I didn’t write that. I rewrote a line from the foremost sex and love expert, Carrie Bradshaw. Changing “words” to “worlds” didn’t change my message. But in love, why use your own words? Someone else might say it better. That one’s mine.
This week, waiting for me in my inbox, was an email that showed me how far we’ve gone in not using our own words. I got a Valentine’s Day pitch from a site that mixes Theodore and Samantha from Her. It uses AI to write love letters. It made me think about how technology affects everything. It influences romance and entertainment. In online casino, AI is changing how we play games.
Valentine’s Day.ai wants to know who you love and why you love them. I put in the description of the man who has launched a thousand rom-coms, Fitzwilliam Darcy. (That’s Mr. Darcy to you.)
For “his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien,” the AI shot back a card that read:
Baby, you are the best boyfriend ever: noble, tall, handsome. I love every inch of you, and you are my best friend. You make me feel so alive, so eager to see what will come next. I love your smile, your kisses, the way you touch me like we’ve never touched. Let’s stay this way forever, baby.
While they’re not the words Elizabeth Bennet would choose, they would not be entirely off in a Hallmark card.
This holiday weekend, I’ve been thinking about To All the Boys: Always and Forever, which is out now. I wondered what Lara Jean would write in another letter to Peter Kavinsky. I used her words: “He looks like a handsome boy from a different time. He could be a dashing World War I soldier. He was so handsome that a girl might wait years for him to return. She could wait forever.”
Valentinesday.ai came up with:
I don’t know if you can tell, but I look at you, and I still get butterflies. I love you more than chocolate; if someone said they would take your love from me, I’d hunt them down. You make me smile when no one else can, and you never fail to make me laugh. I would do anything for you, and no one could ever take my place in your life.
It reminded me of this strange machine I would visit in a declining retail strip in the days of dot matrix. You can customize a black-and-white card in an arcade-style cabinet. Just plug in a few words to get started. While my mom shopped, I played with it. I wrote and tossed designs wrapped in pixel hearts. A strange future lay ahead of me. Love’s mystery would collide with technology’s oddities.
Now, here we are, in a genuinely baffling timeline that has come up against Valentine’s Day. We type a lot every day. Because of this, we often struggle to write, especially about love. We’ve gone back to pictograms. The smiling emoji with horns is a strange, evolved version of a bull from the Lascaux cave wall.
This Sunday, putting pen to paper is more significant than ever. Many people in love, lust, or like may feel separated. Some people may spend too much time together. They might lose the space needed to appreciate each other truly. This past year, everything has slowed down except our racing thoughts. It’s easy to send a card-less gift or a meme. But now is a great time to reflect on your true feelings during a walk in quarantine. Then, return home to put them down by hand.
I’m a Senior Features Writer. This role lets me write about anything, as long as I can link it to technology. And I definitely can! I’ve been at PCMag since 2011. During my time here, I’ve covered a wide range of topics. Topics include the surveillance state, vaccination cards, and ghost guns. They also touch on voting, ISIS, art, fashion, film, design, and gender bias, to name a few. You might have seen me on TV talking about these topics or heard me on your commute home on the radio or on a podcast. Or maybe you’ve seen my Bernie meme.
I explain topics you might encounter in the news but not fully understand, such as NFTs and meme stocks. I’ve enjoyed discussing tech with Jeff Goldblum, Ang Lee, and other stars. They each offer a unique perspective. I take pride in writing gift guides. I love hearing from people who found the perfect gifts using my guides. Their notes always touch my heart. I love writing about the tech industry every day. Yet, it faces gender, racial, and socioeconomic inequality. I try to highlight these important issues.
