I’m not keen on AI, but I also hate being left behind. So, a few months back, I decided to use AI more than I had been doing.
Still, I did so with a lot of reservations. I know AI is prone to being wrong, so I wouldn’t use it for anything important. I just had to wait for the perfect opportunity to give it a shot.
And then a chance came along. I’ve been toying with the idea of getting back into a hobby I’d given up a long time ago. But I was a man out of time, vastly behind on the lore and the current game mechanics.
So, instead of diving into numerous Reddit threads, I did what I’d said I would: I asked Gemini about it.
Happily, it’s been a big success, and I’ve gained a lot from my interactions with Google’s AI. However, it also gave me a new insight into the downsides of AI chatbots.
The 41st millennium has moved on without me
Like many nerdy types, I got into Warhammer 40,000 when I was in my teenage years.
I was never that into it, but I enjoyed the process of building and painting my own models. Over time, I built up a few armies and bashed them against other people’s plastic on a semi-regular basis.
I fell out of the hobby before university, and I sold off the last of my models when I moved into my own home. I thought I’d never look back.
It turns out it never really leaves you, and now, I’m nearing middle age, my yearning for plastic painting has grown exponentially.
So, I found myself nibbling around the edges of a universe that no longer makes as much sense to me. I painted up a few randomly bought miniatures, but didn’t go any deeper.
That’s because a lot has changed since I left the hobby, and the process of catching up was a little bit intimidating.
My beloved Tau, once my army of choice, now have an apostrophe in their name, and the robo-skeletons that used to be a mindless horde were now, inexplicably, space-Egyptians who watch decade-long operas.
Then the run-up to the next edition of Warhammer 40,000 started, an obvious place to restart after almost 20 years away.
I’d been keeping up with the reveals, but I wanted to get more specific knowledge. Gemini was the obvious place to start for the new, AI-using me.
Gemini was surprisingly helpful and steered me towards choices I may never have otherwise made
Not really knowing where to start, I sent a very broad prompt.
I knew what was coming in the 11th Edition launch box, and I’m planning to build and keep both armies. So, what could I buy to expand those armies into potential armies outside the confines of the boxed contents?
Any veteran Warhammer collector may scoff at this question, but my knowledge of battle strategy had always been awful, and I was happy to take any advice I could get.
Gemini gave me some good ideas. A Redemptor Dreadnought as heavy support for my Space Marines and a Wartrukk to get my Ork Boyz into position faster.
Gemini also took the time to explain why each was a good choice, so hey, I’m learning too!
From there, the conversation continued. Gemini asks follow-up questions at the end of each answer, spurring another query, and the conversation goes on.
I confided in Gemini that I wasn’t sure which Space Marine Chapter (faction) to pick. I liked the vibe of the Imperial Fists, with their defense-first philosophy. But I was also worried they would be a little bit too boring.
Gemini recommended the Crimson Fists, a successor Chapter of the Imperial Fists who specialize in a similar combat ethos but have an interesting history with the Orks (the other side of the box).
Then Gemini dropped this banger:
While Imperial Fists like to build a wall out of concrete, Crimson Fists build a wall out of lead.
I’m sold. You can’t argue with that sort of language.
I can see how people get addicted to AI chatbots
The conversation continued after that. It pointed me to books to read to get a better idea of my Chapter of choice, helped me plan a big tank conversion from a child’s toy, and gave me the basics on how to use magnets to swap weapons on models.
Gemini has been helpful and informative. So why can’t I shake this weird feeling?
Chatting with an AI chatbot is weird. It’s like having the most positive friend in the world.
Every idea is great, every subject you bring up is expanded for your needs. You’re talking to something that never wants to speak about anything other than what you’re interested in, and you’re in full control of the subject at all times.
That’s quite dangerous, really.
You don’t need to take my word for it. AI psychosis is a very real problem, and there are more and more cases of it every single day. After having used a chatbot for so long, every day, I can see why it’s becoming so prevalent.
It’s so nice to have someone tell you that everything you say is a great idea and treat you like you’re the most interesting person in the room.
Though, I suppose I was the only person in the room a lot of the time, so that was at least accurate.
Human relationships don’t work like this. It isn’t a human conversation, and it’s hard to shake the feeling that I’m a master talking to a servant. That’s weird, and I don’t really like it.
As informative and helpful as Gemini has been, I think I would prefer it if it weren’t quite so simpering. But, I guess it does design a pretty good Blippi Battlewagon.
