Hey, everyone! It’s been a while, and today I’m diving into something that’s been on my mind a lot lately: artificial intelligence. We’re in 2025, and AI is everywhere – helping me write this very post, generating art, even churning out music. But as much as I’m fascinated by it, I’ve got some mixed feelings too. Let’s unpack my journey with AI so far from 90s kid dreams, to where I’m at now, and see where it’s taking us.
The 90s: When AI Was Sci-Fi and Sco-Far
I first heard whispers of AI as a kid in the 90s. Back then, it was this distant, almost mythical thing. People would say, “One day, computers will outsmart us,” and I’d picture something wild like Terminator – you know, Skynet sending Arnold back to wreck us all. Or Robocop, with the OCP robots turning on civilians. Extreme stuff! Then came The Matrix in ’99, and whoa – that movie messed with me. The idea we might be in a simulation? I didn’t exactly fall in love with it, but it planted a seed: What’s real, anyway? Meanwhile, I was a video game junkie: Mario, Zelda, to WoW, you name it! …and those early AI-driven NPCs were my first taste of machines “thinking” for themselves. Clunky, sure, but it felt like the future.
2025: Generative AI Takes Over
Fast forward to now, and we’re living in the era of generative AI. ChatGPT, Midjourney, and my recent go-to, Grok, are just the tip of the iceberg. People are using AI as companions with stuff like Replika, coding with it, making art, even composing music. As as software engineer, I’ve definitely used genAI to write applications at work! It’s wild how fast it’s all happened. Where I used to Google everything, I now find myself asking Grok or another AI instead. It’s not just about speed; it feels like they get how I learn, in a way Google search results don’t provide.
Curiosity’s got a new best friend, and it’s not a search bar.
The Flip Side: Craving the Real
But here’s the thing, as much as I’m into this AI boom, it’s stirring something else in me. Terence McKenna called it “the archaic revival,” and I feel that hard. The more I lean into AI, the more I crave what’s primal, tactile, real, maybe even gritty. Sure, I could use AI to generate a killer song in minutes. polished, perfect, endless variations. But then there’s me strumming a B minus rendition of “Blackbird” on my guitar. It’s messy, imperfect, and yeah, I’m no Tak Matsumoto. Yet every practice, I get a tiny bit better, and that feels earned in a way AI can’t touch. Same with art! Midjourney can spit out masterpiece after masterpiece, but my wife recently hand-painted me a picture of Danny DeVito as the art critic from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Midjourney has shown me incredible scenes, by my wife’s painting goes into my permanent collection.
What’s Next?
I wonder where this is all headed. Someday, AI might generate smells, textures, tastes… imagine a perfectly crafted virtual steak like Cypher desires in the Matrix. When such a technology exists, will I still crave the sizzle and chew of the real thing even more? I think so. In 2025, I’m at this crossroads: I’m eager to dive deeper into AI, maybe even find work that lets me play with it more. I love the change, the possibilities. But the more I use it, the more I treasure what’s human – what’s flawed, slow, and tangible. What’s painful, yet beautiful. What’s true.
So, that’s my AI story so far. From 90s sci-fi daydreams to a world where I’m co-writing blog posts with a machine, it’s been a ride. What about you? How’s AI showing up in your life? Are you hooked, skeptical, or somewhere in between?
Keepin’ it real,
-Ryan
