AI, plagiarism, Route 66 and the quest for simplicity may seem an odd topic blend for a blog post discussion from Jim Hinckley’s America. But, put simply, each of these subjects is relevant in the year of the Route 66 centennial. And they are an important part of any conversation about the future of Route 66.

A road trip on Route 66 in 1960 was quite different from the same road trip taken in 1930. In 1960 there were vestiges and tangible links to that earlier incarnation of Route 66, but the world had changed.

Chain motels were replacing the old fashioned neon lit family owned and operated motels. The generic world of the interstate highway was transforming the road trip experience, and rural American communities were transformed.

Compare the roadside culture portrayed in The Grapes of Wrath with that in the television program Route 66. Now, compare the modern roadside culture at the off ramp and the quest for simplicity, for authenticity that attracts people to Route 66.

AI, Plagiarism and Route 66

A quick Google search for books about Route 66 leaves little doubt. The Route 66 centennial has been a boon for authors and for publishers.

But these books reveal something else. Plagiarism is a very real problem. AI has made plagiarism easier than ever. That technology has also made it easier to present fiction as fact and to profit from the publishing of 100 percent grade A bs. All of this has made it harder than ever to earn a living from the written word.

A comment made to a recent blog post added to my concerns about how AI is affecting everything from investment to the search for simplicity with a Route 66 road trip. It was just one line, “This sounds like AI to me.”

I use Chat GPT and Notebook LM for research. And I have used these and other AI tools for experimentation. But I would never cheat my audience by using AI for the actual writing of books, blogs or feature articles. And I would never jeopardize my hard earned reputation by taking an AI shortcut. But that comment set me to thinking.

the quest for Simplicity

When I took the first steps toward fulfilling the childhood dream of being an author work was done at the kitchen table with an ancient manual typewriter. The word processor changed everything. It simplified the entire writing process. But with the luxury of hindsight I ask at what cost.

Cars and trucks manufactured in the last thirty or forty years offer amenities unimaginable in the 1980s. In general they require less maintenance and are more reliable. But at what cost? What is the true cost in dollars and cents, and what is the cost in loss of independence?

AI tools have dramatically cut the amount of time needed for research. But without fact checking errors and fiction soon become accepted truth. Even worse, the dependence on AI coupled with the overall decline in reading will accelerate the loss of critical thinking skills as well as the ability to tell the difference between fact and fiction.

And that takes us to plagiarism. With AI this is more than just stolen text. I have tested this and found it unnerving. When prompted properly AI can mimic my writing style.

Questions, Questions and More Questions

Some publishers are rejecting AI written materials. And some are rejecting materials written by authors that they think was AI generated.

Utilizing self publishing programs and AI, books are being generated with dizzying speed. Many are filled with errors. Some are well written as other works were plagiarized to “train” AI and were then mixed with errors due to a lack of fact checking. And more than a few are not worth the paper they are written on.

Is AI making the world better or worse? Should AI be considered a threat or embraced as a tool to enhance as well as speed production? How do we balance the growing quest for a simplier life with life lived in wrold dominated by AI driven technologies?

In Search of balance

The search for balance, especially in younger generations, bodes well for Route 66. These travelers are looking for authenticity, tangible experiences, and interaction.

Recent marketing studies have discovered a growing trend that is worrisome to corporations that have profited mightily by selling the latest and greatest. The generation labled Gen Z is fueling a surprising analog renaissance.

Vintage typewriters are being collected and used. Gramercy Typewriter Company in New York City that opened in the early 1930s is one canary in the traditional corporate coal mine. experiencing a major business boom. The city’s last typewriter specialty store was averaging 10 typewriter sales per month at the dawn of this century. Sixty sales per month are now common.

Gen Z is also rediscovering correspondence with handwritten letters, and the collecting of vinyl records and film cameras. Interviews indicate that is rooted in a quest to escape all consuming screen time and digital overload.

The Future

Long ago I learned that only a fool thinks that he can predict the future. But if I were to take a guess, we will learn to live with and harness AI. The quest for simplicity will become even more popular as people search for an escape, a place where life can be embraed and lived.

And that is just one reason I see a very bright future for Route 66. The Route 66 community offers authenticity and actual human interaction. Traveling Route 66 or opening a business on Route 66 provides a unique opportunity for blurring the line between past and present.

But I can’t see many people wanting a truly authentic experience. No one that I know wants to cross the Mojave Desert without air conditioning in July. People may want, collect and even use old fashioned typewriters, but I don’t think they will want to write books and novels on those devices.

So, what are your thoughts about the future of AI and tech, or the renaissance of analog life?