The use of AI in academic and creative spaces is accelerating, and with it, the ongoing debate about what’s real, what’s original, and what counts as authorship. On this particular day, I brought up my book, Playful Wisdom: Reconnecting with Childhood Joy, during a conversation that quickly turned dynamic, even controversial.
Some participants expressed concern about the legitimacy of using AI to write books or generate ideas, arguing that AI must be seen strictly as a tool, not a crutch. Others pointed out that the distinction isn’t always so clear. The lines between author, collaborator, and algorithm are already beginning to blur.
What became obvious is that authenticity, in this new landscape, is no longer just about who typed the words. It’s about intention. It’s about the ideas being expressed and the awareness the author brings into the process. Can you tell where the machine ends and the human begins? Not always. And maybe that’s the point.
This image, created with AI, is a visual echo of that very idea. A cyborg version of myself. Not quite me, but not entirely not me either. It was generated by a machine, yes, but it emerged from my mind, my concept, my emotional undertone. It reflects a version of self that is layered, intuitive, resilient… and partially digitized.
In that ambiguity lies a responsibility, but also a possibility. Maybe the most “authentic” thing we can do is remain conscious of how we’re using the tools at hand. Maybe what matters most is not whether we draw a hard line between human and machine, but whether we approach creation with self-awareness, honesty, and a willingness to question the shape of our evolving authorship.
