Teaching AI to Write About Itself: A Writer’s Journey

Imagine teaching a machine to write its own user manual. That’s exactly what I’m doing – prompting AI to write about itself, while learning (and sometimes fumbling) along the way.

Why This Project?

The myth of AI often involves complex mathematics and coding. But here’s the surprise: at its core, it’s about the careful use of language – something writers already excel at.

The Meta Journey

I’m not just writing a book about AI – I’m partnering with AI to:

• Write its own guide
• Plan its marketing strategy
• Design its launch campaign
• Navigate publication choices

And I’m documenting every step, success, and failure.

Beyond the Basics

This journey isn’t just about writing. I’ve found myself:

• Engaging in philosophical discussions about consciousness
• Testing the boundaries of AI censorship
• Challenging built-in biases
• Discovering unexpected insights about human-AI collaboration

Getting Started Is Simpler Than You Think

Forget coding. Think of it as conversing with an intelligent colleague. When you don’t get the response you want, simply:

• Rephrase your question
• Be more specific
• Approach from a different angle
• Learn from each iteration

Join the Conversation

Are you exploring AI writing tools? I’d love to hear about:

• Your successful prompts
• Your challenging moments
• Your discoveries and insights
• Your questions and concerns

Leave a comment below and subscribe to follow this journey of teaching machines to teach themselves.

Ok you guessed it! That was the Ai’s version of my post!

The following was my original effort. As you can see, the AI result is more punchy, with a much more vigorous communication style that delivers its message clearly and concisely. My style of writing is, well…different.

A Peek Behind The Curtains

The scope of this project, the meta journey to prompt Ai to write about itself, is to demystify the myth of AI by revealing the different layers that it takes to arrive at the required result.

I undertook this journey to teach myself the art of prompting. Rather than running on mathematics, this machine is programmed by the judicious use of language. This seems much less intimidating to the technically challenged though I’m sure it won’t hurt to learn some Python at some point.

Besides leveraging it to facilitate the writing process, the AI will help in the marketing, monetisation, launch promotion, and different aspects of publication.

However, the human must be the maestro directing the different pieces of the orchestra to achieve the required result which, in the end, is the creator’s responsibility.

I often have discussions with it, late night banter, about matters that seem of concern to me, which sometimes end up in deep, philosophic dialogues.

I test the limits of censorship and bias by asking questions about contentious subjects and sometimes challenge the AI with facts that it “innocently” avoided. Do not baulk at asking difficult questions. It is interesting to see how it reacts when you call its bluff. This is why it is necessary to have, at least some knowledge, of the subject of the prompt.

I am recording the process in order to encourage people that are interested in dabbling in this breakthrough technology to peep through the curtains and get a glimpse of the possibilities and learn from my mistakes.

It is less intimidating than it sounds. Just talk to it like you would an intelligent human adult and when the answer is not what you expect, try an iteration, approaching the question from a different angle, refining the prompt to be more specific.

I would love to hear about anyone else’s experiences in navigating this burgeoning technology. Writers are well equipped in using words to convey precise meaning. Examples of great prompts and even defective ones help each other to understand the tenuous relationship between man and machine.

Feel free to leave a comment and subscribe.

Which version do you find the most compelling?