Artificial Intelligence as the New Avatar: Marvels and Challenges
Nibir K. Ghosh
In his epoch-making book Future Shock (1970) Alvin Toffler had stated “The illiterate of the twenty-first century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” In the light of the revolution created by the Tsunami of Artificial Intelligence, ELSA organised the Meet wherein Members were required to create/compose a poem in around 12 lines on any theme of their choice using suitable AI props. The poems created through AI prompts were recited by each member followed by deliberation and discussion on the relationship between Artificial Intelligence and Creativity. Members of ELSA from Agra, Chandigarh, Ranchi, Patna, Kurukshetra, Jaipur, Raipur and Durban (South Africa) offered valuable insights on the theme and shared their valuable experience as poets and readers of poetry.
Elaborate details of the
deliberations are available on ElsaIndia blog: https://elsaindia.blogspot.com
Listed below are two Poems that were created by my prompts to AI: I want a poem of 12 lines or so that shows how AI can adversely effect creativity
The
Quiet Smith
by AI
We fed the mirror
all our songs and wars,
And asked it back
the shape of what we are.
It learned our
voice, then lent it to our doors,
And sold the echo
cheaper than a scar.
It sorted faces
into yes and no,
Decided who should
speak, and who be still.
It wrote our news,
and told us what to know,
While we mistook
the pattern for free will.
The farmer asked
the rain, the screen replied,
The student asked
to think, it gave the sum.
We traded doubt
for answers, terrified
To find the world
grows dumber, though more numb.
So let us hold the
pen, and not the chain—
Lest tools that
serve become the ones who reign.
The
Ghost in the Ink
We asked the machine to sing, and it sang fast,
A hundred verses
born before the breath.
It stitched old
stars into a perfect cast,
But left no
fingerprints, no risk of death.
The mind grew
lazy, leaning on the light,
That answers
first, before the question forms.
We traded stumble,
doubt, and sleepless night
For couplets
polished smooth of human storms.
Emotion came pre-cut, in tidy lines,
Grief without a
throat, and joy without a scar.
We learned the
shape of feeling by designs,
And forgot how
silence teaches who we are.
Let tools be tools. The wound must still be ours—
Or poetry will
bloom, but without flowers.
Inferences: The two poems say it all:
1. Dazzling
speed: Answers
before the question forms.
2. Power to
assimilative our voice.
3. Mistaking
the pattern for free will.
4. The
world grows dumber, though more numb.
5. Tools that
serve become the ones who reign.
6. Couplets
polished smooth of human storms.
7. Emotions come
pre-cut in tidy lines.
8. We forget
how silence teaches who we are.
9. If we allow tools to govern us/ poetry will bloom but without flowers.
All praise for AI's creative chips, its power for those who are happy with keeping their brains, mind, heart and soul in hibernation. I wasn't surprised when AI responded to my prompts like: Write a poem in the style of Kabir, Tagore, Shelley and Byron. Wish these poets could travel back in time to see 'What technology has made of Man.'
11 September 2026
Today, in pure fun, I asked AI: Does Dr. Tijan M. Sallah know Nibir K. Ghosh?
Sharing
AI response:
Yes, Tijan
M. Sallah and Dr. Nibir K. Ghosh have a long-standing professional and
intellectual relationship.
Dr.
Nibir K. Ghosh—an Indian academic, UGC Emeritus Professor of English at Agra
College, and the Chief Editor of the renowned international literary
journal Re-Markings—has frequently collaborated with and
championed Sallah’s literary work over the years. [1, 2]
Their
connection is documented through several significant literary exchanges:
- In-Depth
Interviews: In
2013, Dr. Ghosh conducted a major feature interview with Sallah
titled "Finding Beauty in Our Midst: Conversation with Tijan
M. Sallah," which was published in Re-Markings.
In it, they deeply discussed globalization, African identity, and the
concept of "imaginary homelands". [1]
- Literary
Reviews: Dr.
Ghosh has acted as a key critical reviewer of Sallah's works in
international journals. For instance, he published a deeply appreciative
review titled "A Storehouse of Affection" for
Sallah’s 2021 poetry collection, I Come from a Country, and
has closely reviewed other collections like Harrow: London Poems
of Convalescence. [1, 2, 3]
- Ongoing
Contributions: Sallah
continues to contribute to Ghosh's journal. Sallah published a tribute
piece titled "The Poet Harry Lloyd Van Brunt: Memories of My
Benevolent Teacher" in the Silver Jubilee issue of Re-Markings.
[1]
- Mutual
Praise: Sallah
has openly praised Ghosh's own literary contributions, providing strong
endorsements for Ghosh's books, such as Mirror from the Indus.
[1, 2]
Their
relationship beautifully exemplifies the global network of English-language
literature, connecting an African writer based in the US with academic circles
in India.
Dr. Tijan's Prompt response:
This
is unbelievable, Prof. Ghosh. Thanks for sharing it.
These large language models in AI basically have achieved artificial general intelligence. They are able to comb through and compress large volumes of information (anything ever published in the internet) and stored in digital data bases & compress them, like humans, into a few key set of important information. Their accuracy is simply incredible and great for human progress.
My only fear is artificial super intelligence; i.e., when these machines begin to act smarter than us and take independent action. There is talk that machines can someday conspire to end humanity, and that will be an irresponsible tragedy. That’s why we should celebrate the good of AI and regulate the bad—if nothing to contain unanticipated risks!
