Life has been crazy the last couple weeks with Welsh Festival and July 4th. I have been pressed for time and the “Grandparents Only” article had not been written. Microsoft Word has a new feature called Co-Pilot, and I wondered just what it could do.  I typed in a short description of Hadley, who is a shopper, and Elle, who loves to tumble, and asked Co-Pilot to write an article ending with “It’s a Good Life.” Ha! I got a compare and contrast article titled “The Dynamic Duo” that was rich in adjectives and alliteration but didn’t sound a bit like me and there was no reference to a Good Life at the end.

Co-Pilot is designed to use artificial intelligence to help generate whatever it is you want to write. Just glancing over the brief instructions, I gathered it could create anything from an interview guide to a vacation shopping list or even a witty blog post. I’m sure I don’t understand the potential of AI, but right now all I see is the dumbing down of the human brain. My brain needs exercise and writing a short description and pushing a button doesn’t strengthen my cognitive function.

I went back and looked over the AI-generated article that failed to incorporate “It’s A Good Life.” There was a little widget at the end of the article which I clicked, and a text box came up asking me what I wanted Co-Pilot (AI) to draft. I typed in something like, “Finish this article with a summary of Hadley and Elle’s strengths and end with ‘It’s a Good Life’.” Here is what I got:

“Though their passions pull them in different directions—one toward the ever-shifting catwalks of fashion, the other into gravity-defying flips and tumbles—Hadley and Elle always find themselves back together, sharing laughter that fills up the spaces between their worlds. It’s this blend of glitter and grit, of style and strength, that makes their sisterhood so extraordinary. Whether they’re celebrating a new pair of boots or a newly mastered handstand, these two know how to cheer each other on, inspire each other, and make even ordinary days feel truly grand. When you’ve got a duo like this, every moment sparkles just a little brighter—and without a doubt it is a good life.”

Well, first of all, I’m not sure “every moment sparkles.” They are human not computer-generated robots. They don’t always cheer each other on and honestly most days are ordinary, but those ordinary days do make for a Good Life! One thing I did notice, AI couldn’t generate “The Good Life” the first time around, it needed additional instruction. Maybe we can all relate to that!