Yes there can be useful cases for AI, as Richard (?) has very ably demonstrated by creating realistic back scenes but that is probably the limit for discussion on the forum.
Yes, it was me. The AI tool (ChatGPT) was in the hands of my mate, he is an entrepreneur with artistic talents and the same engineering degree as me. He is well-prepared to get results out of the system. The AI created some backscene elements reminiscent of the real place, but not a perfect rendition. This works for me; I think the degree of compromise suits a layout only two metres long.
BUT when I have tried AI myself, the results have been very mixed. I was invited to submit a piece for the next Guild News. I wrote my words, then put them into ChatGPT to see it it could tidy things up a bit. This time, it offered me a "full rewrite in the style of a model railway editorial". I had to give this a try, and what I got back was just like reading a product review in one of the High Street magazines. All of the immediacy and soul of the piece was lost. I did a rewind, the AI got to give me some commas and I think "
constructed from styrene" (this sounded like a token cliche), the rest was mine.
Aside from a backscene and some cheap and cheerful proofreading, I don't like it, I don't like it one little bit. Modelling should be a creative and constructive activity, with the modeller using their own mind to make their own compromises and interpretations. I don't really see AI helping me much more with my modelling nor on WT.
