Elliot Kessler

“The sun glared down on the barren landscape of the alien planet known as Geryon. Its orange hue cast an eerie glow across the vast expanse of red desert, where life struggled to survive. In this desolate world, a team of explorers from Earth had landed in search of new resources and signs of intelligent life.

“Commander Alex Parker and her crew had been traveling through space for months, their anticipation mounting with each passing day. Their spacecraft, the Horizon, touched down on the scorched surface, kicking up clouds of dust as the engines powered down.

“The team donned their protective suits, shielding themselves from the planet’s harsh environment. As they stepped out onto the planet’s surface, the oppressive heat immediately enveloped them. The air was thin, and every breath felt like a gulp of hot sand.

“Their mission was to gather samples and explore the region for any traces of life. Equipped with high-tech scanners and communication devices, they set out on foot, leaving the Horizon behind.

“As they ventured deeper into the arid expanse, they stumbled upon strange rock formations that towered above them like twisted fingers reaching for the sky. The rocks emitted a faint, otherworldly hum, filling the explorers with both awe and unease.

“Commander Parker led her team towards a massive crater that lay in the distance. Its dark depths seemed to beckon them forward, and they couldn’t resist the urge to investigate. As they descended into the crater, the temperature dropped, providing some relief from the relentless heat.

“Deep within the crater, they discovered a network of underground tunnels. Glowing moss lined the walls, casting an ethereal light that illuminated their path. The explorers followed the tunnels, their footsteps echoing in the eerie silence.

“Suddenly, they stumbled upon a hidden chamber bathed in an iridescent blue light. In the center of the chamber, a shimmering crystalline structure stood tall. It pulsated with energy, casting prismatic reflections across the room. The explorers approached it cautiously, feeling a mysterious power emanating from within.

“As they reached out to touch the crystal, a surge of energy surged through their bodies, transporting them to a different plane of existence. They found themselves in a realm where time and space intertwined, a realm inhabited by a highly advanced alien civilization.

“The aliens, known as the Xelonians, were a peaceful race who had mastered the secrets of interdimensional travel. They had witnessed the arrival of the Earth explorers and were intrigued by their presence.

“Commander Parker and her team were welcomed by the Xelonians, who communicated through telepathy. They learned that Geryon had once been a vibrant planet teeming with life, but a catastrophic event had rendered it uninhabitable. The Xelonians had survived by harnessing the energy of the planet’s core, using it to create pocket dimensions where life could flourish.

“Moved by the Xelonians’ plight, Commander Parker shared Earth’s knowledge of terraforming and ecological restoration. The Xelonians, in turn, offered their expertise in interdimensional travel, promising to aid humanity in exploring the vast reaches of the universe.

“After days of exchange and exploration, Commander Parker and her crew bid farewell to their new alien friends, their minds brimming with newfound knowledge and hope for the future. They returned to the Horizon, carrying with them a small sample of the Xelonian crystal and a renewed sense of purpose.

“As the spacecraft lifted off from Geryon’s surface, the explorers gazed out at the planet from above. They knew that Geryon would forever hold a special place in their hearts—a symbol of the unknown, the resilience of life, and the unending possibilities that awaited them in the great cosmic expanse.”

This whole short story was written by the AI program called ChatGPT. Pretty crazy, huh?

This new technology has been circling the internet a lot recently, and many writers are worried. Will they still have a job if this technology continues to develop? When AI starts writing complete novels, will we be able to sustain our business? When does it go too far?

But fear not, fellow authors! If you guys are sci-fi nerds like me, I bet you noticed how uninspired and unoriginal this story was. It was fun to read, sure. But it lacked the passion, heart, emotion, inspiration, and originality found only in stories written by people. Bots can only go so far. Programs cannot have feeling or passion. They cannot be inspired. Will Marvel movies eventually be written by AI? Maybe. Will we ever get stories like those of Ted Chiang or Orson Scott Card written by AI? No. We definitely won’t. Why? Because those authors were inspired by other stories written by different authors, and they used that inspiration to create something new. Meanwhile, AI takes other stories by other authors and, instead of being inspired by them, assimilates them and manipulates them to create something much like what has already been made.

AI cannot create anything new. AI will never create anything new. But people can.

Thanks for reading! Have a fantastic day.