#312 Between Circuits and Soul with Lancali

A note from the Reedsy Prompts team: While this contest explores the theme of artificial intelligence (AI), Reedsy does not endorse the use of generative AI to create or write Prompts contest submissions. We believe great storytelling comes from actual human experience and imagination, not algorithms. Please ensure that the ideas and words you submit to this contest are your own.

This week, we’re collaborating with bestselling author Lou-Andrea Callewaert. The winner will be awarded $250 and a special bonus prize: personal feedback from Lou-Andrea! Here's what she has to say about her takeover:

Fellow Writers,

My name is Lou-Andrea, also known as Lancali, the author of I Fell in Love with Hope (2023) and many more upcoming works of literary and psychological fiction. As a passionate student of literature, philosophy, and science, I believe that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools at humanity’s disposal. So, for this week’s contest, let’s take a look at a controversial topic that seems to divide us creatives: AI.

With the rise of generative artificial intelligence, many renowned authors are calling on the publishing industry to protect human creativity and the legal integrity of their work. We all know the pitfalls and the potential that artificial intelligence holds — not only from the forewarnings of past novelists like William Gibson, but also from what is happening right now. And personally, I’m just as interested in the philosophical implications as I am in the tangible societal ones.

In that vein, my challenge for you is not to write an epic sci-fi where an AI overlord takes over the world, or an essay convincing the populace to ditch AI for good, but something far simpler. For this contest, let’s write short stories that explore the question: Is artificial intelligence a reflection of human intelligence? And if so, what makes machine different from man?

Thank you all for joining me in this challenge.

Sincerely,

Lou-Andrea