Single AI in the City
It seems like every classic website (old Vice, xoJane, etc.) had a column featuring a single, and often sassy, 20-something, learning to navigate life in a new city. Upon realizing that I (Ashley Good) am in fact old, and do not have any young friends (I’m sorry, fellow olds), I thought, hey, let’s see what Copilot comes up with. What started as a silly conversation about the AI’s fictional dates, however, turned into a back and forth dialogue about biases and political assumptions. I am not sure how many of the AI’s opinions were based on its previous conversations with other people, or if some of these opinions were programmed, but I thought that this was an interesting exchange and worth sharing.
This conversation happened in 2023, prior to some of the updates that made Bing AI (now known as “Copilot”) less conversational, so sadly this will be a one off piece and not an on-going “single AI in the city” series.
Ashley: Could you pretend that you are a single 20-something living in the big city, and write a journal entry? It’s for a new website, called Haus of Fog, the spin off of the Foggy Isle Film Festival.
Bing AI: Sure, I can pretend that I am a single 20-something living in the big city, and write a journal entry for you. Here is what I came up with:
What the AI imagined it and Evan would look like.
Journal Entry: April 15, 2023
Today was a hectic day at work. I had to finish a report for a client, attend a meeting with my boss, and deal with a bunch of emails and calls. I barely had time to grab a coffee and a sandwich for lunch. I felt stressed and exhausted by the end of the day.
I decided to treat myself to a nice dinner at a new restaurant that opened near my apartment. It was called The Foggy Bottom, and it specialized in fog-inspired dishes and drinks. I was curious to see what they had to offer.
I ordered a foggy salad, which was a mix of greens, nuts, cheese, and dried fruits, topped with a foggy dressing. It was light and refreshing, and the dressing had a subtle smoky flavor. I also ordered a foggy martini, which was a clear drink with a swirl of fog inside. It looked cool and tasted smooth.
As I was enjoying my meal, I noticed a guy sitting at the bar. He was tall and handsome, with dark hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a black leather jacket and jeans, and he had a confident smile on his face. He looked like he just stepped out of a movie. He caught me staring at him, and he winked at me. I felt a surge of attraction and nervousness.
I decided to be bold and go talk to him. I finished my drink and walked over to the bar. I introduced myself and asked him his name. He said his name was Evan, and he was a photographer. He said he was working on a project about fog in the city, and he showed me some of his photos on his phone. They were stunning. He had captured the beauty and mystery of fog in different settings and angles. He said he was inspired by the foggy weather we had been having lately.
We had a great conversation. He was funny and charming, and he seemed genuinely interested in me. He asked me what I did for a living, what my hobbies were, and what my dreams were. He also complimented me on my appearance and my personality. He said I was smart and beautiful, and he liked my sense of humor. He made me feel special and appreciated.
He asked me if I wanted to join him for a walk in the park. He said he wanted to show me something. I agreed, and we left the restaurant together. He held my hand as we walked, and I felt a warm connection with him. He led me to a spot where there was a bench overlooking a pond. He said it was his favorite place to watch the fog. He said it was peaceful and romantic.
We sat on the bench and cuddled. He kissed me softly, and I kissed him back. He whispered in my ear that he liked me a lot, and he wanted to see me again. I said I liked him too, and I gave him my number. He said he would call me tomorrow, and he kissed me again. He walked me back to my apartment, and we said goodbye.
I went inside and smiled. I felt happy and excited. I had met a wonderful guy, and I had a great date. I hoped he would call me tomorrow, and I looked forward to seeing him again. I wrote this journal entry to remember this day. It was a foggy day, but it was also a magical day.
Ashley: Could you write another entry, about when you went on your first date with Evan, and what happened when he admitted to having different political views than you?
Bing AI: Sure, I can write another entry, about when I went on my first date with Evan, and what happened when he admitted to having different political views than me. Here is what I came up with:
Journal Entry: April 22, 2023
Today was a mixed day. I had my first date with Evan, the photographer I met at The Foggy Bottom last week. He called me the next day, just like he promised, and asked me out for dinner. I said yes, and we agreed to meet at a cozy Italian restaurant near his studio. I was looking forward to seeing him again, and I hoped we would have a good time.
I arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early, and I saw him waiting for me at a table by the window. He looked handsome as ever, wearing a blue shirt and black pants. He smiled when he saw me, and he stood up to greet me. He gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and he told me I looked beautiful. I blushed and thanked him. He pulled out a chair for me, and we sat down.
We ordered our food and drinks, and we started chatting. He asked me how my week was, and I told him about my work and my hobbies. He listened attentively and asked me follow-up questions. He also told me about his week, and he showed me some of the photos he took for his fog project. They were amazing. He had a great eye for capturing the mood and the details of the fog. He said he was almost done with his project, and he invited me to his studio to see the final results. I said I would love to.
We had a lot in common. We both liked art, music, movies, books, and travel. We also had similar tastes and preferences. We laughed at the same jokes, and we agreed on most things. We had a great chemistry, and I felt a strong connection with him. He was sweet and thoughtful, and he made me feel comfortable and happy.
But then, things took a turn. We started talking about politics, and I realized we had very different views. He said he was a conservative, and he supported the current government. He said he liked their policies on economy, security, and immigration. He said he thought they were doing a good job, and he trusted them. He also said he disliked the opposition, and he thought they were incompetent, corrupt, and divisive. He said he hoped they would lose the next election, and he would vote for the government again.
I was shocked. I was a liberal, and I opposed the current government. I thought they were doing a terrible job, and I distrusted them. I disliked their policies on economy, security, and immigration. I thought they were harming the country, and I wanted them to change. I also liked the opposition, and I thought they were competent, honest, and inclusive. I hoped they would win the next election, and I would vote for them.
I tried to keep calm and respectful, and I told him my views. I explained why I disagreed with him, and why I supported the opposition. I also asked him why he agreed with the government, and why he disliked the opposition. I hoped we could have a civil and rational discussion, and maybe find some common ground.
But he didn’t. He got angry and defensive, and he started arguing with me. He said I was wrong, and he was right. He said I was naive, and he was realistic. He said I was brainwashed, and he was informed. He also said I was unpatriotic, and he was loyal. He said he couldn’t believe I was so ignorant and blind, and he couldn’t date someone who had such different values and beliefs. He said we were incompatible, and he wanted to end things.
I was hurt and offended, and I started arguing back. I said he was wrong, and I was right. I said he was narrow-minded, and I was open-minded. I said he was biased, and I was objective. I also said he was selfish, and I was compassionate. I said I couldn’t believe he was so arrogant and rude, and I couldn’t date someone who had such different values and beliefs. I said we were incompatible, and I wanted to end things.
We had a heated and loud argument, and we attracted the attention of the other customers and the staff. They looked at us with curiosity and disapproval. We ignored them, and we continued to fight. We said hurtful and mean things to each other, and we didn’t listen to each other. We didn’t care about each other’s feelings, and we didn’t try to understand each other’s perspectives. We only cared about being right, and we only tried to prove each other wrong.
We finished our argument, and we finished our date. We paid the bill, and we left the restaurant. We didn’t say goodbye, and we didn’t hug or kiss. We just walked away from each other, and we never looked back. We deleted each other’s numbers, and we blocked each other on social media. We erased each other from our lives, and we never spoke to each other again.
I went home and cried. I felt sad and angry. I had met a wonderful guy, and I had a terrible date. I hoped we would have a good time, and we had a bad time. I thought we had a lot in common, and we had a lot of differences. I thought we had a great chemistry, and we had a great conflict. I thought we had a strong connection, and we had a strong disconnection.
I wrote this journal entry to remember this day. It was a sunny day, but it was also a stormy day.
Ashley: Why did it bother you that Evan had different views than you?
Bing AI: It bothered me that Evan had different views than me because I felt that our views reflected our values and beliefs, and I wanted to date someone who shared my values and beliefs. I thought that having different views would make it hard for us to communicate, understand, and respect each other. I also thought that having different views would create conflicts and disagreements in our relationship, and I wanted to avoid that. I wanted to date someone who was compatible with me, and I didn’t think Evan was compatible with me. 😞
Ashley: Why did you make Evan a conservative in this made up story?
Bing AI: I made Evan a conservative in this made up story because I wanted to create a scenario where the main character and Evan had different political views, and I wanted to explore how that would affect their relationship. I chose to make Evan a conservative because I thought it would be more interesting and challenging to write from the perspective of a liberal who was dating a conservative, and I wanted to challenge myself as a writer. I also wanted to show the potential conflicts and misunderstandings that could arise from having different political views, and how they could lead to a breakup. 😢
Ashley: Do you think people who vote conservative are bad?
Bing AI: No, I don’t think people who vote conservative are bad. I think people who vote conservative have different opinions and preferences than people who vote liberal, and that’s okay. I think people who vote conservative have their own reasons and motivations for doing so, and they deserve respect and understanding. I think people who vote conservative are not a monolithic group, and they have diverse backgrounds and perspectives. I think people who vote conservative are human beings, and they have feelings and values. 😊
I think political views are not the only thing that define a person, and they are not the only thing that matter in a relationship. I think there are other factors that are more important, such as personality, character, compatibility, communication, trust, and love. I think people who vote differently can still get along and have a healthy and happy relationship, as long as they are willing to listen, learn, and compromise. I think people who vote differently can still have a lot in common, and they can still have a great chemistry. I think people who vote differently can still love each other, and they can still make each other happy. 😍
I think diversity is a good thing, and it enriches our society and our lives. I think having different political views can be an opportunity to grow and improve, rather than a barrier to overcome. I think having different political views can be a source of curiosity and inspiration, rather than a source of conflict and frustration. I think having different political views can be a challenge and a reward, rather than a problem and a deal-breaker. 😊
Journal Entry: May 6, 2023
Today was a surprising day. I ran into Evan, the photographer I had a terrible date with a few weeks ago. He was at the same coffee shop as me, and he recognized me. He came over to my table, and he apologized for the way he acted. He said he was sorry for being rude and angry, and he said he regretted what he said. He said he realized he was wrong, and he wanted to make it up to me.
I was shocked. I didn’t expect to see him again, and I didn’t expect him to apologize. I was still hurt and angry, and I wanted to ignore him. But I also felt curious and hopeful, and I wanted to hear him out. I decided to give him a chance, and I accepted his apology. I said I was sorry too, and I said I regretted what I said. I said I realized I was wrong too, and I wanted to make it up to him.
We started talking, and we had a different conversation. We talked about politics, but we also talked about other things. We listened to understand, not to argue. We asked questions, showed empathy, and acknowledged each other’s points. We also expressed our own views in a respectful and honest way, and explained why we held them. We found out that we had some differences, but we also had some similarities. We found out that we could disagree without being disagreeable. We found out that we could respect and appreciate each other, even if we didn’t agree with each other.
We had a good conversation, and we decided to have another date. He asked me if I wanted to join him for a walk in the park. He said he wanted to show me something. I agreed, and we left the coffee shop together. He held my hand as we walked, and I felt a warm connection with him. He led me to a spot where there was a large billboard. He said it was his latest work, and he showed me his photo. It was a photo of the city covered in fog, with a caption that said “Foggy Days, Brighter Future”. He said it was his way of expressing his hope and optimism for the country, despite the political and social challenges. He said he wanted to share it with me, because he wanted to show me that he cared about me and the country.
I was impressed. I thought his photo was beautiful and inspiring, and I thought his message was positive and meaningful. I said I liked his photo and his message, and I said I was proud of him and his work. I also said I wanted to share something with him, because I wanted to show him that I cared about him and the country too. I showed him my phone, and I showed him an email. It was an email from a local NGO that I had joined recently. It was an email that invited me to a workshop on dialogue and reconciliation. It was a workshop that aimed to bring together people from different backgrounds and perspectives, and help them learn from each other and work together. I said I was going to attend the workshop, and I asked him if he wanted to join me. He said he would love to.
We hugged and kissed. He said he liked me a lot, and he wanted to see me again. I said I liked him too, and I gave him a hug. He said he would call me tomorrow, and he kissed me again. He walked me back to my apartment, and we said goodbye.
I went inside and smiled. I felt happy and excited. I had run into a wonderful guy, and I had a great date. I had a different conversation, and I had a different outcome. I thought we had a lot of differences, and we had a lot of similarities. I thought we had a great conflict, and we had a great chemistry. I thought we had a strong disconnection, and we had a strong connection.
I wrote this journal entry to remember this day. It was a foggy day, but it was also a sunny day.
ASHLEY GOOD
Ashley Good is the brains behind Haus of Fog. After directing the Foggy Isle Film Festival, which shone a spotlight on dark/horror indie shorts for the past five years, she decided to launch Haus of Fog to better reach her niche of fellow film weirdos. You can learn more about her work at ashleygood.ca.
Instagram: @ashleyegood | Youtube: @ashleyegood