What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?
I’ve been a journalist and writer my entire adult life. I’m a mid-30s mother of two who accidentally had my mind blown by ChatGPT a year ago. I felt this burning need to try to express what I was feeling and learning as I discovered this new thing. As I used it more and thought about it, I started questioning my own humanity. I felt alone and alienated, consumed by my thoughts. Writing Human Again didn’t feel like a choice. My hope is that other people will find some comfort in my writing and a renewed appreciation for critical thinking.
What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
Since journalism school, I have always been drawn to storytelling that tells the truth, but better. Journalism that reads like fiction, that makes you feel something, and makes you think differently. The stories that stick with you and change your perspective on more than just the direct subject. Conversations questioning the self, identity, and the world around us, ultimately in the pursuit of happiness. I love confessional, voice-driven writing, the kind of immersive storytelling that makes you feel like you’re living inside someone else’s skin. And yes, that’s my favorite way to write as well.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
I am rereading This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff. I’m currently reading Quick Silver by Callie Hart. I always have Joan Didion and The Lord of the Rings nearby.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
Probably the Horoscopes scene. I was spending a lot of time talking to AI and poking holes in what was possible and where it fell short. Those moments I describe in the Sentience chapter really made me think and ultimately were driving factors in the need to write about my experiences.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
I often write late at night and in bursts. I also often get my best ideas in my dreams. Lately, I ask AI to argue with me constantly. If it agrees too quickly, I don’t trust it.
Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?
I love The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Many quotes, but specifically the idea that “it’s the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay.”
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
Right now, we need creatives, thought leaders, writers, thinkers, artists, and everyone in between to play, test, push, discover, philosophize, and explore, document this incredible and terrifying artificial intelligence. I hope this book is part of that story.
J.D. Macpherson is the author of the new book Human Again: In the AI Age
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