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‘Nobody wants a robot to read them a story!’ The creatives and academics rejecting AI – at work and at home | Artificial intelligence (AI)

We’ve all been there. You’re craving something sweet, so you grab a cheap candy bar. It hits the spot for a second—sugary, satisfying, effortless. But five minutes later, you’re left with a weird aftertaste and zero real nourishment. According to filmmaker and writer Justine Bateman, that’s exactly how a lot of AI-generated content feels.

Bateman recently compared AI creations to junk food: “Deliciously artificial to some, if not nourishing—but many of us will turn off.” And honestly? She might be onto something.

The Allure (and Limits) of Easy Creativity
AI can whip up a poem, a blog post, or even a bedtime story in seconds. It’s fast, convenient, and sometimes impressively coherent. But here’s the thing: coherence isn’t the same as connection. There’s a warmth, a human texture, to stories and art made by people. A robot can string words together, but can it make you feel something you didn’t expect? Can it surprise you with a twist only a lived experience could invent?

I tried an AI storytelling app the other day. The plot was technically fine—no grammatical errors, a clear beginning-middle-end. But it lacked voice. No quirks, no raw edges, nothing that made me lean in and think, “Wow, only a human could’ve written that.”

Where the Junk Food Analogy Works (And Where It Doesn’t)
Like junk food, AI content is everywhere now. It’s cheap to produce, addictive in its convenience, and often just… empty. But unlike junk food, creativity isn’t just about filling space. It’s about meaning. A fast-food burger won’t ruin your appreciation for a home-cooked meal. But if mediocre, mass-produced stories flood the market, do we risk losing our appetite for the real thing?

That said, AI isn’t useless. It’s a tool, not a replacement. Think of it like a microwave: great for reheating leftovers, but you wouldn’t use it to cook a Thanksgiving turkey.

The Big Question: Will We Get Sick of It?
Bateman thinks so. And I’m inclined to agree. We’re already drowning in generic content. Eventually, we’ll crave substance—stuff made with intention, flaws, and humanity. Maybe AI will push us to value real creativity more.

Or maybe I’m wrong. Maybe we’ll all happily binge on synthetic stories forever. What do you think?