The Inevitable Compleat Star Trek Do-Over

1. Human civilization is likely to reach a level of technological maturity such that creative individuals will be capable of using generative AI and other software tools to create brand new episodes of Star Trek independently. 
2. Given the number of Star Trek fans obsessed with canon, some number of Star Trek fans will re-create selected episodes of the show(s), changing them only to correct continuity errors. 
3. A subset of these creative, technologically savvy Star Trek fans will be obsessed enough with visual continuity that they will redo visual effects and create virtual sets, costumes, props, and actors such that shows originally produced during different decades of the 20th and 21st centuries will be completely recreated so that shows produced decades apart but set within the same fictional time period (for example, Star Trek and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds) will be remade to be completely visually consistent, from exterior starship shots to costume designs to actor appearances.  
4. Given the rate of advances in computing power and generative AI capabilities, we can expect to see a Compleat Star Trek free of continuity errors before the end of the 21st century, extending from prequel Star Trek: Enterprise to the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and all the shows in between (and forthcoming). 
   

The question of whether or not this is a good thing is left as an exercise to the reader. 

A Man and His KITT KARR

Here we have Michael Knight, painted using some of Jeff's tips from the past few days (though not all, as sometimes I'll have painted figures, like this one, before Jeff generously offers updated advice). I'm happy with the clothes and very pleased with small details such as his belt buckle, jacket zipper, and eyebrows. The skin is smoother than usual, and while I couldn't quite create a convincing set of lips, you can see a hint of smirk nonetheless. 

I painted KITT some time ago, but now, at last, he has a pal and partner. 
 

A Singular(ity) Prophet

 

Badda Bing, Badda Kaboom

If you're following the news today, you may have seen some stories about bizarre responses from Bing's new ChatGPT-enabled search function, currently limited to a cadre of test users. 

Simon Willison's blog outlines the weirdest responses. It's a fun read, and somewhat chilling, too. Some of Bing's responses result from users testing the boundaries of the software, and some of that testing, were it being conducted on a person, would be defined as bullying, even tormenting. Yes, it's only software. But what if one day it's not? 

I'm the very farthest thing from an expert on AI or computer software, but I know people who understand such systems fairly well, and I'm certain they would say that we need to avoid anthropomorphizing Microsoft Bing. While the test-phase iteration of Bing seems to be getting argumentative with some users and simulating bouts of depression, anger, and even existential crisis, it's still just software. 

Even so, the stuff that Bing has been writing to some people recently really highlights the difficulties of creating language learning models that can actually function as intended. More importantly, if at some point in the future a true general artificial intelligence arises, we need to lay the groundwork now for how we can interact with it in a kind, compassionate, and respectful way. 

I'm rambling a bit because I've long been excited about the potential of AI. Having grown up on science fiction, I naturally love to imagine a world of helpful, smart, funny, and kind robots and computers. But can flawed humanity create something better than ourselves, or will our creations inevitably have the same fatal flaws that we do? 

To Hinton in a Handcart

 

Billions and Billions of Iterations of Carl Sagan

I think Carl Sagan would be fascinated by the (what appears to be) sudden explosion of AI capability. Despite many prompts I couldn't get Stable Diffusion to get Carl's face really correct, but it came close, and I think the spirit shines through. 

Albert Einstein

Here are some images of Albert Einstein generated by Stable Diffusion in response to my carefully crafted (!) prompts. 

The Grapefruits of Wrath

I found a way to run Stable Diffusion on my own PC rather than using the various web hosting services. My first prompt was "A grapefruit contemplates the meaning of life, oil painting in the style of Michaelangelo and DaVinci." I wasn't pleased with the first result. Not only does it look as if the AI merely cropped out a slice of existing, human-painted work, it doesn't capture my intent. 

So I rendered the same prompt again, and Stable Diffusion came up with this much more pleasing (?) result. 

Captain Kirk of Earth-2022

AI art is getting wackier/scarier/more amazing by the day, it seems. My prompt for this was "Captain Kirk goes over Niagara Falls in a barrel, oil painting in the style of DaVinci." This result is not at all what I had in mind, and yet it's somehow arresting. (Interpret that adjective however you see fit.) Made with Stable Diffusion's DreamStudio. 
 

Tornado vs Rollercoaster

Middle left is my favourite, because it actually includes a tornado. 
 

The Three Stooges vs Bruce Lee, According to Craiyon

Middle left and middle right come closest to my anarchic vision, but AI still has a long, long way to go...
 

Putin on the Ritz

Upper right is my favourite. Ha ha ha! 
 

Dawn of the Planet of the Robots

 

This afternoon, my friend Jeff texted this foreboding story to some of his friends, including my brother and me. 

Jeff: "If the kid stopped picking his nose and touching the chess pieces, this would not have happened." 

Earl: "'Righteous Robot Puts Brat in His Place' would have been a good headline'" 

Sean: "I hope the robot was saying 'Checkmate' over and over as he crushed the finger" 

Earl: "LOL"

Earl: "CHECKMATE--PUNY HUMAN" 

Sean: "I TOOK YOUR KING AND NOW TAKE YOUR FINGER"

I lost it, as the saying goes, at that point. 

Green Arrow Misses the Mark

 

The crAIyon Didn't Get It

 

Or maybe the AI really does get it. 

Harold Lloyd vs. the Three Stooges

 

The Watcher's Refreshment

 

Magic of the Dawn

 

Steel Oasis

 

The Cactus Dreams