Designed by Emily Tanchevski

Mocktail Description: This intoxicating blend of herbs and spices will envelop your senses in the magic and mysticism of the fairytale world. Curl up with this warm, soothing beverage, grab your favorite fantasy novel, and immerse yourself into the realm of foul ogres and fair princesses, majestic dragons and talking mice.

Process: At first, I fed random, simple mocktail prompts to the Midjourney chatbot to practice writing prompts that the A.I. could interpret well. While browsing the "explore" page on Midjourney's site, I came across a lovely photo with the prompt, "a beautiful dancer, by Gustav Klimt", portrayed in the same style as his painting, The Kiss. It inspired me to investigate how A.I. depicts different art styles and well-known artworks. I was excited about this idea, but I began to notice that the prompts I entered and subsequent images generated by the A.I. were just trying to mimic an artist or art style rather than creating a narrative for the mocktail itself. So, I decided to change my strategy and use the drink's imagery to represent a certain mood or aesthetic, eventually landing on the fairytale/fantasy trope. The key words that I used in the final prompt created the most successful imagery for communicating the atmosphere of my chosen theme.

Reflection: I had very little experience using A.I. prior to this assignment, but the corresponding articles from the New York Times and my experience during this project have given me a new perspective on the emerging technology. As A.I. keeps progressing, I imagine it doing more good than harm--if it is being used for the right reasons.

In his article, "State Legislators, Wary of Deceptive Election Ads, Tighten A.I. Rules", David W. Chen describes how lawmakers are pushing to require and regulate disclaimers on A.I. generated content for election campaigns. The examples of how A.I. was used to mimic the voice of President Biden and other politicians, along with its increasingly compelling ability to create falsified images is a critical misuse of the technology. To think of all of the misinformation that could be spread through A.I. without legislative regulation is extremely concerning. On the other hand, the use of A.I. in the education system to provide engaging "tutors" for students at any given time, as described by Natasha Singer in her article, "Will Chatbots Teach Your Children?", is a promising aspect of the future of A.I. This could be a powerful tool in the education system if it's used properly. However, improper use of A.I. in education is becoming more common as students use the technology to write entire essays for them. Frank Bruni's opinion article, "Our Semicolons, Ourselves", provides an interesting take on the relevancy of learning how to write formally from the perspective of a teacher. The way he describes the writing process as both a lyrical art and the "wrestling" of ideas into words, things that would disappear if we stopped writing, reminded me of my position with A.I. as a designer. During this assignment, I discovered how I can use A.I. as a tool to help visualize ideas quickly and pull from images to inspire new ideas. The way I understand Bruni's description, writing is important because there is soul behind it. I think the same goes for design. We could ask A.I. to design a multitude of things, but the humanity and passion behind the design would be absent without the work of designers.

Designed by Cheyann Clingerman

Mocktail Description: Embark on a haunting journey with this mocktail that delves into the eerie realm of mortality. Sip on the chilling essence of this slowly dying concoction, adorned with crimson hues and intricate garnishing reminiscent of human anatomy. Immerse your senses in the macabre beauty of the delicate balance between life and decay. Feel the fading pulse slowly slipping away as the intriguing blend of flavors that you consume sustains you further into life, and yet, brings you closer to death than ever before.  

Process: I knew I wasn't going to pick a prompt that would make this easy on the AI. I wanted to blend mocktails with medical imagery, specifically human organs. I was excited about this concept, because it could play into many themes about life and death, the consumptive nature of humans, and possibly self destructive behaviors. Personally, I was curious how the AI would handle coloring the drink, creating a medical environment, and combining fruit with meat textures. I used a combination of Dall-E and Craiyon, the latter not following prompts and having disappointing rendering. Dall-E on the other hand did better in these aspects, but I could only render one picture at a time and it still messed up my smaller requests, like the shape of a champagne glass and the backgrounds. For my prompts I started writing simple requests, as I experimented I got more complex, then it felt easier to go back to writing more simply, and I didn't feel like this made much difference in the AI outputs matching my expectations.  

Reflection: I tried to come to this project with an open mind, but I had a lot of frustration producing a result I was proud of. I dislike putting my name on this when I don't know where the original inspiration images are sourced. Additionally, as a perfectionist I feel I could've completed this assignment with more visual clarity, a deeper resonating theme, and moody environment by the due date myself. I feel this way about writing aswell, while AI may help a lot with tedious word salads, it altimately can't capture the depth of thought that a human writer does (Bruni, F). I would argue that being a good writer still matters in the age of AI (Engle, J) because writing can be an expression of a human's thoughts, feelings, and experience-three things I doubt I'll ever see AI have. I do admit with these image generators the speed and level of rendering is nothing to sneeze at, but this feels secondary when the visual language of these algorithms is still so jumbled.  Both written and visual AI creations lack an understanding of meaning. This is without considering the ethics of AI, and the harm that could be done with deep fakes using individuals faces without their consent and passing it off as reality. There are a lot of ethical concerns to consider as lawmakers don't yet have a grasp on the wild west of AI (Chen, D. W). As a student designer I feel I am beyond the level this AI can offer me, and in most circumstances don't have a desire for work I consider below average turned out at a fast pace. This could be useful when looking for inspiration, and would give more power for expression to those who don't feel confident in their abilities as a designer, which is a plus. This could make a big difference for a small start-up that can't yet afford a professional designer. I also see the benefit of AI generation entering a 3D workflow, as the spaces it would fill are very tedious for humans. As someone who lacks a lot of experience texturing 3D models in large scale spaces, I may find its use in this area preferable to spending a lot of time on something I'm not as experienced in. I don't believe AI is inherently bad. There are spaces where it's use would significantly improve humanity as a whole. The classroom for instance, could be significantly improved with individual AI helpers for students when a human teacher just doesn't have the attention to spare (Singer, N) and while this technology has many flaws now, I look forward to seeing it continue to improve in the future and fill tedious positions so humans have more time for emotionally rewarding experiences. But at the end of the day I'm confident in my abilities and this assignment has reaffirmed a belief in myself as a designer and my ability to learn. 

Designed by Lincoln Ahn

Mocktail Description: By the time you wake up, its already late afternoon. You spent the entire night and a bit of the morning searching for a hotel in a depopulated, aging town. As you stretch, you look to your side and notice a small cocktail sitting on a serving try. It wasn't there when you went to bed, and the door is still locked, but with the day you've had so far a good drink is a godsend. It tastes of citrus, smoke and burned sugar, with the usual sting of curacao being stamped down. As you continue to sip, you notice a swirl of mist just outside you window. I guess the bartender didn't wave the wood smoke away...

Process: I knew that I wanted to make a visually bright mocktail with a haunted aura, so the majority of my thinking went into my use of different AI and prompts. I started out using CrAIyon, a free image AI, to test certain words and phrases. I found that using chunks of words was more effective than full sentences. Additionally, I opted to stop using specific brands such as Baccarat since it would keep giving me the same exact glass. I then moved to MidJourney, which had a much higher quality AI. I was able to continue iterating on specific images that I thought were acceptable, which led to my final image. Most of my iteration varied in their interpretation of what was "haunted" or "ghostly", usually giving up and just adding smoke swirls or vaguely menacing architecture, so I decided to lean into it and make my prompts less overtly horror themed. I also stopped using specific fruits and instead started using "citrus" as doing otherwise would just shove a giant orange slice into the glass. In the end, I chose the image with the best background and glass. I found it super interesting how the two different AI interpreted the same prompt. Perhaps they were given different datasets or prompters to work with.

Reflection: Before starting this project, I already knew a bit about AI and its uses and limits. Its good at number crunching and "low-hanging fruit tasks", but there has been a massive push for its use in the creative sphere where a lot of its downsides are becoming apparent. 

Additionally, there is a lot of morality issues with its use. Many AIs blatantly scrape from the internet without compensating creators (Singer, N), and its reinforcement of stereotypes and use of biased information (Singer, N) are also extremely worrying. I even saw it in my "work" in the form of MidJourney's interpretation of "1950s/antique" always appearing European or American. This also speaks to my biggest issue with AI, its inability to move forward. As discussed in Frank Bruni's "Our Semicolons, Ourselves", the little unorthodox quirks of our writing are an extension of ourselves. In my opinion, those little extensions often become associated with us and could even become widely adopted. However, AI spins its users in the same mill of chopped up and rotting data. I am doubtful that a society that puts AI on a pedestal will make provocative or truly explorative work.  

I will say that there is a potential use in its ability to get people interested in visual arts. The flood of AI voice clips of fictional characters and AI generated sports jokes on everyones feeds are a testament to that. In a little as five minutes (Chen, D. W.) a person who has never touched a pencil in their life could start getting inspiration that motivates them to create more and more. However, as someone who already enjoys creating and finding inspiration in a directed and purposeful manner, AI just feels like an unnecessary crutch at best and a soulless carrion thief at worst. 

Designed by Kelly Chen

Mocktail Description: This bittersweet drink helps transcend you through time. No one knows the fate of their journey. One will merely become a bystander of their past or future. However, with every sip a price has to be paid. If you travel into the future it will cause your fragments of past memory to be lost. On the contrary, if you travel to the past then the people from your present will lose some memory of you. Will you take this gamble? 

Process: The start of the Midjourney process was a challenge. My initial ideas for the mocktails were inspired by Alice in Wonderland, particularly the Mad Hatter’s tea party. However, I found myself dissatisfied with the suggestions provided by Midjourney for that theme, prompting me to explore alternative ideas. Then I was inspired by Greek mythology exploring themes such as Dionysus, Pandora’s Box, hades, and Persephone. Despite multiple attempts, Midjourney failed to generate the desired prompt. After multiple attempts, I noticed that mid-journey would leave out some details of the prompt that I provided. I tried to address this issue by being more vague and simple with the prompts so the little elements would be included. Then I thought of the idiom, “Drink like a fish” so I decided to add in elements of marine life and how drinking too much can cause one to age and potentially die. My prompt started with fish and an hourglass and each entry I would slowly or consciously add more details to reach the ideal drink. 

Reflection:  I have mixed feelings about using Midjourneny. At first, it was a bit of a pain to try to translate my ideas but I ended up having fun and inspired by Midjourney’s suggestions.

Frank Bruni expressed the importance of learning how to write traditionally in his article, “Does Learning to Be a Good Writer Still Matter in the Age of A.I.?”. The backbone of design, art, writing, and any of the creative fields I believe, requires a level of experience, connection, and understanding with others that AI lacks. AI can't completely create your ideas or do the work for you since they need your input to create results. Even if you do give it input, you still need to refind the output with your changes for the more desired outcome. AI also can’t express ideas and needs, making the roles of creative careers irreplaceable.  I believe that AI is helpful in the creative process such as ideation and refining ideas. I would always have trouble coming up with ideas and AI could always give me a fresh lens of the different elements I could incorporate into my designs. 

Before reading David W. Chen's article, "State Legislators, Wary of Deceptive Election Ads, Tighten A.I. Rules." I knew that AI could be manipulated for malicious reasons like scamming and taking advantage of other people. However, I didn’t know that AI could go as far as spreading false news or taking on false identities of politicians. This scary occurrence raises fear and concerns about the further development of AI and the need for regulation and further security of artificial intelligence so everyone can use this tool in a positive way. 

Designed by Mica Bendezú

Mocktail Description: Feeling down? In need of a boost? Be swept back in time to the 1920s with one of these totally healthy, luminous beverages! What's that? No, no, it's perfectly safe to ingest. Ignore that pain in your jaw. It's good for you, we promise. 

A refreshing mix of tonic water, lime juice, mint, and the super special miracle ingredient—radium! 

Process:  After trying out the program (Midjourney), I decided to aim for a mocktail inspired by the misuse of radium in the 1920s, particularly what was done to the 'Radium Girls.' I referenced this article for information on the events.  I knew I wanted something to encompass or represent this theme in a less literal, more abstract way. It was difficult to get the subtlety I was hoping for, and avoid images that were too literal or trite. I started out by giving simpler prompts and varying the key words to get a sense of what the program would show for certain words. I also varied the order of the words. I was curious to see what it would do with more subjective, emotion-related words. I found that the images were less recognizable as mocktails when “mocktail” was put in as opposed to “cocktail.” I then tried figuring out how to set a mood in the images, and incorporate motifs (such as radiation poisoning in the jaw, paintbrushes and paint). The images became progressively less identifiable as mocktails, so I played around with repeating words and including cocktail-related words. I tried the /describe command to see what the A.I. was seeing in its own output, then began to use commas to separate thoughts. I also started to use the “--no” parameter to exclude skulls. I continued to play around with the latent text and strong and subtle variations until I reached a product I felt was satisfying.

Reflection: I found working with the program entertaining, much like trying out a new toy or game. It was difficult to stop working with it, even, partially because it’s satisfying in that way, and partially because it’s unsatisfying–there’s always more that can be done. It’s a fascinating tool. Frank Bruni spoke to the utility of writing as a tool for thinking, as “wrestling your thoughts into logical form, distilling them into comprehensible phrases and presenting them as persuasively and accessibly as possible.” He proposes that writing uncovers the flaws and strengths of ideas that remain otherwise unnoticed. I would argue that sketching does the same, and I think that latent text to image A.I. is a comparable tool. Though, its unpredictability makes for an even more exploratory and revelatory experience. 

In an article about chatbots in education, Natasha Singer brings up an issue familiar to me as a creator: the question of privacy and intellectual property. Many A.I. programs are founded on the creations of individuals who received no compensation, and possibly creations gathered with dubious consent. This issue is always lurking in my mind not only as I work with these tools, but also as I consider the presence of my own work (and my own face) on the internet. Another A.I.-related issue is discussed by David W. Chen in a recent article about A.I. legislation: an issue of transparency and trust. So much A.I.-generated media is circulated and passed off as real-life images, recordings, and fact, therefore spreading misinformation (and, sometimes, disinformation). With this is also a spread of distrust. I think it should not only be mandated that A.I.-generated content be clearly identified as a product of A.I., as discussed in the article, but also that we have an ethical responsibility to clearly identify our own A.I. creations as such.

Overall, I think A.I. should be treated not only as a tool (rather than a replacement for existing practices such as writing and teaching), but also as a tool unique from existing and familiar tools (such as writing), with its own unique strengths and weaknesses. Khan Academy’s A.I. tutor is an example of this kind of treatment succeeding, and so is this mocktail exercise.  

Designed by Cynthia Szeto

Mocktail Description: Sometimes we all need a moment go out in nature and take a walk to clear our minds. Oh? you don't have the time? Well no fear because the deliciousness out natures relief will calm you down like it was a walk in the park. but be careful, sometime the best things can leave you wanting more This magical drink will lure you in with the promise of relaxation and keep you forever. 

Process: I used Midjourney to create my renders for this project. I started out with basic mocktails to see what the baseline is for what AI will put out. My first few renders came up with didn't really inspire me to persue those topic. From putting in prompts like Chinese theme and dragons i found that the AI would place different details in places where they didn't make sense. For instance a dragon head coming through the glass abnormally or didn't feel as cohesive as I would have liked.  it was from here that i saw that being particular in how you write the prompt can have major effects on image made . Another thing I quickly realized was that despite trying to make the cups/glasses into something more fantastical, I was always getting basic mugs and cups. I realized that changing the way i said thing and in what order really made a difference. this changed happened when I went from telling the program  "flower shaped cups ..." to  "Ornate glass shaped like a flower..." Alogn with this inserting already made images as a just start to makeing new images really 

Reflection: While I'm not against the use of AI, I also do not have a particular fondness for it. I find it hard thinking about who do these images actually belong to and how can someone like me use then so that they are a part of the process and not the entire outcome. I worry sometimes that in a line of work where come up with and makig new solutions, are they really your ideas if AI is helping to make the visuals. In the article "Does learning To Be a Good Writer Still Matter  in the Age of  AI?" written by Jeremy Engle, he quotes a Columnist for the Times, Frank Bruni, as saying that even though AI can do the work, taking the time to write things on your own leave lasting impressions on the reader. Thinking about your writing adds your own nuances and personalizes it and the reader can pick up on it. But even though he states this, I can see how AI like ChatGPT can be used as a baseline for people to start their writing and in extension peoples art. Taking what the AI generates as a jumping off point for you to add your own flair and style. 

In another article, "Will Chatbots Teach Your Children?"  By Natasha Singer also puts some more positive light on the potential uses of AI. Here she writes using quotes from Sal Khan, that AI can be used to bring education to children everywhere all over the world. And that their experiences can be tailored to them because AI is so adaptable. I think this is the real takeaway that I had from both my experience and from reading these articles. The adaptability of these AI programs really make then useful in all sorts of situations. For me and others in fields like me, AI can be a very useful tool to quickly get our visions out. that we can then use to make other things. It's a tool that can speed up processes and help get creative juices flowing. 

Designed by  Joe Christiano

Mocktail Description: Have you ever wanted to feel like you were royalty? Have you ever wanted to drink out of something worth more then your life savings? Introducing the Royal Red Ruby Mocktail. This drink is always served in a signature made royalty 24k gold glass. This immerses you into the past and makes you feel like a king or queen you always wanted to be.

Process:  For this process I used Midjourney and at first I was messing around with it doing old vintage themed things like vikings, jungle temple, indiana jones, and italian renaissance themed. Going of those themes I found a gold class so I then typed in, "A kings whisky glass on a golden throne with red fabric and wealth around it" based of that it started rendering the golden cups with red liquid so I kept expanding upon it by doing variations of specific outcomes I liked and regenerating the prompt. Then I found out you could make it into a thread which allows you to copy the link and paste it into the prompt so you could use your existing outcome and write another prompt to expand upon that. So I took some of my outcomes and added the prompt, "have a hand holding the glass with jewelry and a royal mantle on" then it added hands holding it.

Reflection: At first I was using some of the free softwares and I didn't understand why this was so cool. I decided to buy the month Midjourney subscription and immediately I noticed how much better and realistic it was. I went from typing simple prompts to making them more and more detailed because the more descriptive and complicated the better it came out. I really don't understand how this generates such realistic images but I find it so interesting. After looking at the article, "State Legislators, Wary of Deceptive Election Ads, Tighten A.I. Rules" it's easy to understand why states are regulating AI with deepfakes. They talked about picture of Trump and Obama playing basketball which is is comical but it can do way more then that and especially since it's getting better and better which honestly scares me. It talks about how they're regulating AI against campaign advertising but when are they going to start regulating it on other things. The pictures that it creates are so realistic it's almost impossible to tell that they're fake. Sal Khan talks about chat bots, now AI doesn't just look real but it can talk realistic. Imagine the deep fake videos that will be able to come out in a year or so. There is some research done according to the article that AI-assisted instruction can have misinformation, bias and can also ruin the human feel of learning and teaching. Personally I don't want AI to teach me or my kids so I want this to stay as far away from me as it can. AI can definitely be helpful and can make things quicker but at what point will it be to powerful.  

Designed By:  Kora Lilly

Mocktail Description: Have you ever driven a car, used factory made goods, or littered?  If so, this drink is for you! Designed to meet your individual consumer preferences, all materials are sourced locally and in a sustainable way. 

Enjoy the unique flavors of mold, chemical runoff, heavy metals, and fracking inside of an diesel exhaust smoked glass. Topped with selectively harvest mutant mystery greens, this drink amplifies the desire to inch your body and possibly provides vivid hallucinations. To finish off this drink, you must take a shot of freshly sourced trash filled liquid with a hint of lime. 

Not only will you be filled with "organic" and "natural" ingredients from nature, you also get to experience first hand karma for your pollution. 

Process:  When I first started using Midjourney , I populated as many things off of the top of my head. Some of which included Vikings, deep sea, red houses, and mountain ranges. Through this process I was able to get the creative juices flowing and see how the AI platform worked.  Each idea lead me to a cross roads, as I didn't feel a true connection to the work as I didn't know what I really wanted. Eventually, I stumbled across abstracting the "classic American breakfast" which was what ironically led me to the idea of pollution. The breakfast was unique and funny but I did not feel like it showed my interests ( although, I do love American breakfast). After populating " a drink inspired by pollution, with smoke trash and dirty water," I knew I landed on my final idea. I played around with this caption to see how I could push the barrier of AI, but nothing populated as close to pollution as the drink to the left. 

Reflection: After completing this project, I have found a new true amazement for AI. The images that were produced were more realistic then I could imagine. Some of these images are so realistic, the human brain can not recognize their falsehood. This proves to be a great opportunity to rethink art, design, and more, but is also a real threat to society as a whole. After reading Chen, D. W. (2024, January 11). State legislators, wary of deceptive election ads, tighten A.I. rules. The New York Times., I was slightly relieved to hear of policies going into place to expose AI images. The article states, "Her bill, filed on Jan. 3, would require any “fabricated media” using A.I. to come with a disclaimer stating, “Media depicting the candidate has been altered or artificially generated.” The bill would also allow candidates who were the targets of A.I. ads to pursue civil action." (Chen, D. W). Despite this push on policies, there will continuously be individuals finding loop holes to use AI as a weapon. This project has shown how AI can be used in education , specifically in design, which will prove to be a great resource for generations to come.  On the other hand, this project has also shown how AI can make things look extremely realistic with little to no mistakes on form, texture, and resemblances. 

Additionally, I also agree with the author (Bruni, F) in the idea that AI can not take away everything human. It may be able to create images that looks like photos but there are some things like skillful writing that will remain true.  Human emotion, experiences, thoughts, and families can not be replaced by AI which means deep written material can not be replaced. Although AI can write a scientific paper based on the web, this has its benefits as it can provide individual education to the less fortunate children (Engle, J). I believe the first step in adapting to AI, is realizing AI is a prevalent tool, and that we must teach our children of its capabilities both negative and positive. 

Designed By:  Francesca Knoetgen

Mocktail Description:  Have you ever been feeling low and in need of a boost? Mother Nature has got your back! This new Nature Nectar concoction, sourced from home grown ingredients found right in your backyard, will have you feeling refreshed in no time. With  extra nutrients and a sweet yet tangy taste you won't be disappointed.

Process:  Through the use of Midjourney, I attempted to generate as many ideas as I could focusing on topics I was interested in or curious about. These topics ranged from race cars to alternate worlds or time periods to travel. During this process I tweaked different words hoping to get better iterations of the mocktail each time, but through all of those attempts I had yet to find one I was really drawn to. I kept finding that my mocktails were a little too simple or a little too random for my personal preference. It wasn't until I started to play around with keywords of "earthy" and "mushroom" that I found the direction I wanted to go in. However, I still was not happy with the ordinary looking glasses and wanted to try and push those bounds to have a more unique glassware and setting. When I began to rearrange the order of the words, and included more detailed prompts on the specifics of the mocktail (as opposed to just using buzzwords) I saw more of the results I was looking for from this AI generator.

Reflection: This project opened up my eyes to just how much AI is capable of. Prior to being exposed to Midjourney, I had only ever used Dall-E as a way to generate images in this format, which skewed my view of its potential in a negative light. However, after using this AI source I am eager to explore more and see just how much more it will grow and become capable of. In the New York Times Article, Will Chatbots Teach Your Children?,  the author, Natasha Singer, writes about Sal Khan and his predictions about what is next in the future of AI. With this being an exponentially rising platform there is both excitement and fear surrounding the immersion of AI in our everyday lives, such as the potential use of it as a tool for tutoring as talked about by Khan. Despite this being a useful and engaging tool, I do agree that this could be extremely  detrimental to younger generations as these platforms hold them back from developing critical thinking skills. In another New York Times Article, State Legislators, Wary of Deceptive Election Ad, Tighten AI Rules, author David Chen expresses his concern about AI's use of spreading false information and recalls how certain states have already put laws in to action to try and stop this. From completing this project alone it is clear just how convincing AI is capable of making images, videos, and voiceovers, opening up the very real and already prevalant possibility of impersonating or targeting an individual or company. Although, AI has not completely taken over all human existence. Frank Bruni talks about the significance of skillful writing in the article, Our Semicolons, Ourselves. There are many ways in which AI is capable of generating reports and feeding out information, however, I do agree that the experiences and relationships that humans develop will aid in us maintaining skillful and creative writing.  Which can be translated back to this assignment, as there were more beneficial ways of framing sentences in Midjourney  to generate the results you wanted. While there are many fears and concerns that stem from AI, it is now a part of our day-to-day life and I am curious to learn more about the ways that I can use it to my advantage. 

Designed by Katrina Boyce

Mocktail Description: Have a sip and enjoy this refreshingly simple mocktail. The taste of berries and citrus will give you a zing! This Bauhaus-inspired cocktail focuses on function and simplicity to accomplish the goal of providing a go-to, classic drink. Its no-nonsense approach makes it stand out; it is a staple in everyone’s drink rotation. 

Process: Throughout the process of generating a unique mocktail, I went a lot of different directions to see what I liked most. I began by thinking of skulls and eyeballs and medieval mocktails. After doing many variations of skull and bones, pirate, renaissance, and dark mocktails, I decided I should explore other options. Although I liked some of the outcomes, they didn’t feel very true to me and they did not stand out in the way I desired. I then looked at a very different style: clean, country club, wealthy. I found these results underwhelming. I rerouted to a somewhat similar style with more embellishments such as feathers and pearls. Although I didn’t love this either. This led me to try simple prompts and I felt could better capture the simple but interesting style I was going for. This led me to my final Bauhaus-inspired design which I feel aligns with my personal design aesthetic. Although my final design is not hyper-realistic, it is unique, straightforward, and fun. The color palette is classic and the abstractions create a sense of playfulness that is juxtaposed with the hard lines of the geometric glass and grid. The final design isn’t what I had envisioned at the beginning of the process but I enjoyed seeing all the different directions AI could take different concepts.  

Reflection: AI is capable of a lot of incredible things. I feel it’s best to learn and understand its intricacies and how to use it as a tool, but not become dependent on it. There is still value in the learning and progress humans make on their own. The New York Times article “Our Semicolons, Ourselves” by Frank Bruni discusses what value there is in writing if AI can simply write for us. Bruni argues that writing and teaching kids how to write well is still important and I fully agree. Although playing with AI for this project was fun, AI is not capable of everything. Becoming reliant on it could harm the literacy and creativity of society. AI was able to create some intriguing mocktail designs using simple words and phrases, but that doesn’t mean AI can replace designers, artists, or even writers. At least for now, it is a tool that can aid in design ideation or simplifying tasks like cumbersome writing, but it should not be a replacement for human ability. 

Bruni also mentions the pride and joy that can result from a student making accomplishments in writing. He recalls commending students for their work and the students responding with excitement that they improved their abilities. There is so much value in accomplishing something yourself: no shortcuts, no cheat codes, just hard work and patience. I hope this is not ever lost in our society. 

Artificial Intelligence in education is a big topic. The article “Will Chatbots Teach Your Children?” by Natasha Singer looks at the potential role of AI in education. Although I think there are some possible benefits, the human interaction and empathy provided by teachers, tutors, and those involved in the education process are invaluable. The comfort another being can offer and their innate understanding of a student’s situation and feelings are key to the student’s success. If we are thinking of mocktail design realistically, the bartender (or someone else) has to make the drink and then it is enjoyed in usually a social setting with friends. Human interaction is a key piece of this that AI can’t take into consideration.

In addition to this, not everything that’s AI-generated can be trusted. David W. Chen’s article, “State Legislators, Wary of Deceptive Election Ads, Tighten A.I. Rules” discusses various instances where very realistic images and voice recordings were created by AI. This shows one way in which AI is a double-edged sword. Not everything it creates is true and we cannot blindly trust it. Even with my mocktail generations the skulls and bones would be misshapen and there would generally be odd inconsistencies. We must proceed with caution when using AI and know that some information and images it produces are not real or true.

I am hesitant to support AI but I do think it has benefits. I had fun experimenting with image generation and seeing what outlandish results it could produce. This inspired me to potentially use it as an ideation tool in the future. Although I am still a proponent of human creativity. 

*prompts for slide 7: top: hyper-realistic cocktail liquor red dark liquid human bones glass bottle drink eyeball floating in liquid laboratory beaker science fiction mad scientist skull smoke glowing fog dark background

bottom: hyper-realistic cocktail liquor red dark liquid human bones bejeweled skull glass bottle drink eyeball floating in liquid dragon guarding drink knight armor smoke glowing fog dark background

Designed By:  Aliina Lange

Mocktail Description: World's End is the complete package for anyone escaping grime death by natural selection! Forget your house, your car, your electricity. This drink transports you back to times before any of those things existed! Even though you are freezing to death in the New Ice Age, at least you have this stylish backpack flask to hand down to future generations...if you got that far. 

Process:  Midjourney  excited me to really push the boundaries of how I have seen mocktails in the past. Naturally, I explored several different avenues of varying levels of "impossibility." This included Barbie, mermaids, graffiti, squirt guns, baseball caps, and even a city incapsulated in jello.  I kept running into the same issue: the vessel was too bland and expected.  I had to rethink how you carry liquid from one place to another. In other words: I had to implement critical play. Using a backpack every single day of my life, I wanted to see what it might look like if it were highly ornamental and glass: something a wizard would happily carry along.  Then, I took it down a route of ornamental Japan.  Although gorgeous, I wanted something less expected.  Since I've started my Food World History course, the focus has been on Neanderthals. Having that on the brain, I input the information to form a sort of adventure pack that would hold a mocktail bottle that couldn't be stored on a shelf in a home. 

Reflection: I met this process with a bit of resentment, to be honest.  It feels kind of like blasphemy for me to try to "own" this image because it gives no context of who I am as a designer.  Although it can render beautifully, it can't reflect my intentionality or skill set.  I'd like to believe my opinion is reflected by Jeremy Engle in Does Learning to Be a Good Writer Still Matter in the Age of A.I.? There is a discussion of the purpose of formality when someone can make a point without using proper punctation.  To me, writing isn't about getting everything correct 100 percent of the time. I believe the ability to write allows you to not only communicate your own ideas, but be able to understand other work as well. The punctuation I use, the descriptive adjectives and metaphors I implement, all work into how I shape the way you perceive my information. Having a skillset in the area also gives me a greater appreciation for it when I recognize it in other people’s work. 

As of right now, A.I. feels impersonal.  Even though it could be useful for learning, as expressed in Will Chatbots Teach Your Children, the connection between teacher and student is disrupted and teachers appear obsolete.  I chose to be in-person for college because of the connections I can make and the networks I can form for my future.  I didn’t want to sit alone with my computer all day to learn from a screen.  

With all of this said, I don’t believe it’s valid to outlaw A.I. entirely.  Resisting change and evolution would postpone my own evolution as a person.  In State Legislators, Wary of Deceptive Election Ads, Tighten A.I. Rules, I appreciate that the government isn’t resisting artificial intelligence.  Rather, they are embracing the right for people to take their lives back when A.I. is used to slander and discredit them.  

Artificial Intelligence has a place right now.  I believe it should be allowed to take up space and challenge us to evolve.  As Singer wrote, it can act as a tutor when teachers are unavailable. Chen hinted that it also has the ability to create entertainment and form new interpretations of data… and even keep our English grades up as Engle implied.  However, it can’t replace the intentionality or human connection that we have to seek out for ourselves.

Designed by: Nicole Li

Mocktail Description: Reimagining a cocktail as if it came straight out of the starry night time sky with the frigid cold of space and the spark of heat emanating from the surrounding stars. Immerse yourself in a drink that takes you away from the earth and into the universe beyond and savor the experience. 

Process: I originally started off using Craiyon.com but was not a big fan of the static backgrounds and how literal the site takes the word choices. I also used ideogram.com and DallE but just like before, it took my words too literally and I was hoping for something more abstract. Then I went to designer.Microsoft.com, which produced images that were abstract and dynamic. It was a lot of testing different AIs and learning just how different they are.

Another part of my process was my interest with how one’s writing affects the outcome of the images produced after reading the article by Jeremy Engle. With this in mind, I started off with a simple phrase such as “cocktails made from the sky” and kept the main theme of a night time sky while getting more descriptive about what I wanted to see. 

Reflection: David W. Chen’s article about hyper realistic images generated by AI was something I learned through testing a variety of AIs. The beginning of this assignment was all about testing the different kinds of AI and how results differ when using the same or similar prompts. Some AIs created realistic cocktails that could be found at a bar while other AIs were more abstract and creative with what they produced. It is quite striking just how realistic these images can be and can create concerns if abused. 

I was also interested in how words affected the results of what is produced based on Jeremy Engle’s concern with writing and AI. After a bit of playing, I realized that my word choice indeed affected the results. Being more descriptive gave images that followed more closely to the prompt while less gave more variety of images. Not only that but changing one word caused the content of the image to change as well, even if the change is as small as changing frost to ice. 

Designed by Lea Sokol

Mocktail Description: Have you ever wondered what the future would be like? With this mocktail, you can have a taste of the future. This drink gives you a glimpse into the future with robotic characteristics and futuristic flavors. 

Process: After playing around with Midjourney, I wanted to make a robotic, futuristic-themed mocktail. At first, I put “design a cocktail with robot characteristics” into the search engine, but Midjourney gave me images of robots drinking cocktails. After experimenting with the software some more, I realized I would have to be extremely clear and literal when explaining what image I wanted it to produce. 

I was interested in a robotic, futuristic theme because I was curious as to how the software would depict these characteristics. Since the future has yet to happen, there is no right or wrong way to depict futuristic characteristics, and I wanted to see how Midjourney would interpret these characteristics. While initially, Midjourney’s images were very far from what I imagined, after revising my prompt, Midjourney’s images became closer to what I imagined for my mocktail.

Reflection: Is Midjourney’s interpretation of the future more accurate than mine? There is no way to be sure at this point, but I do wonder how accurate their idea of the future is. While I used AI simply to create a fun drink, I remember it is important we continue asking ourselves these questions when it comes to AI. It is easy for people to become overly trusting of our search engines, and we should remember to question the things that come from AI. As AI has been responsible for producing fake images, videos, and voice recordings that can contribute to altering the results of an election, it is evident how harmful trusting AI can be (Chen). While AI can be harmful in spreading false information, it can, however, play a helpful role in education. It can provide 1 on 1, individualized education for students, although people are still unsure of how reliable it is (Singer). People also think that AI will replace the need for people to learn to write (Engle). They argue that since people can use A.I. to write for them or correct them, it won’t be as important to learn writing skills or grammar. I think that while AI is a helpful tool for learning or generating inspiration for designers, it is important that we don’t become reliant on it for those basic skills. While AI can have a decent understanding of grammar, it cannot and shouldn’t replace humans. If we rely too much on A.I. people will become less smart over time. I think AI is great as a tool, but should not replace education or skills people should have. It is also important that people don’t become too reliant on AI because not everything it says and produces is accurate (Chen).

Designed by Sophie Chu

Mocktail Description: If you put love, peace, compassion, and serenity into a mocktail: this would be it. Drink it and finally feel the love you were always searching for. Let it warm your cold, dead heart as it soaks through your body. 

Process: In the beginning, I wanted to make a mocktail that drew from traditional Chinese aesthetics - a test of how well AI could embody a culture. However, as I played around, I started to test MidJourney's capabilities to render something abstract; like an idea, fantasy, or emotion. I also asked it to create contrasting images, such as a beautiful but poisonous witch's brew. Another aspect I tried was asking it to make things that have no real answer. What does a human soul look like? What is considered unconventional? To satisfy my curiosity, I made AI create an industrial design-inspired drink. Out of all these tests, I thought MidJourney was the most successful at creating a drink that represented emotions.

Reflection: When I read Frank Bruni's article on AI and writing, a quote that stood out to me was "Good writing announces your seriousness, establishing you as someone capable of caring and discipline." It reminded me of a question I asked myself in many classes during high school: "When am I ever going to use this in real life?" The answer I found was: I'm not. But, maybe the purpose of those teachings wasn't so that we could "use" them later on. Maybe, the purpose was to teach us how to think. Even though AI can do incredible things at a hyperrealistic scale, we can't rely on it to think for us. People should still take the time to learn things that AI can do in a nanosecond because it is a testament to our ability to solve problems, think critically, and persevere in our solutions. AI is also not a perfect problem solver. As Natasha Singer reports, "A.I. chatbots liberally make stuff up and could feed students false information." This poses a huge problem for sectors like education because students cannot depend on a bot that is unreliable or harmful. Additionally, AI could offer more problems than answers. David W. Chen writes that people could use AI to mentally and emotionally harass others by creating deepfakes. Like everything else put out on the internet, it's there forever. No amount of settlements, fines, or legal punishments can correct the ramifications of deepfakes. AI also has a problem with diversity. In MidJourney alone, when asked to create images of people, the results were overwhelmingly white and male. If AI is erasing minorities and underrepresented social groups, what does this say about the things we are feeding it? 

Designed by Chipper Stephen Orban

Mocktail Description: You've been crunching digits for Forty-Eight hours straight on a single charge. It's quitting time. Kick back in your Tesla and watch the smog roll by as you refresh with the Federation's favorite new drink: Industrial Elegance!  Complete with ***REDACTED*** and a smooth fruity after taste, you'll be able to sooth your organics in just one sip.  

(flowers not included)  

Process: Approaching AI isn't so different than having a blank piece of paper in front of you. Of course, that entails you know what you're going to make; and at first I had no idea where to even start. First things first, I played with the free stuff: DALL-E2. I wasn't impressed by the quality or the accuracy of these prompts, but I was able to produce some fun backgrounds for a basic beer. Using MidJourney, I explored different kinds of backgrounds but then shifted focus to the drink itself. I wanted setting to tell the story of my drink, but then wondered how story could be told in other ways, such as the design of the glass (the tiki heads) or on how the glass was being presented (the robot hand). It was important that the style also play a supplemental role to my drink. By having a vectorized - illustrator - inspired image, it's not so hard to imagine this drink appearing on the pages of a comic book, in some ironic but possible alternate world where robots abound.

Reflection: Despite my earlier analogy about blank paper and AI, there is an overlooked difference between how these tools are used. When handed a pencil and a piece of paper, the artist is unleased from language and is free to deal almost entirely in the abstract. What is produced here, are expressions of the indescribable. In this way drawing can sometimes act as journaling, a practice that according to Frank Bruni, forces us to slow down and to actually make sense of what is happening in our world rather than merely describe it (article 1). AI, on the other hand, requires the user to think in such fixed terms. The artistic vision is tied down to specific key words that carry great weight (both conceptually and digitally). At best, AI can produce a wonderful combination of ideas, but it cannot bring forth anything else. Without getting into the muckity-muck of consciousness and free will, it's abundantly clear that AI does not actually understand what it handles. It simply remixes and spits out without, regard to logic or reality. 

For those reasons, I'm hesitant to embrace Sal Khan's vision for AI guided learning plans (article 2). It's one thing to curate  a student's learning experience at school, but its quite ambitious to delegate  this almost entirely to a machine that doesn't holistically understand its user. Furthermore, school is already an increasingly isolated experience with the bulk of its content completed online. With the already prevalent misinformation campaigns and dangerous social media trends, do we honestly expect AI integration to do anything but worsen the scenario (article 3)? What we have here is another buffer between students, human interaction, and reality.  

I understand the cat is out of the box, and that those who oppose new technology always lose. However for the first time in human history, technology isn't just sparing us from labor. It's sparing us from thought. That's why I'm proceeding with caution. 

 “Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.” -Frank Herbert, DUNE 1965

Designed by Héloïse Richer

Mocktail description:

Delightful tangy taste infused with notes of nebulas and stardust. Served on a living ecosystem plater. 

Process :

Embark on a journey through the gal’AI’xy.  👽

Here’s the creation process behind my AI masterpiece. 

Just like navigating the cosmos, crafting AI is an exploration of uncharted territories, you don’t know where you’re headed or what could be the outcome. 

Leaving earth, I landed on planet ChatGPT, the 4th of it’s kind. To unwind and relax after the long trip, I decided to head to the local space bar. I asked the robot bartender Dall-e for a “Space mocktail”. Unfortunately, it wasn't as exciting as I hoped. 

I met some new cosmic friends at the bar, and we kept ordering, many and many mocktails, asking for a different version every time. We eventually got kicked out of the bar because we were drinking too fast. We had to wait for two hours before going back in, but I didn't have much time to spare because I had an important mission.

Despite the fun I had that night, I couldn't help but feel disappointed in myself. I kept wondering why I couldn't get the mocktails right – they just weren't what I had expected. Something felt off, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

Then, a memory from my trip came rushing back. I had read an article [1] that asked whether learning how to write was still important for humans. In response, Frank Bruni had mentioned that knowing how to write was a necessity to "fashion the prompt that you’re giving ChatGPT — the parameters of the composition you want, the objectives, the guidelines.” 

Then, I remembered reading an article [1] about whether learning how to be a good writer was still important for humans. The article mentioned that knowing how to write was important for "fashioning the prompt that you’re giving ChatGPT – the parameters, objectives, and guidelines." Suddenly, it clicked – maybe I needed to improve my prompt-writing skills.

I decided to take a crash course on making prompts for AI bartenders. With my new knowledge, I got back on my spaceship and headed to Midjourney 5.2 with a clear goal in mind: 

I wanted to taste the cosmos 

Final prompt: 

/imagine Surrealistic rendering of one otherworldly mocktail with bizarre, extraterrestrial fruits and a peculiar, sci-fi-inspired setting. The drink glows with an eerie, neon hue, while the background features futuristic elements and floating orbs. Setting: on a bar counter, Medium: realistic photography, Lighting: Neon, Color: Vibrant, Mood: Surreal, Composition: Close-up - Upscaled (4x)

Reflection: 

I think AI is a really great tool for designers because it helps with bringing ideas to life and can make the design process more efficient. This project is pretty interesting since it's all about using AI from start to finish, which isn't something you see often in design.

However, I'm also aware that AI can be used in harmful ways, like how it was in that article [3] where AI got mixed up in politics. This shows that AI can be super helpful for creativity but also risky if used the wrong way. 

It's important to be smart and careful about how we use AI, making sure we follow ethical guidelines and laws. 

Designed by Jessica Angst

Mocktail Description: In moments when home feels far away, cozy in for the night and make yourself a Home Away From. The pine and warm spices will close the distance and transport you to the feeling that no matter how far you may be- home is always with you. 

Process: Process: The AI site I used was Ideogram, I warmed up with a couple prompts which helped me gauge how to word my ideas. My mind was on themes from the beginning and through my prompts I traveled through space, sea, neutral backgrounds, a mossy forest, and even a séance. I ultimately was drawn to the space route the most and began refining those prompts more. I got excited about the narrative that was being created. Spiced sweets and drinks make me think about winter and the holidays and I wanted to channel the cozy feeling that I was getting with the idea of sitting back with a mocktail in the space station and looking out at the earth.

Prompts were too long for the captions:

Final prompt 1st image, 6th, 7th: futuristic hyper realistic spiced mocktail with sprig of pine drink in an outer space scene in front of a window for the space station with earth in view

2nd: retro hyper realistic spiced mocktail with oranges and a sprig of rosemary drink in the foreground of an outer space scene in front of a window for the space station on the moon with earth in view

3rd-5th: futuristic hyper realistic spiced mocktail with sprig of pine drink in an outer space scene in front of a window work station for the space station with earth in view

8th:futuristic hyper realistic mocktail pine drink in an outer space scene in front of a window for the space station

9th-11th: cartoon styled spiced mocktail with sprig of pine drink in an outer space scene in front of a window work station for the space station with earth in view

Reflection: I had fun experimenting with constructing my different prompts, it changed my view on AI slightly. I have always been cautiously unsure on where I stand in the debate, but I'm starting to lean more into how impressive of a tool it is. With this project it was a little daunting all the possibilities, but once I got going the ideas came easier. I kept in mind an aspect from the first article mentioning frustration with lack of consistency between "and" and "&" in a students essay, so I tried to vary the way I input my prompts. I tend to do the long run-on sentence, but putting that up against the sentence that had symbols and commas both produced different pictures which I thought was interesting and supports the authors idea. Thinking over the article about chatbots teaching children has me questioning the actual logistics, from my family members who work in schools it seems like behaviors around screens and screen time can be tough already its hard to think about that working as more than just supplementary.

Designed by Sydney Greenwell

Mocktail Description: Take a sip and let this mocktail transport you to another galaxy. The Marstini combines dark matter liquor, stardust and citrus solar flares. These intergalactic ingredients create a flavor out of this world. 

Process: I decided to make my mocktail spaced theme and use the capabilities of AI to visualize a drink that is very imaginative. The galaxy mocktail provides an interesting space theme that is susceptible to a variety of compositions. My first few attempts provided me with some simple-looking mocktails, without much incorporation of space elements. I began testing additional words into Midjourney to get me closer to the outcome I was looking for. I asked Midjorney to incorporate mocktail machines, allowing for more structure and imagination with the images I was presented. I continued to explore with variations 

Reflection:   I found the ability to generate complex and creative images quickly to be really exciting. At first, I was a little skeptical of the technology and found the setup to be confusing. Once I was able to understand the site, it was interesting to tweak the images to get it closer to what I was picturing in my head. AI created a series of complex imagery in seconds. In the article, State Legislators, Wary of Deceptive Election Ad, Tighten AI Rules, David Chen addresses AI’s capabilities of producing hyperrealistic images. They address the issues of misinformation due to these images. I understand the potential problems for misinformation, but also see the excitement when looking at this tool from a creative outlook. I think this is something that requires more research, knowledge, and regulation, but I think there are great possibilities. Additionally in the New York Times Article, Will Chatbots Teach Your Children?, author Natasha Singer addresses the ideas that AI may be implemented into future education practices. This is one of my first times exploring AI. It fascinated me to think about generations growing up with this technology. Similar ideas can be found in the article Our Semicolons, Ourselves. The author, Frank Bruni questions the use of AI in writing. The author discusses the shift of AI-focused writing, replacing writing with a specific prompt. The article describes the necessary attributes when writing a prompt to AI including, "the parameters of the composition you want, the objectives, the guidelines." I found this to be relatable, as it was interesting how much a well-written prompt affected the outcome. I think there is a lot to explore more to explore with AI and am eager to see what new processes can be accomplished.

Designed by: Isaac Moyer

Mocktail Description: Travel back in time to a period where great warriors battled one another to the death. After one sip of from this drink you will be ready to fight anyone, no matter how dumb of an idea it is. 

Process: For my mocktail I wanted to explore how good AI was at implementing architecture into the design. One of the things that I quickly found out was that Midjourney does a lot of interpreting to create the images, so being concise with my statement helped with creating a unique composition. I started out testing certain aspects that I wanted to include and made slight changes to get different outcomes. At first Midjourney was creating images that had a very basic glass for the drink but I wanted the glass to incorporate the Roman Colosseum. My first couple of attempts also put the mocktails in a fairly plain scene that did not fit with the drink well, so I began asking Midjourney to put the drink in a setting that matched it better. 

Reflection:  I really enjoyed this project because using AI is almost like solving a puzzle. A lot of it is plugging in different phrases and seeing what works and then combining what does to make a cohesive final outcome. I have used AI before and I did not realize how powerful it actually is with creating such photorealistic images from just a simple prompt, however it is not without its drawbacks. One of the things that I found really interesting was how in the article Will Chatbots Teach Your Children?, by Natash Singer it talks about how certain AI can take away from the human-centered part of these activities, and I agree with this to a point. While I do think that AI could take away from certain creative activities it can also help with inspiration and be a good base for starting a project. I definitely think that AI is a useful tool when use properly but it can be abused and taken advantage of. With the rapid increase of the development of AI we see in articles like State legislators, Wary of Deceptive Election Ads, Tighten A.I. Ruless, by David Chen, that politicians are trying to regulate or even ban AI altogether because of its role in the spread of misinformation. I was surprised by this becasue I did not really know how strong it could really be if there was need for regulation of this tool. Another point that I agreed with was from the article Our Semicolons, Ourselves, by Frank Bruni, is that AI does not give off the same personality as a real person and what they can create. I also agree with the fact that when you have the ability to write in a proofessional manor it shows that you have the ability to logically breakdown what you are trying to say and present it in a way that is digestible for someone else. This is not to say that AI is not able to do this but it should not be a crutch for a skill but a tool used to build upon the skills one already has.

Designed By:  Hannah King

Mocktail Description: The date is 2053, a group of young friends converge on a local tavern. Among these friends, there's you. You had an exhausting day and the emotions with in are swirling like a violent storm. You can't keep up with the racing anxieties that have chased you as the day went on. Everyone in the group gets matched with a custom drink in this location. These unique elixirs are quite the spectacle, after all, that's why the group came here for the night. Your drink is served with everyone else's, but yours is unlike anything before. You gawk in astonishment as you realize that before you is a drink that visualizes all the chaos you have felt. The tavern names this drink Reign of The Elements as the drink swirls about. In every sip you feel understood. Every sip, a new burst of flavor. From fields of lavender and fresh spring breeze, to rushing salty seas, to crisp warm flames and smoky after taste. Each sip a new conversation born of chaos all coming together in a beautiful harmony. 

Process:  To get to this render, I started off with basic level exploration of prompts in Midjourney. I had to adapt my prompts quickly as I learned that if I didn't add the term "drink" it gave me any number of mocktail scapes including bar type environments and people with drinking glasses as decorations. Overall, I had fun just exploring what I could generate using different formats, phrases, orders, and styles. I used prompts such as "/imagine a mocktail drink inspired by fire" and then used "/imagine mocktail drink, fire" to see how or if they differed. I did this with almost all of my prompts except the extra complicated ones. I tried styles of art or environment by inserting the phrase "Italian renaissance painting" before what drink I wanted or replacing it in the same prompt with "video game art style." I see the perspective of the teacher from the article about student's and how AI is making writing less enticing. Part of forming prompt for this assignment was playing with writing and seeing how structure changed outcome. If I changed any part of my prompt structure, my outcomes could possibly look nothing alike. When organizing some of the more complex prompts, I had to pay attention to hierarchy and what was most important for the bot to catch first. I also grew up in a time before AI was talked about by regular students. I never heard about AI until after I graduated high school and now it has evolved even more. AI is a tool, but to use the tool, a human needs to understand how using language in different ways can change the outcome entirely or how to use language in an effective way to guide or fix AI work at times. 

Reflection:  This was a fun intro to AI for a student that has only used AI once and not a very good one at that. The interface was rather easy to get into after a minute of gathering my thoughts and bearings and I saw combinations of themes I never would have see that way before. It also had draw backs admittedly and some aspects were hard to bring variety to. I asked in prompt chat rooms how to change certain things and most people were as unsure as I was. AI takes what a human gives it and tries it's best, but in some ways, a human would have been better able to describe to another human the desired changes.