John Scalzi: Using AI to generate pictures is like kicking artists in the teeth & then laughing at them while they bleed

[highplainsdem]

In case you don't know who John Scalzi is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Scalzi

Because I know actual human artists whose work was appropriated without consent to train these "AI" models (as of course mine was, repeatedly, for LLMs), and using an "AI" to generate pictures is like kicking them in the teeth and then laughing at them whilst they bleed

— John Scalzi (@scalzi.com) 2025-09-01T16:44:33.402Z

[FBaggins]

1. Enjoyed his "Old Man's War" series

I think there's a new one coming out this month (first one in a decade).

"Starter Villian" was suprisingly entertaining

[highplainsdem]

3. He's a good writer, of both fiction and nonfiction. Also a talented amateur musician who

sometimes posts his music.

Very much worth following on Bluesky.

[MurrayDelph]

4. Starter Villain

was the first thing of his I "read" (actually listened to Wil Wheaton read it).

I liked the humorous vein. Are all his books that much fun?

[FBaggins]

5. I enjoy most of what I've heard Wheaton narrate

Quite an interesting career path.


Most of Scalzi's work is more traditional sci-fi (which I enjoy). I haven't read "Redshirts" yet because the blurb seemed so unlike that genre... but Starter Villian makes me think that I might enjoy it anyway (and it did win some awards). "Constituent Service" is a short one with some similar humor... and the description of "When the Moon Hits Your Eye" (moon actually turns to cheese) implies some humor as well.

[ImNotGod]

2. The same with making AI music which is being done by people who should know better plus AI is driving up

electric bills and adding to climate destruction.

[highplainsdem]

6. Right. This applies to all generative AI trained on stolen intellectual property.