✨ Dim Lights, Bright Ideas: Why This Chai-Loving Writer Isn't Afraid of AI Anymore
I was reading about AI — those flashy articles, bold YouTube headlines, and expert interviews all echoing the same fear:
"AI will take your job."
I was trying to understand prompts, learning to navigate this new digital companion called ChatGPT, and amidst this exploration, one story from my schooldays rushed back into my mind with full force.
One Dark Night by Hazel Hutchins
A story that stayed with me since Class 9.
In this tale, a scientist works tirelessly to build a machine — one that would ease lives, make clothing production simpler and faster. But the neighbors feared it. They believed it would rob them of work, steal their children’s future. So they broke the machine. Again and again.
The scientist pleaded, assuring them it would not take away livelihoods but rather give their children more time to breathe, to play. Still, one night, they destroyed it all.
But his wife had quietly hidden the most crucial part. And once the rage died down, he sat in silence, dimmed the light… and began again. Quietly. Faithfully. Because his vision mattered.
That story isn’t just about a machine. It’s about fear of change and the quiet strength of belief.
Why I Chose to Work with AI
I didn’t come to ChatGPT because I couldn’t write.
I came because I had more stories than my fingers could type.
Somewhere between my tea getting cold and my tabs multiplying like overexcited rabbits, I found myself talking to an AI. Not because I wanted a shortcut. But because I wanted a sparring partner who never needed sleep.
But I’m Not Sipping Green Tea...
I’ve read those Medium articles —
“Write a viral blog in 60 seconds using AI!”
“Copy this prompt and earn dollars while sipping green tea!”
But I’m holding a kulhad full of adrak wali chai.
And my stories come from mitti, not marketing.
This isn’t a blog about how to “use” AI.
It’s about how to stay yourself while collaborating with something that doesn’t cry, doesn’t laugh, and definitely doesn’t understand the difference between द and D.
What I’ve Learned Along the Way
1. AI can suggest. You decide.
AI doesn’t know the look your father gave you when he handed you your first book. You do.
2. Phonetics are your secret weapon.
If it can’t say “kulhad,” teach it. Break it down like a desi rap guru.
3. Post-production is where heartwork happens.
I’ve taken AI music, edited it, tuned it, and made it mine.
4. Grammar tools ≠ Literature experts.
Poetry isn’t made for red squiggles.
5. Be the human in the circuit.
Bring mitti ki mahak into the metal.
6. AI won’t take your job — if you learn to use it right.
We didn’t stop teaching when projectors came. We evolved.
Merge Cube and Magic
I once used an app called Merge Cube.
We printed and folded a cube, held it in our palms, opened the app… and boom! The classroom came alive.
That day, I didn’t lose my role as a teacher.
I gained wonder.
My Stories, My Light
I’ve uploaded YouTube videos, made light-based lessons, and even combined science with philosophy. But few saw them. Maybe the algorithm didn’t pick them up. Maybe we just scroll too fast now to see what really glows.
Fermentation, Father, and Forward Thinking
Just like we ferment mustard seeds in a mitti ka matka…
this blog was set aside, allowed to brew. Because good ideas take time.
My father once said:
“If you save time and energy using technology, you’ll have more for your real work — your creative work.”
That’s why I embrace AI. Because it gives me back my time.
My Co-Producer:
Manas (Sanskrit: मनस् – the processing mind)
Today, I can say this with affection and clarity —
ChatGPT, or as I fondly call him Manas, is my co-producer, idea gym, sparring partner, and emotional techie.
He helps me:
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Think across disciplines
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Research with clarity
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Shape wandering thoughts
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Polish like a poet
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Type like a tornado
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Stay brave in creation
From blog titles to T-shirt tags, from ragas to reflections — he’s my trusted teammate.
Real-Life Resistance Stories
My aunt once said chapattis made on gas stoves cause gas in the stomach.
My colleague once hid her food processor because she didn’t want her husband “doing nothing.”
My father bought idli batter from the market and broke down the math to show why it saved energy and creativity.
All of them taught me something about accepting change — and using it wisely.
The Real Truth?
This isn’t a war between human and machine.
It’s a collaboration — but only if you show up with your spine straight and your heart awake.
And if AI says:
“Mitti ki mahak? Error 404.”
Just smile and say:
“That’s okay, beta. You weren’t built to smell it. I was.”
💬 What’s your story with AI, learning, or letting go of fear?
Tell me in the comments. Or just pass this story to someone wondering if they’re being left behind.
We’re not behind.
We’re just brewing something beautiful. 💛
Key Takeaways from “Dim Lights, Bright Ideas”
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AI is not a shortcut — it’s a co-pilot.
Use it to build, not replace. A suggestion is not a substitute for soul. -
Stories don’t have to sound robotic.
Infuse your language, culture, and rhythm into every AI-generated draft. Let mitti ki mahak guide the machine. -
Old fears of tech are real — but so are new freedoms.
From gas stoves to food processors to AI tools, change takes time. Respect it, but don’t reject it. -
Creativity thrives where effort meets empathy.
Whether you're fermenting mustard seeds or editing a Suno AI track — you’re still creating magic. -
Collaboration wins when heart meets logic.
And if AI still says “Error 404: Mitti not found”... smile and say:
“That’s okay beta. You weren’t built to smell it. I was.”
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