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In reality, I didn’t just ask AI to write my aunt’s obituary with no information. That would have been a mess filled with false information. Just searching my aunt’s name on the web finds a listing with the correct age and residence, along with the information that she is currently CEO of a large company. Coming back today, now that the obituary I put together is online, I did get a much better result though.
To write the original obituary, I wrote a prompt that included her siblings, vital information, and some stories from her life. After trying a few times and modifying my prompt, I sent the results to cousins who offered suggestions that I then incorporated. The final result wasn’t short (and not cheap to publish) but was something I felt proud to share. Having written the original version with all the stories and information, I did feel it was mine.
AI is a tool, a tool that can help make our life easier. It is not something you can just feed a topic (like “Obit for my aunt”) and get a ready-to-use result. The process requires thought, input, and collaboration to craft something meaningful and accurate.
This experience reminded me that while AI can provide valuable assistance, it is the human touch that shapes and refines the final output. We must use these tools thoughtfully and responsibly to enhance our work and honor the memories of our loved ones.
