There's been a good discussion in last week's post about SL creators debating whether they should use gen AI in their content, with a pro-AI position from "SatanicPanic":
1.If someone prefers not to use a ConvAI bot, they are entirely free to make that decision. Forcing others to conform to this preference, however, infringes on individual autonomy. Technology should remain a personal choice, not a mandate.
2. Prohibiting individuals from using AI tools as part of their creative process is not only absurd but also counterproductive. Such restrictions amount to extreme gatekeeping, stifling innovation and creativity. Many creators rely on AI to streamline their workflows, whether it’s generating textures, brainstorming ideas, or automating repetitive tasks. Denying them access to these tools forces them to waste valuable time and resources on manual alternatives, which could otherwise be spent on refining their craft.
3. Preventing platforms like Second Life from utilizing AI in their development processes is an incredibly short-sighted move. AI has the potential to accelerate development cycles by automating complex processes, analyzing data more efficiently, and enabling developers to focus on higher-level tasks. By rejecting these advancements, the development process becomes unnecessarily slower and more cumbersome, ultimately harming both developers and users.
The behavior of certain anti-AI groups has reached an alarming level of hostility and irrationality. These individuals have turned their opposition into a form of crusade, engaging in online witch hunts to expose anyone suspected of using AI tools. This behavior not only disrupts the lives of creators but also fosters a toxic environment that discourages innovation and collaboration. In many ways, this movement resembles a quasi-religious ideology, complete with its own skewed moral framework that vilifies technological progress.
I fully expect the next meeting for ConvAI bots to be filled with a bunch of protestors, unaware of what they are even talking about.
No word on protestors against ConvAI bots yet but I'm still looking!
I do definitely see some level of hostility around AI that's out of control. For one thing "artificial intelligence" is a broad, broad umbrella that includes applications that have been in virtual worlds for years without any objection.
There are also use cases of gen AI that seem generally non-controversial. When I wrote about the image to 3D mesh AI converter (above), for example, I noted that many SL merchants would find it useful for rapid prototyping purposes. (I.E. "Hey fam, before I go through the trouble of creating/rigging/branding it, would you even want a shoe like this in SL?")
Would anyone be against that use case?
Further, the idea that Gen AI will "take people's jobs" is still far from proven. Like I've pointed out before, the US unemployment rate remains low (though that's changed recently for totally unrelated, Elon-flavored reasons), and Gen AI's promise to make creativity much more rapid and cost effective is very much lacking any substantial examples.
In any case, I'm planning to run a short survey on the topic soon, and am open to suggestions on questions to ask. For instance:
Do you support requiring any item in the SL Marketplace using gen AI to include a "uses gen AI" tag in the description and product images?
What other questions would you like a survey on use of AI in virtual world platforms to include?
Wagner James Au / New World Notes 
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