Some still ask, "How much was AI involved in creating this or that?" Unfortunately, this question often comes with a negative connotation, as if AI were some sort of creative boogeyman and I didn't deserve any credit for my work. "You haven't done anything, AI did it all!" Oh, please.

The real issue is how you perceive AI—as a tool, creative or not. It's not a magic wand, but it's not the devil either. It's more like that weirdly efficient coworker who never needs a coffee break.

If you pride yourself on everything being 100% manual, consider this: even Michelangelo used tools and assistants. Do you really believe he created all those wonders with just his bare hands and a can-do attitude? What, did he chip away at marble with his teeth? I bet Michelangelo and Da Vinci would have craved for more efficient tools and assistants. Imagine Leonardo with Photoshop or Michelangelo with a 3D printer—they'd have lost their minds with joy.

Think about it. Whether you're a writer, coder, artist, or any other creative professional, how much of your work is done entirely by hand, without any tools or assistance, digital or otherwise? Unless you're writing novels with a quill and inkwell, you're probably using some form of technology.

Even genius coders use an IDE in one form or another. If you think they write code straight from their heads without any references or help, well, you might also believe in coding fairies who sprinkle bug-free code while you sleep.

Amusingly enough, these folks use computers or mobile gadgets to ask these questions. WTF... How much of that question is yours then? Did you create the device you're using? Did you write the software you're using? Did you design the font you're reading? Did you invent the internet you're connected to? Did you...? Oh, crap, I'm going down the rabbit hole.

Be realistic and rational. Stop being a hypocrite just because you don't want to embrace AI. It's not the boogeyman you think it is. Sure, it might outperform you in chess or calculate pi to the millionth digit in seconds, but it's not going to steal your job, your creative spark, or your significant other. (Though if your partner leaves you for a chatbot, maybe it's time to work on your conversation skills.)

AI is here to augment our abilities, not replace them. It's like having a super-smart intern who never sleeps, never complains, and never steals your lunch from the office fridge. Embrace it, learn to work with it, and who knows? You might just surprise yourself with what you can achieve.

I'm proud to use any tool that helps me create. Whether it's a pencil, brush, pen, computer, software, hardware, or AI, I use them all. And I'm proud of it. Hell, if a trained monkey could help me be more creative, I'd hire one tomorrow (banana costs notwithstanding).

I don't expect to please everyone, but I'm happy with what I create. That's what matters most. If my AI-assisted work offends you, feel free to go back to your abacus and sundial.

If you still have a problem with that, I'm sorry, but that's your problem, not mine. Just go about your business and let me do mine. We won't be sharing the same future anyway—unless, of course, AI develops a sense of humor and decides to put us all in a sitcom together.

Now that would be must-see TV.