Trying to read more about AI and how it works is a challenge because most posts and articles take one of two positions. Either AI is so great or it's a flaming dumpster fire about to engulf all of humanity.

Do I think letting ChatGPT or Claude check your spelling is bad? No.

Letting Claude spit some output and turning it in as your homework? Different story.

I've been using it to build websites. My first website was a WordPress template that at first met my needs, but then became a challenge to change or even update. Ultimately I lost interest and my website slowly died.

This spring I wanted to create an online space for music students. I thought a practice timer, music quizzes, and a practice log might be a few free tools that folks would use. So I asked Claude to help me learn to code a simple app.

Turns out the first iteration of my idea worked ok, but it didn't look right to my eyes. Also the plan started to grow. If I could offer a practice timer, why couldn't I also offer some of my exercises, compositions, and method books that have been brewing for the last few years? That became studio.timothyvancleave.com.

Then I thought about an album called "Without Words 15 for 15" sitting on my computer, not quite a finished product. I wanted to make it something that people could enjoy and support. I wanted to build and administer the storefront myself, because I think the future of independent music absolutely relies on an artist's ability to navigate and create in cyberspace. That became music.timothyvancleave.com.

Then Rick Beato posted a video about how only rich kids are making music these days and it kind of made me want to write again. So I put together plans, learned how to use a few more tools, and created writing.timothyvancleave.com.

Using AI as a tool to build the infrastructure of your artistic life isn't selling out. AI created a way to build a version of what's in your head, fast, with practically no budget. Along the way I learned about servers, hosting, DNS, and deployment. Real skills.

So what's the difference between following instructions in a book and following instructions from a machine?