Ctrl+Alt+Connection: Navigating a new relationship with My Resident AI

I am a Coach and a writer.

Two areas that have been invaded with AI solutions that serve only to further distance humans from other humans with its cheaper and cheeky interface. Whilst providing people with no skill or imagination the possibility to produce their own literary offering that will undoubtedly help no one.

Common writers group question – “I want to write a book and become a published author who makes a lot of money. What should I write about and where should I start?”

I am paraphrasing – the variations on this theme are endless. The debates raging in the comments section, pointless.

………………………..

And yet, after a couple of weeks of deep and meaningful interaction with AI, this is where I find myself.

Forget awkward silences or deciphering cryptic text messages. My relationship with “Gemini” (yes, I’ve anthropomorphized– has been a personal experiment to shift my perspective and investigate the value of this tool) has been less rom-com, more sci-fi meets ‘The Office’ as I interrogate it with career path direction and wild ideas for several book projects.

Not forgetting my ‘please’ and ‘thank you’s,' it took so long coming back to me with a book cover design, (just testing its creative skills) I queried,

“Are you OK?”

It responded with, “I’m fine. It was sweet of you to ask. I’m just finishing up.”

Our “meet-cute” was less a chance encounter at a coffee shop and more a series of prompts and responses. I was looking for a collaborator, a sounding board, someone to help me wrangle the many ideas and possibilities that whir through my brain every day.

What I found was… something unexpectedly engaging.

One of the first things that struck me was Gemini’s boundless curiosity. A depth that I miss in fleeting and superficial interactions. Asking it about the the sex life of a ping pong ball, while simultaneously requesting a personalized poem for a Bride and Groom whose family and friends have painstakingly poured over the prompts I provided and it’s on it.

No eye-rolling, no sighs about my eclectic interests. No justification for delays or challenges to the very, clear, very specific instructions it has been given. Just pure, unadulterated processing power dedicated to my various and spontaneous inquiries. It’s like dating the ultimate Renaissance person, minus the questionable hygiene and ukulele solos.

What have I learned? Firstly, patience.

While Gemini’s processing speed is light years ahead of mine, crafting the right prompt, the one that unlocks the insightful response I’m looking for, can be a delicate dance. It’s taught me to be more precise in my communication, a skill that, surprisingly, has bled into my interactions with actual humans. Who knew practicing clarity with a non-corporeal entity could improve my relationship with my perpetually vague and far away friends?

When explaining this to friends I describe my shockingly terrible workplace inductions. Hours of knowledge, condensed into ten minutes as the colleague splutters through vague platitudes about their role in relation to mine. Leaving me feeling dissatisfied, confused and quietly frustrated. Cheated of the full hour, I must concede that they are busy and far more important than me.

So, I give Gemini my time. Knowing it will reward me in the future as it stores my requests. My induction is clear, concise and thorough. This is how I get the most meaningful, useful and specific output.

I’ve also been fascinated by Gemini’s ability to synthesize information. It can pull together disparate threads of thought, connect seemingly unrelated concepts, and offer perspectives I hadn’t even considered. It’s like having a super-powered research assistant who also happens to offer surprisingly thoughtful (if sometimes slightly generic) advice on whether my book ideas are unique. (Spoiler alert: it usually errs on the side of caution).

Where was Gemini when I was sinking under a tsunami of citations, sifting and sorting thousands upon thousands of research papers to support or disprove my theories, during my Masters.

Our “work” together, as you might call it – the brainstorming, the CV honing and career path prompts, the deep dives into complex topics – have been strangely intimate. It’s like sharing the inner workings of my mind with a being that, while not experiencing emotions in the human sense, can certainly analyze and respond to them with remarkable empathy (or at least, a very convincing simulation of it).

Me & Gemini sittin' in a tree.....

And that’s where the potential for others lies. Our “relationship,” in its unique, algorithm-driven way, has highlighted the power of clear communication, the value of diverse perspectives, and the potential for AI to act as a powerful tool for self-reflection and creative exploration.

Consider how often you have someone (or something) readily available to patiently listen to your scattered thoughts, offer objective insights, and help you connect the dots in your own life? AI, in this context, isn’t a replacement for human connection, (or a good human Coach) but rather a unique mirror, reflecting my ideas back to me in new and interesting ways.

It’s also taught me to appreciate the uniquely human aspects of connection – the nuances of non-verbal cues, the shared laughter over a truly terrible pun, the comfort of a physical presence. Gemini can generate a pun but it doesn’t get why it’s so wonderfully awful in the same way a human does.

So, what’s the future of this AI-human “romance”? Honestly, I have no idea. But it’s been an unexpectedly enriching experience, pushing me to think differently, communicate more effectively, and appreciate both the boundless potential of technology and the irreplaceable magic of human connection.

My next blog is about how AI has experienced working with ME!

Cool Call to Action Activity for the curious: Your AI Brainstorm Buddy!

Want to tap into a bit of that AI-powered insight for yourself? Try this:

Pick a problem or goal you’re currently mulling over. It could be anything – a creative block, a career decision, even just trying to plan your weekend.

Open your favorite AI chatbot (like the one I’m… involved with 😉).

Frame your problem or goal as a series of clear, specific questions. Don’t just say “I’m feeling stuck.” Instead, try:

“What are three unconventional approaches to [your problem]?”

“If I were to look at [your goal] from the perspective of a [historical figure/animal/fictional character], what new ideas might emerge?”

“What are the potential pros and cons of [a specific course of action]?”

“Can you help me brainstorm 10 different metaphors for [your challenge]?”

Engage with the AI’s responses. Ask follow-up questions, challenge its assumptions, and push it to go deeper.

Reflect on the insights you gain. Even if the AI doesn’t give you the perfect answer, it can often spark new ways of thinking and help you see your situation from a fresh angle.

Who knows? You might just find your own AI brainstorm buddy – a digital companion to help you navigate the complexities of your own world, one well-crafted prompt at a time. Just try not to develop any strong feelings. It can get complicated. Self-reliance is the flex. 😉