Why I Partner with AI in My Worldbuilding
In My Humble Opinion
Exploring My World Through AI
There’s been a lot of conversation lately about using AI in creative processes, especially in worldbuilding. I wanted to share my own thoughts, particularly since AI has become an important tool for me in building my world on World Anvil. For me, AI isn’t about creating art or claiming to be an artist—it’s a way for me to express the ideas and stories that have lived in my head for years. As someone who doesn’t have the traditional skills to draw or visually create, I’ve found AI to be a helpful tool in bringing those thoughts to life. My world isn’t something I’m putting out there for others to analyze or judge—it’s personal, a reflection of the ideas and characters that have always been a part of me. I respect those who can do this with a paintbrush, a camera, or any other traditional medium. What they do is amazing, and I admire the skill it takes. But for me, the ideas themselves are a form of creative expression, and AI allows me to make them real in a way I couldn’t otherwise. It’s not about replacing anyone’s work or diminishing what others do; it’s simply the best way for me to tell the stories that have always been in my mind. Living with autism, I’ve always found it easy to get bogged down in unnecessary details. My mind tends to fixate on small elements that can slow down my creative process, making it difficult to move forward. World Anvil has given me a medium where I can focus on expressing my ideas without getting stuck on the minutiae or feeling limited by my non-artistic abilities. It’s a place where my need for structure and detail is balanced with the freedom to explore and express the broader stories in my head. I’ve had these characters—Tak, Erik, Asherah—living in my head since I was young, but until recently, I didn’t have a way to explore or bring them to life. AI became a partner in this journey, helping me flesh out these ideas and finally allowing me to experience these stories in a more tangible way. And in a world full of judgment—whether it’s over D&D in the ‘80s or being part of the LGBTQIA+ community—this has been a deeply personal and fulfilling way to express myself. I understand that some people have different opinions about AI, and that’s okay. Everyone has their own way of creating, and I don’t expect my approach to resonate with everyone. But for me, it’s been an important tool in unlocking the stories that have been waiting to be told. I hope that, as creators, we can respect each other’s methods, whether they involve AI or not. We’re all just trying to bring our ideas to life in the best way we know how. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and however you choose to create—whether with AI or traditional tools—keep telling your stories. That’s what really matters.
Things that are the same, imho, to using AI:
And, to be honest WA itself is a collaborative tool that allows you to leave your mark and unique perspective. A great tool, and one that has helped my mental health a lot recently. But it is technology just the same, with a lot of truely creative people contributing to the greater whole. And to those creators I will be eternally grateful, but their greatness does not diminish my own tiny part of the universe.
- Templates
- Generators
- Style imitation
- Spellcheck
- Photo filters
- Auto-tune
- Digital brushes
- Pre-made loops
- Photoshop
- MS Paint
- Wordpress
- Amazon
- Etsy
- Canva
- Internet Research (vs a library)
- Coding
- A Fantasy species (fairy, kobold, hobbit, etc. (cause weren't those someone else's ideas at one time?)
And, to be honest WA itself is a collaborative tool that allows you to leave your mark and unique perspective. A great tool, and one that has helped my mental health a lot recently. But it is technology just the same, with a lot of truely creative people contributing to the greater whole. And to those creators I will be eternally grateful, but their greatness does not diminish my own tiny part of the universe.
