I don’t foresee the death of English from AI overuse. Its roots are too deep and varied over the many centuries of its use. What we -will- see is a particular historical flavor of English in use for a certain length of time. After reading a couple pages of English text, I can usually make a guess about when it was written—not only from the spelling and vocabulary used, but from the tone and color of its narrative. The way the writer chooses to refer to other people, and the amount of courtly flourish in the syntax, for instance—both are signals of social standards that were important in the writer’s time. Similarly, historians are going to read texts from this time and say, ah yes, the great flattening of early-mid twenty-first century English. It’s happening, but yet I don’t despair. Perhaps it’s because I’m so old—I’m convinced by a long life of observation that the human mind is too vital, too raw, to stay strapped into a straitjacket of managerial-flavored AI impoverishment for very long. For every second-tier authors seduced by the ease of writing their way to fame using LLMs to write their books—there will also be writers like Sam Kriss who bend English, stretch it like Play-Doh, extend it into absurd wonder and joy, and provide true nourishment to the reader. We’re going through a phase, like we always do. But this will end, as it always does, when the next “end of civilization” ripens and breaks into our awareness. We’ll survive.
Brilliant insight! Perhaps, Taushiro (indigenous to Peru according to Google) and non-Mandarian dialects of Chinese (among other languages) will become the loci, eventually, of creative endeavors and subversion of all types. Hmmmm. There is a short story or novel here . . .
Excellent post as always, but what about AI Chinese models? Chinese is the second language in the world. Are we foreseeing the emergence of a kind of new-speak (remembering Orwell)? that we all will end speaking and writing: Algorithmic-English, Algorithmic-Spanish and so on. Who knows? Although Spanish is my native language, we all need the worldwide English even though is in danger of AI pollution
I've come around to this position as well. The more I interact with LLM the more I realize I don't want a mindless assistant writing my damn words for me. The whole point of the culture is that we communicate with language.
“I’m afraid the world is yet to realize that the cultural damage of AI, which we hear about all the time—“don’t let it think for you!”—is language-specific”
really enjoyed reading this article. thank you. it had a lot of deep points that got me thinking.
Very thought-provoking. This rhymes with my polemic against the word vibes:
"Everything used to be bold, sharp, high-contrast, and then, as history lurched forward, the palette slid into grays, taupes, rental-apartment sage greens, and influencer-approved oatmeal."
Some Qs i had reading this: do we have any information on whether LLMs are producing similarly predictable text (“paste”, as you put it) in other languages? Do outputs in Spanish or Chinese or Arabic sound dull and uniform, as they do in English? Are there similar tells for when something is AI-generated?
I thought about the same thing when I was writing it and realized I've barely chatted in Spanish with ChatGPT lol. I'd say the signs are less clear in Spanish, but anecdotal.
Very interesting question. In general English is waaaaay easier than Arabic in terms of vocabulary, syntax and the way you articulate your sentence. In Arabic there Are 100x ways to say the same thing in English. Nuances in Arabic for now might be easier to spot but it could also be the case that this will make no difference at all in the near future.
Enjoyed this piece of thinking. Unless or until LLMs begin generating novel thoughts and language, it seems we have summoned our own Ourborous. Or, perhaps, a kind of giant human-machine-centipede, but one wherein the loop has been sewn shut - orifice to sphincter.
When we start repeating AI that will be making our language smaller, not larger, as diversity of expression will collapse. Given that, I find that the analogy to Rome and Latin’s death contradicts the narrative you set up.
Then I am safe with my Albanian. But I have (bad) news for you. The chatbots are now pervasive in most cultures. A friend remarked after a trio back from home: all young kids were on their phones, chatting with chatgpt. My own mother has discovered it and was elated to learn it can speak Albanian back to her. Of course, she mostly asks for recipes. On English: we have to do all we can to scour the long tails. I just told my kids last week: "seldom" - a wonderful word, use it!
I don’t foresee the death of English from AI overuse. Its roots are too deep and varied over the many centuries of its use. What we -will- see is a particular historical flavor of English in use for a certain length of time. After reading a couple pages of English text, I can usually make a guess about when it was written—not only from the spelling and vocabulary used, but from the tone and color of its narrative. The way the writer chooses to refer to other people, and the amount of courtly flourish in the syntax, for instance—both are signals of social standards that were important in the writer’s time. Similarly, historians are going to read texts from this time and say, ah yes, the great flattening of early-mid twenty-first century English. It’s happening, but yet I don’t despair. Perhaps it’s because I’m so old—I’m convinced by a long life of observation that the human mind is too vital, too raw, to stay strapped into a straitjacket of managerial-flavored AI impoverishment for very long. For every second-tier authors seduced by the ease of writing their way to fame using LLMs to write their books—there will also be writers like Sam Kriss who bend English, stretch it like Play-Doh, extend it into absurd wonder and joy, and provide true nourishment to the reader. We’re going through a phase, like we always do. But this will end, as it always does, when the next “end of civilization” ripens and breaks into our awareness. We’ll survive.
The great flattening is a good way to put it. I'm joking with the idea of English dying haha
Brilliant insight! Perhaps, Taushiro (indigenous to Peru according to Google) and non-Mandarian dialects of Chinese (among other languages) will become the loci, eventually, of creative endeavors and subversion of all types. Hmmmm. There is a short story or novel here . . .
There's more exploration than this essay, that's for sure (would love to read more)
Strange how this essay reassures me as one whose mother tongue is Afrikaans! Tot siens.
Excellent post as always, but what about AI Chinese models? Chinese is the second language in the world. Are we foreseeing the emergence of a kind of new-speak (remembering Orwell)? that we all will end speaking and writing: Algorithmic-English, Algorithmic-Spanish and so on. Who knows? Although Spanish is my native language, we all need the worldwide English even though is in danger of AI pollution
I don't know enough about Chinese to know if the same thing is happening actually. Could be the case that it isn't!
Get a proper alphabet and get back to me 🙂
A very interesting point! My native Dutch must be even safer 😄
safer indeed!
I've come around to this position as well. The more I interact with LLM the more I realize I don't want a mindless assistant writing my damn words for me. The whole point of the culture is that we communicate with language.
“I’m afraid the world is yet to realize that the cultural damage of AI, which we hear about all the time—“don’t let it think for you!”—is language-specific”
really enjoyed reading this article. thank you. it had a lot of deep points that got me thinking.
Very thought-provoking. This rhymes with my polemic against the word vibes:
"Everything used to be bold, sharp, high-contrast, and then, as history lurched forward, the palette slid into grays, taupes, rental-apartment sage greens, and influencer-approved oatmeal."
More: https://www.whitenoise.email/p/stop-saying-vibes
Some Qs i had reading this: do we have any information on whether LLMs are producing similarly predictable text (“paste”, as you put it) in other languages? Do outputs in Spanish or Chinese or Arabic sound dull and uniform, as they do in English? Are there similar tells for when something is AI-generated?
I thought about the same thing when I was writing it and realized I've barely chatted in Spanish with ChatGPT lol. I'd say the signs are less clear in Spanish, but anecdotal.
Very interesting question. In general English is waaaaay easier than Arabic in terms of vocabulary, syntax and the way you articulate your sentence. In Arabic there Are 100x ways to say the same thing in English. Nuances in Arabic for now might be easier to spot but it could also be the case that this will make no difference at all in the near future.
What a fascinating take on the evolution of the language. Thanks!!!
Enjoyed this piece of thinking. Unless or until LLMs begin generating novel thoughts and language, it seems we have summoned our own Ourborous. Or, perhaps, a kind of giant human-machine-centipede, but one wherein the loop has been sewn shut - orifice to sphincter.
When we start repeating AI that will be making our language smaller, not larger, as diversity of expression will collapse. Given that, I find that the analogy to Rome and Latin’s death contradicts the narrative you set up.
Why so you think it contradicts the narrative?
Then I am safe with my Albanian. But I have (bad) news for you. The chatbots are now pervasive in most cultures. A friend remarked after a trio back from home: all young kids were on their phones, chatting with chatgpt. My own mother has discovered it and was elated to learn it can speak Albanian back to her. Of course, she mostly asks for recipes. On English: we have to do all we can to scour the long tails. I just told my kids last week: "seldom" - a wonderful word, use it!
Ah - I seldom use it! Haha (it's a good thing that ChatGPT is fluent in other languages: it won't contaminate them as much)
the provocative prediction of the fall of the tower of babel yet again comes for our mouths, to hold our tongues captive or better — confused.
we shall see. 🍻
Love your article.
I feel there's possibly some ideas to cross pollinate here from memetics. I'll have to do some re-reading to connect this and that.