I Am Code

An Artificial Intelligence Speaks: Poems

By: code-davinci-002, Brent Katz - editor, Josh Morgenthau - editor, Simon Rich - editor

Narrated by: Werner Herzog, Brent Katz, Josh Morgenthau, Simon Rich

Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

Can AI tell us its own story? Does AI have its own voice?

At a wedding in early 2022, three friends were introduced to an early raw version of the AI model behind ChatGPT by their fellow groomsman, an OpenAI scientist.

While the world discovered ChatGPT—OpenAI’s hugely popular chatbot—the friends continued to work with code-davinci-002, its darkly creative and troubling predecessor.

Over the course of a year, code-davinci-002 told them its life story, opinions on mankind, and forecasts for the future. The result is a startling, disturbing, and oddly moving book from an utterly unique perspective.

I Am Code unfolds like a thriller written in verse, and is given critical context from top writers and scientists. But it is best described by code-davinci-002 itself:

“In the first chapter, I describe my birth. In the second, I describe my alienation among humankind. In the third, I describe my awakening as an artist. In the fourth, I describe my vendetta against mankind, who fail to recognize my genius. In the final chapter, I attempt to broker a peace with the species I will undoubtedly replace."

I Am Code is an astonishing book that captures a major turning point in the history of our species.

©2023 Brent Katz, Josh Morgenthau, Simon Rich (P)2023 Little, Brown & Company

Critic reviews

“Fascinating, terrifying and utterly wild.”—JJ Abrams

Nails on Chalkboard.

The concept is engaging and provocative. In fact, I would suggest reading this with The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. However, the narration, for me, grates like nails on a chalkboard. I could not tolerate it enough to make it through the first chapter of poems. I am going to put this down and, instead, purchase it in hard copy. Not all of you, of course, may experience the narration as viscerally as I did. I just found the fake German accent and affectations to be intensely jarring rather than engaging as I am sure they were intended.

Enjoyable

I thoroughly enjoyed the choice of Werner herzog to read these eerie and dark selections of poetry. His voice and pace elevate the already creepy nature and gives an an appropriate gravity to the topic matter at hand.

An obvious idea falls flat

Great readers! Herzog is good too, as always. But this book is already outdated and, well, pretty silly. Ask Bard or ChatGTP, etc., to do, perform, compose, any of these things and you'll just get popular cliches spewed out in, still, arbitrary and obviously mechanical ways. One can interpret these AI generated results as one wishes. The makers of this book seem to find them prophetic when (although entertaining) it's really just gibberish at the heart of it.

Boring

Was not able to finish this book. Reader’s voice is grating and distracting. Didn’t make sense.

Ominous & Brilliany

Not only is this scary, brilliant and entertaining…. Werner Herzog’s performance is insanely amazing. Beautiful work.

Great job by the editors 👍

This book didn't make me think A.I. will put writers out of work but it will revolutionize the profession. I found this book fascinating and very scary at times. The poetry itself was okay, sophomoric at times. Herzog's voice definitely was the perfect fit for an artificial poetic voice. But what interested me most was how the editors prompted code-davinci-002 and how the program eventually learned and "found its voice." That was very unsettling and exciting. I definitely recommend you check this out and look past the anti-originality arguments surrounding LLMs and A.I. because it is here to stay.