much to my Duolingo friend's robust ribbing, I've switched my mindset and am now content in progressing Super Slowly (like Snail-level slow) in the less-demanding Obsidian League. Black is more of my color anyway. 🐌🐌🐌🎱

(Source: Duolingo)

For AI believers? There's also the new Duolingo MAX version that comes with AI support. It's certainly catering to those demographics, yes. Yet again, upgrading to Super or Max depends on the Learner's situation. If they have more free time to learn and use the app, and have reaped actual benefits from its lesson style? Then upgrading will streamline the process. The same goes if machine interaction feels like a safer or more comfortable option than talking with a live tutor. 📱💻

Personally speaking, learning from a native speaker teacher, either in real life or an online course, may be a wiser choice for my money. Especially if the cost falls within a similar range. The interaction may help improve some key skills, such as speaking and communication, that Duolingo lacks. As I wrote earlier, that kind of human touch could never be replaced. 👨🏼‍🏫👫🏻

Another effective alternative? If the resource is available, learn it where the language is needed on a daily basis! Being in an environment that "forces" us to apply and practice the language usually helps a lot. My aunt had no prior knowledge of Hokkien Chinese growing up. Her marriage to my Malaysian Chinese uncle changed that. Now, it feels like Hokkien has always been her natural speech. My former Korean American colleague? He always interacted with his neighbors and local people, and now sounds flawless conversing in this city’s regional dialect. Using the language in real life is the surefire way to master it. 😏☺️

(Source: Only Murders in the Building Season 5 Episode 10, Hulu, 20th Television)

***

Languages will always fascinate me. Even if many of them are not so simple to study (looking at you, French and Mandarin!), they continue to remind me that the world is vast, diverse, and rich in unique colors. It’s a firm nudge that there are many things I don't know! With that in mind, I will keep learning (as long as Duolingo remains "free" in some ways, or via other tools) and exploring them all. 😀

Achieving language fluency is a continuous process, and I may not get there as quickly as I hope. But at least I can take pride in knowing one fact. Unlike the real, bold-feathered Buho, this bilingual Bo-hoy has more to hoot beyond "Who...? Who...! Whoooooo?!" 🦉😝🦉

(Source: Duolingo)

Or, "WA-BING, WA-BING, WA-BING-BING-DIIIIING." 😂

Fake or Fine Work? To AI or Not to AI

If you've been on social media recently—in my case, Threads—you probably have noticed this type of post spreading like swarms of bees to a field of flowers.

(Source: ChatGPT)

YES, that is supposedly me, actually. It's the result of jumping on the bandwagon of the "Make your own stickers" trend. With some extra steps, anyone can excitedly embed and publicly parade the cute visual attachments on communication channels like WhatsApp and Telegram. 😏

Wait, you're telling me you've never heard of it? And you are curious to try! 😲

Feel free to use this super simple Prompt you can copy and paste (like how I merely copy-pasted it from the first post I saw 😅) to OpenAI's ChatGPT. 

"Create a 3D kawaii a 10:16 canvas featuring nine chibi-style stickers in various outfits, poses, and expressions. Use the attached image for reference. Each sticker has a white border and includes a speech bubble with regular use phrases. Set on a soft white-to-pastel blue gradient background for a fun, positive vibe, perfect for WhatsApp use."

So far, I've tried this on ChatGPT, Meta AI, and Google Gemini. ChatGPT, with the most up-to-date engine, seems to deliver better, if not actual, results. Meta AI randomly made up something I didn't even want. Google Gemini? It simply balked at me, as usual, saying, "I am sorry, but I am unable to create images. I cannot fulfill your request to create a 3D kawaii image." Hahaha. 😅🤦🏻‍♂️

What's that, you say? Microsoft Copilot?

Yeah, I tried that, too. But Microsoft Copilot instantly blurred out my face as if it were a forbidden NSFW body part of an adult-oriented image. And then it went on to CORRECT THE GRAMMAR of the Prompt instead. 😌

No. I'm NOT even kidding. 😅

Maybe if I use the Paid, instead of the Free version... 🤔

Anyway, the point is, it was a fun stunt. Useful, even! It adds a flimsy fun to communication with family or friends. But the question that arises from this is written in this writing's title. Can this be considered as a FINE work, or, instead, a FAKE work? 😳🤔

Considering I used my personal selfie and uploaded it to the service with full consent? I'd argue it leans more towards the FINE aspect. Still, upon thinking that I didn't do anything besides uploading the photo and copy-pasting some words? It can also constitute FAKE. Right? 😐🙅🏻‍♂️

This is just one simple sample of how Artificial Intelligence, or AI, for short, has altered the world in recent years. Admittedly, I always hesitated to use AI before. I think it was in 2023 that a mutual acquaintance on social media expressed concern over AI taking over people's work. I assured my acquaintance that no matter how advanced technology grows, it would and could not replicate humanity, nor the heart and soul one can infuse into a work. The human touch! 🧚🏻‍♂️🤍🙆🏻‍♂️

Afterward, I carried on my days holding on to that belief. But then last year, in February 2024, my pen pal from Taiwan persuaded me to try the service. He and his partner had been using ChatGPT to assist their gaming and work. My pen pal said something along the lines of, "Hey, why not turn ChatGPT into your invisible assistant?" 😉

Driven by sheer curiosity, I jumped headfirst into the service. Was it helpful with my work, as my pen pal proposed? Well, yes and no. Yes, because it helped me produce the content I wanted much faster. But also no, because the original content was messy and needed to be verified for consistency with older data, not just from a few months before! Sometimes, the consistency check went back to years prior, which required manual checks using actual examination and literal asking. 😩🙇🏻‍♂️

Note: Now that I think of it more. That arduous manual hurdle may have become very possible to pull off now, actually. I can think of a workaround to bypass the process and streamline it. Basically, I can teach the AI service to imitate my thinking approach. My work is text-based, after all... 🤔

I would be lying if I said I stopped using AI due to that disappointing twist. Quite the contrary, I found an effective use of it. What's that? Helping me subtitle my letter into another language! This refers to the context of my pen pal correspondences. 📧😃👍🏻

Before, I exchanged letters with them using English, regardless of whether none of us spoke that language natively. Now, my letters are delivered in a bilingual format! The main reply remains written in English. But I also include an AI-assisted transliteration in my pen pal's native language and words (e.g., Spanish, Arabic, etc.). This way, my pen pal will not need to translate my letter upon receiving it, as I've already done the task for them. Of course, not all pen pals approve of this method (due to the similar hesitance I used to have). But for the rest who are okay with it, I feel our correspondence has been more convenient. 😆🙌🏻

Hold your horses! Are you suggesting or assuming that means I'm asking AI to write THIS blog/essay that you're reading, too? 🤨

Well, what do you think? Hahaha. 😏

The answer is NO. A definite 100% NO. Even if I use AI, I will not accept such a cheat, as the result may alter the individual characteristics and style of my writing completely. Besides, as many have also pointed out, AI services have specific patterns and even vocabularies they keep using repeatedly. Trust me, the more time you spend using ChatGPT or Google Gemini, the easier it will be to spot any work created with one. "Ethereal," anyone? The word "Tapestry" dropped here and there? Hahaha. 😅

But I'll be frank. I do ask AI to perform one and only one thing: To professionally review my writing afterward and offer suggestions for improvements that I may consider and implement in my next writing. Honestly, we can tweak AI to write a neutral response when we ask it to examine our text-based works. More importantly, it can analyze and compare our creative results to other online resources and pinpoint our strengths and weaknesses. 🔎📃😀

Yes, I can and I do ask the opinions of other people, too. Even so, whoever I ask, the response will always come with a biased or subjective preference. Every human being has a set of subjectivity embedded internally, for better or worse. Friends or family who already know me? They are used to my writing style and may not offer blatant criticism out of compassion—unless they are Dutch? Hahaha. ✌🏻😜

A random stranger may be more subjective. Then again, will they provide constructive criticism if they don't know me, and, as such, couldn't care less about my growth? Despite having its unique biased tendency, AI has no will or conscience. Hence, it can bypass that subjectivity angle. Best of all, the response will be produced in minutes. ⏱🤯

Okay, you're not convinced that this blog post isn't AI-generated? 😒

In that case, I told Google Gemini to read my previous blog posts and write a paragraph about "apples." Here's the generated result:

"Apples. They're just there. In bowls, on counters, in those plastic bags that always seem too big. You buy them. Thinking, 'healthy.' You bite. It's fine. Sometimes, it's a little mealy. Sometimes, it's surprisingly crisp. The skin sticks in your teeth. You tell yourself it's fiber. You consider making a pie. Then, you remember you don't actually like making pies. More dishes. More time. Time you don't have. You eat another apple. Because it's there. Because it's something. Because, well, fruit. You throw the core away. It hits the bottom of the trash with a dull thud. Another thing done. Or, not done. Just...processed."

So, what do you think? Did Google Gemini's generated essay resemble this writing? 😅

The vibe feels different, somehow. Would you agree? 😌

And, seriously, a word like "crisp" or a phrase like "dull thud" may not even pop up naturally in my head. That part alone is already telling me "That's NOT me." ✋🏻😬

(Source: My YouTube channel)

Besides acting as a reviewer, nowadays, I've been regularly using AI for the videos posted on my YouTube channel. As you may have noticed, I write/type a lot. ChatGPT helps to shorten the description I've prepared to fit the word limits. Meanwhile, Google Gemini helps to produce visuals (like the one I included above). For the record, my YouTube page is a "Music Diary," a song cover channel. That means the AI image I generate merely helps depict a visual I feel can represent the song choice. 🎵😁

My reason for doing so is that AI services usually do not (maybe it can, but I don't know how) generate the same carbon-copy result of the same Prompt. That makes each visual unique in its own way. To prevent the AI from stealing the likeness of a random person, the visual I instruct generally hides the person's face. This way, the visual, hopefully, has not violated anyone's privacy or copyright properties, since the content or elements inside those images are not and never were real. 😲🙏🏻

Hmmm...

That's where things get a little murky and complicated, though. Because if we're speaking about copyright, the fact at hand is that AI has become and still IS a genuine concern. There's a valid reason why many people have openly voiced, sounding the alarms to not let AI "steal" their jobs. That well-known 148-day WGA strike, followed by a 118-day SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023? It included AI on the list of its demands, citing how it can one day replace actors and writers' creative presence. Research and analysis on how AI is unleashing copyright infringement risks can be found often. For example, you can watch this insightfully alarming video posted by CNA Insider or thorough reporting by 60 Minutes. 

(Source: CNA Insider)

(Source: 60 Minutes)

Think of it this way. Generative AI is called that way for a reason. It doesn't generate things out of thin air. Generative AI uses the vast collection of information circulating around cyberspace instead. It studies and learns from blog posts, journals, photography snaps, artwork, and designs that people have uploaded, are uploading, and will upload on social media. We are TOO accustomed to sharing things so casually, giving away the privacy of those materials in mere minutes. Therefore, ANY AI services will have access to those for their learning process. 😟🤷🏻‍♂️

Hold on. Have I been feeding AI data surrounding my likeness by uploading my photos, then? Am I teaching them to write like me, simply by posting on my blog?😱🤦🏻‍♂️

The answer to such rhetoric is, unfortunately, YES. Well, to be fair, I know FULL WELL that putting this blog out there means exposing myself to the public. In a way, it IS my desire to share my opinion or rants with the world. 😅

But I'm not gonna lie. The thought that someone, somewhere, out there, has just generated an essay based on my writing style for his/her school homework, or created an imaginary image who looks a lot like me in real life? It does feel creepy. 😰

Furthermore, it will take them only a few minutes to pull off using several jumbled sentences that don't even need to be grammatically accurate (remember the Kawaii Chibi Prompt that Microsoft Copilot fixed above?). AI services CAN do that. The result may look super FINE. But no matter how we see it, it's FAKE and not real. 🙄🤷🏻‍♂️

Just take a look at this example below. 👀

(Source: Google Gemini)

I played around on Google Gemini to create that image, describing the details of the scene and the person, including the precise clothing the person wore. 

Ugh, Google Gemini is a PAIN to work with. Then again, after repeated attempts, a better result eventually came out. If I show that photo above to my family members? They might likely wonder, "When did you travel to the beach? Where was it?" That's an almost spitting image of how I look daily! 😳

Where did I make that image? With my phone, lazing on my bed, wearing none of those clothes. 🙄🤦🏻‍♂️

One day, when AI has reached its higher form, it may even replace the needs of certain people altogether. Mythic Quest poked fun at this in the second episode of its fourth and final season. Poppy Li and Ian Grimm, the two lead characters, created AI bots of themselves to work with one another while the real people focused on their private time elsewhere. 😂🤭

Meanwhile, a year ago, Abbott Elementary's third season included a similar AI twist on its ninth episode. But while it was an enjoyable episode, I agree with the sentiment that it failed to touch on or at least reflect on the bigger situation. AI usage has been an ongoing, or should I add, dilemmatic, topic of discussion in the academic field. 😤😐🙄

As a former educator, I knew firsthand the creative ways students would go to lengths to make their learning "easier." Based on friends who are still actively teaching, those methods have persisted, if not evolved, in modern times. Thus, I can relate to the concerns discussed in the article. Having a handy AI that's mere button clicks and Prompts away will make any school assignment easier. Will that reduce the students' capabilities for creative thinking? 😬😨

Some schools have taken serious action for this. Heck, countries like Singapore and Australia even went deeper to the root of the issue. While AI might not be their primary goal, the ease of online access would inevitably lead to AI usage anyway. I must admit, I agree with their approach, allowing modern kids to spend their childhood beyond the shackles of virtual confinement. 🤔👍🏻

Note: The irony is that a local, popular, private school went all in on using AI during their education fair, promoting it heavily. That was undeniably an unsettling experience to see. 😱 

Yet, on the other side of the equation, you probably have sensed a growing market for AI courses. This CNET article, teaching us to be better and more efficient at using AI services, is a good example. It was figuratively thrown into my eyes on January 23 by Google, which somehow loves recommending things to me (due to using Google Gemini?). Just now, YouTube shoved ads for several AI learning centers to my face. I wasn't even looking for it. 😐🤦🏻‍♂️

 AI is everywhere. To state otherwise would be massive misinformation or dumb denials. We've heard how Pokémon GO has been accused of making players train Niantic's Geospatial AI. Duolingo now enforces AI to enhance practice sessions through its new paid subscription, Duolingo Max. Do you know the free, online Digital Audio Workstation BandLab? It has a handy AI feature called Voice Cleaner that can theoretically allow you to record vocals even in the noisiest environment. I admit, I'm super curious to try it if it's not locked behind the premium subscription plan. My point is AI can help people do A LOT of things that might warrant many, longer years to manually complete, such as upscaling a movie to 16K resolution—even if the result may end up in an uncanny valley experience. 😅

So, how should we approach this whole AI approach? Is it really beneficial for us, or should the dark, terrifying side scare us instead? That's a question that will be answered differently, depending on our subjective stance on the matter. 🙆🏻‍♂️🤔🙅🏻‍♂️

In reality, ANYTHING in this world, even the simplest object like a pebble on the road, can be used for good or bad. A pebble can be stacked to build a sturdy wall or used as a weapon to attack smaller living beings. Don't forget the Biblical story of David using a mere pebble to defeat Goliath and bring victory to his country, while stepping on a random one on the street could make us lose balance, fall, and even fracture a femur. It truly depends on HOW we utilize them—for a benevolent business or malevolent means. 🙂🤷🏻‍♂️

The same applies to AI, which, no matter the ginormous level of processing, is still very much a human invention. What if we enforce AI to assist or streamline our work, WITHOUT ever losing our distinct signature footprint? Then I arguably agree that the AI and the result CAN be considered FINE work. Still, human beings being human, such a mindset isn't always the case, huh? People end up exploiting AI, such as the issue of students skipping work to complete homework, without maintaining their sense of personality in the results. That's the aspect I'm not too fond of, honestly. With proper management, even an AI-assisted result CAN still retain our unique human signatures. 👏🏻😌

A brush in the hand of a regular laborer is used to paint walls. But in the hands of an artist, it can create a masterpiece that may sell for millions. Maybe we should consider AI the same way. Instead of treating it as a tool to do the work dirty, it should be optimized to enhance or enrich our work. As a well-known tech inventor once said, "It's not the tools that you have faith in—tools are just tools. They work, or they don't work. It's people you have faith in or not."

Lastly, I agree with Professor Graham Morehead's wisely stated and advised words in his WIRED "AI Support" video.

"You gotta think about AI as your expert friend who knows a lot, but has some bad misconceptions. So you don't trust everything. If I were you, I would use it a lot and trust it very little."

(Source: WIRED on YouTube)

I encourage you to watch that video as Prof. Morehead talks casually and simplistically about everything AI. If you're like me and occasionally think that AI is dumb (lack of consistency as I noted above) or oddly biased? There IS an answer to that! Prof. Morehead also covered the origin of AI (which started as far as 1956!!), the ways their thinking processes are FINE-tuned, the difference from Machine Learning, how to spot their FAKE-ness, what it logically lacks, and many more—including the potential if not possibility for even more advanced future applications.

With that, it feels apt to end this post with another perfect, well-crafted statement from Prof. Morehead (he had so many, it's hard to choose. Did I just become his fan? Hahaha 😃).

"It's gonna be harder and harder to avoid AI. AI is everywhere... 

You don't have to use AI, you can live your life and write your own essays, do your own homework. And I encourage you to do that."

Yes, I WILL, Professor! Most definitely. 🙋🏻‍♂️

And, well, would you look at that! I didn't even need AI to respond... 😆👍🏻  

(Source: ChatGPT)