The emergence of ChatGPT has led to a frenzy related to artificial intelligence, which can potentially replace jobs, search engines, and schools. People are concerned about this rapid increase in technology.
Although computer technology has presented a great challenge to online creators, fiber arts remain sacrosanct – the one realm safe from cyber infiltration.
ChatGPT has been utilized by various TikTok users, showcased via unconventional crochet designs generated from AI’s limits. This provocative new combination of made modern pieces is often labeled ‘cursed.’
At the start of the year, Alexandra Woolner – an avid knitter and crocheter since 2019 – got creative and proposed using ChatGPT to craft a stuffed animal. This was groundbreaking, as she initially enlisted it to formulate a narwhal pattern.
Crafting a crochet item generally follows a pattern that, in some ways, can be similar to coding. One commonly seen formulation is “Ch” for Chain and “sc” for Single Crochet. Such abbreviations and symbols guide the creation process each step of the way.
Woolner was astonished to discover that ChatGPT produced full sets of precise instructions which replicated a familiar structure. Guided by this blueprint exactly, they formed what had been described.
Woolner says:
“AI-generated narhwal crochet monstrosity.”
Impressively, a pattern yielding an anatomically disturbing sea creature has been formed by the language-learning tool, as stated by Woolner. Although peculiar, the product is deemed impressive.
Woolner went on to say:
“The consensus among people who have seen it is that it looks wrong and ugly, but also very cute.”
“It came out shockingly very accurate while still being very, very wrong. It’s a weird mix, kind of an uncanny valley.”
Initially, Woolner received an ‘overwhelming’ response to the initial video, which gained almost 900,000 views. The result of many attempts following this was numerous more thousands added on resulting from subsequent attempts.
“I thoroughly endorse the idea of using this art work as evidence that AI should not be utilized to create art; however, I do acknowledge that there are quite a few things even AI cannot manage to copy. I truly adore himb for taking this initiative.”
Exploring the potential crochet-based applications of ChatGPT, Woolner is not alone. Lanario, a London-based crocheter, was also motivated to delve into it since machines still can’t replicate Crochet’s unpredictable and free stitching.
Woolner went on to say:
“I thought it would be interesting to explore a collaboration between human and machine in a space that computers cannot yet take from us.”
Using the patterns provided, ChatGPT attempted to make a [cat], a [duck], and a [Pikachu] with different outcomes in terms of efficacy and accuracy.
The tool demonstrated the ability to troubleshoot patterns, responding by remaking instructions according to changes and additions requested—such as different colors or additional body parts—that improved various implementations.
Crochet patterns pose a specific difficulty for AI to process due to the high concentration of numbers, which are often more taxing than words, commented Jessica Newman, director of the AI Security Initiative at UC Berkeley’s Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity.
ChatGPT’s ability lies in communication rather than math – a language model of AI trained on extensive databases of text which mimic human exchange. Although providing successful replication, the difficulty of translating its qualities to numbers limits its numeral capacity. Thus ChatGPT is unable to perform well in mathematical terms.
Newman says:
“It may strike us as ironic that a computer system would be bad at math and good at creativity, but it does speak to an important fact about generative AI systems in general: they don’t understand context.”
“They don’t know what words or numbers actually mean, they are simply predicting what should come next.”
Crochet is a beloved hobby for many, allowing crafters to create beautiful and intricate designs with just a hook and some yarn. With the rise of social media, crochet enthusiasts have more opportunities than ever to connect, share patterns, and showcase their latest creations.
However, not all crochet patterns are created equal, as a recent trend on social media has shown. Several crochet enthusiasts took to the internet to share their attempts at following patterns they received after asking ChatGPT for recommendations, only to find that the results were not quite what they expected.
Source: the guardian