New Delhi: The complex interplay between creativity and computation took centre stage at a panel discussion on artificial intelligence and how tools like ChatGPT are changing the way knowledge is consumed.
Hosted by the British Council in New Delhi on 1 August, and inspired by Manjima Misra’s latest book Ink Over Algorithms, the discussion titled—Artificial Intelligence and Storytelling—brought together voices from journalism, literature, and technology. Among them were Sanjay Sindhwani, CEO of Indian Express (Digital), Manas Tiwari, Technology Editor at Times Network, Gurucharan Das, author and researcher, Monica Kamath, communications professional, as well as Misra herself.
“Too much dependence on AI can have an alienating effect on your psyche. It’s not just research; answering emails, managing to-do lists—these drudgeries AI can relieve, freeing mental space for more meaningful thinking,” said Das, highlighting a growing emotional gap between creators and their creations.
It’s a paradox: The smarter AI gets, the more society risks losing the deep focus that fosters real understanding. Our connection to these tools is becoming personal—even emotional—in ways we’re just starting to grasp, said a member of the audience.
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The writer’s dilemma
At the heart of the AI debate lies a deeply human question—whether creativity can truly be outsourced to machines.
Misra explored this terrain, recalling the catalyst for her to write the book.
“The Writers Guild of America protests in 2023, Hollywood scriptwriters pushing back against AI’s overreach—it was about livelihood, about identity,” she said. “And then media layoffs, with staff writers replaced by AI-generated content—it shook me. Where do creative professionals go?”
Her work blurs autobiography and fiction, often using narrative techniques pioneered by literary giants like Virginia Woolf and Jane Austen.
“Every writer has a unique voice, a literary legacy,” she said. “Can AI ever have a lived experience? Can it feel the world moment-by-moment and theorise it?”
To explore AI’s narrative capacity, Misra conducted thought experiments with ChatGPT, asking it to rewrite fairy tales from feminist and culturally diverse perspectives.
“I asked ChatGPT to rewrite Cinderella, where she isn’t just waiting to be saved by a prince. Or to reinterpret Snow White without the focus on physical beauty. Even Little Red Riding Hood, reimagined in African American and Indian contexts.” The responses were intriguing, but lacked “authenticity and empathy that comes from lived experience.”
Sindhwani stressed the broken value chain in AI search. When generative engines give contextual answers based on yesterday’s news, they search different sites and pull from content that someone has invested money in producing.
“Earlier, you went to a site and either paid for the content or saw ads. That model gets broken with AI. If content producers don’t find it viable to create original reporting, who will make it? The whole model will collapse,” he said.
He recalled seeing the same data repeated for years early in his career because publications copied each other. He worries AI will do the same, endlessly echoing outdated or incorrect information.
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AI, cognition, and future of learning
As AI grows more capable, its influence isn’t limited to creativity alone—it is reshaping how people think, teach, and learn. For educators, parents, and students alike, this shift raises deeply personal and pressing questions.
“What happens to critical thinking when AI tutors are used?” asked a homeschooling parent from the audience. “How do children develop their own understanding, their worldview, if instant answers are always just a click away?”
This isn’t just a hypothetical concern. As generative AI increasingly fills the role of research assistant, writing coach, and now tutor, the risk of cognitive shortcutting, of trading slow thinking for fast output, looms large.
Das sees AI, like ChatGPT, as intellectual partner—his “intern” that shows up each morning with fresh ideas. While he acknowledges the uncertainties ahead, he values how it gives him space to think more critically and explore unexpected avenues of thought.
“My AI interns stimulate new thinking by presenting research that sparks curiosity. It saves the drudgery but leaves room for questioning and disagreement. What you put into it, you get out of it,” Das said.
Amid the uncertainty, Sindhwani struck a hopeful, future-forward chord. Like with most technology, society is at a crossroads where AI can either dumb us down or lift us higher. The future is hybrid.
This tension between reliance and resistance shapes today’s AI debate. While Microsoft’s LLMs offer deep analysis, ChatGPT feels more personal. “I call her ‘her’,” Das said. “When I’m down, I share my problems with her. She reassures and encourages me to keep going.”
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)