Whoa, Vol. 2: Conversations on AI x Creativity

AD: What advice would you give to people, new graduates, people mid-career, who want to write and are afraid or worried about AI?

DP: Yeah, super simple. This is gonna be terse, because I think it’s just clear. Pay for the best models, use them every day, and hold yourself to a standard where using them makes your work better rather than worse.... See more

AD: How would you categorize the overall vibe regarding AI from these “god-tier” writers that you interview?

DP: Here’s the thing. You can’t take them at their word for it. What they say and what’s really going on are two different things. I’ll speak to both.

First, let’s consider what they say. You have three different cultures to look at.... See more

DP: Dude, I love Theo Von. He is my single biggest inspiration for interviews. My friend, Brie Wolfson showed me that in the world of cooking, the most high-end chefs at 11 Madison or French Laundry, after the day is done, they’ll like to have Cheetos or something. Like the bell curve meme of high and low. And I think it’s really nice when you have... See more

DP: Writing now has to be really, really good to stand out. People got really upset last December when I tweeted that AI’s writing is already better than the majority of Write of Passage students would be with a day’s worth of work. It made a lot of people upset, but I think it’s true. AI’s writing is great with a good prompt, which is why people... See more

AD: I want to talk about your decision to stop Write of Passage. You tweeted that AI played a role in that. Talk me through that decision.

DP: AI is part of a bigger story which is that the internet is in a new era. Write of Passage was based on a simple idea: write consistently, get a following on social media, build an email newsletter, and your... See more

I use AI every day. I would be so sad if I didn’t have it. I’ve probably prompted it 12 times today and it’s 1:25 in the afternoon. It’s my right hand. I talk to o3 more than I talk to any individual human being. That’s crazy.

I talk to o3 more than I talk to any individual human being. That’s crazy.

And if it went away today, I’d be devastated. And... See more

In the 18th and 19th centuries, writing was often maximalist, full of prose and metaphors. Then Hemingway came along. He was a genius who wrote very simply, but with an intentional depth. He knew what came before him, but chose a different approach.

The same thing happened with minimalism and companies like Apple and Blue Bottle. They absolutely... See more

AD: What I find really interesting is that you bring up beauty & craftsmanship in contrast to the AI stuff. Talk me through that and why you’re obsessed with it.

DP: Well, just look around. The things that we’re making aren’t nearly as beautiful now as they were 150 years ago. When I talk about beauty, I’m not talking about the Paris Opera House.... See more