The Craft Behind the Curtain: Reflections on AI, Creativity, and Building Something Personal

I've been thinking a lot about what this project means to me - and about whether people will accept "AI generated" content.

I built a system for creating Tolkien lore content in a style I specifically love. I'm drawn to podcasts and video explainers. They're how I learn best. I get lost in them. Tolkien was the perfect subject: a deep universe with stories in every nook and cranny. I'm not a big book reader - I consume more passively, and that works for me. Building a system to explore Tolkien's world through mediums I actually enjoy felt like the right project.

J.R.R. Tolkien sitting against a tree, deep in thought
J.R.R. Tolkien sitting against a tree, deep in thought

So what exactly is "AI generated" content? I put real work into this. AI assists at every step - but how it assists, what style we aim for, when I approve or edit or change direction - that was all deliberate design. I made countless decisions. I had complete influence over the final workflow. AI was a tool that helped drive an outcome. It wasn't the outcome itself.

This isn't slop. It's made me think deeply about a future of hyper-personal content. Did I create something others will appreciate? Or something only I will love? The jury's out. But I love what I built, and I'm sharing the learnings because this approach can be tailored to producing any type of content. It feels living and breathing - a new kind of software interaction.

Could AI create a universe with Tolkien's depth? I think a system could, yes. But someone would have to be the person behind the curtain. Someone would have to build that system, and in building it, there would be countless personal touches of thoughtfulness and craft. That's what we appreciate about human creativity - the connection to the person behind the decisions.

Knowing Tolkien spent most of his life dedicated to world-building is what I admire so deeply. I feel that connection across time. Would he have used different tools if they'd been available? Probably. Future Tolkiens certainly will.

I hope we keep our connection to the craft of storytelling and world-building. As we head into a new year: cheers to the storytellers and creatives. Much respect.