Generative AI has gone too far, according to writer Rebecca Shaw, who argues that the technology has ruined one of the internet's greatest joys: watching cute animal videos. In an opinion piece for The Guardian, Shaw laments that AI-generated content has poisoned the well of authentic, heartwarming clips, leaving viewers unable to trust what they see.
The Environmental and Human Cost
Shaw cites multiple reasons for her disdain, starting with the environmental impact. Generative AI requires massive, water-guzzling data centres, she notes, in a world where many lack clean water and Australia faces worsening droughts. 'Your cousin's son is right now using litres of water to see what all the ninja turtles look like with his face,' she writes, criticising the waste of both water and human inventiveness. She urges readers not to be fooled by marketing claims that AI is indispensable, as the technology 'arrived five minutes ago.'
AI Undermines Authenticity
Beyond environmental concerns, Shaw finds AI-created content deeply disturbing. 'It feels to me like we are stepping away from what makes us human, stripping ourselves of the capacity to think and feel that took us eons to evolve,' she states. She argues that none of the GenAI content she has seen makes a convincing case for its necessity, and that accepting AI-generated material as authentic is a step backward.
The Death of Cute Animal Videos
Shaw's central complaint is that AI has destroyed the simple pleasure of watching real animal videos. 'Those brief moments of happiness are now destroyed,' she writes. The thrill of seeing a baby whale breach beside its mother or a fat bird sent to a partner with 'us' is gone, replaced by suspicion. 'When I see such a video, before any other reaction I immediately wonder if it's AI,' she explains, noting that comments sections are split between those claiming it's AI and those defending its authenticity. 'The joy of the moment is lost to us all.'
A Call for the Real Thing
Shaw concludes by urging readers to seek out authentic experiences. 'I want books written by complicated people, bad drawings by sweet idiots, songs written by mentally ill gay people who have felt every moment of their life, real movies with actors that have lived, real birds, real biting of real fingers,' she writes. She dismisses the need for AI-generated animal videos, noting that real animals are already 'awesome, cute and real out there.' Her final plea: 'Save some water, be a human.'
