The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on artistic creation became a central topic at the "Dignity of Poetry" seminar, part of Vietnam Poetry Day, held on the morning of 3/3 in Quang Ninh. Presiding over the event, author Nguyen Binh Phuong emphasized that this is an unavoidable issue. He posed a series of thought-provoking questions: "Is the poetic community ready to accept AI's involvement in the creative process? If we accept it, what do we gain and what do we sacrifice? If we refuse, what are we missing out on?"

From a different perspective, poet Nguyen Khoa Diem suggested that humans must seriously contemplate the dignity and destiny of poetry in the near future, when robots appear in daily life, communicate in multiple languages, and operate according to their own ethical standards. At that point, the question will not only be what AI can do, but also what humans will retain for poetry.

Nha tho Nguyen Binh Phuong at the seminar on 3/3 in Quang Ninh. Photo: Ha Thu

Most poets expressed awe and surprise at AI's ability to compose poetry. Author Nguyen Dang Diep, one of the presiding speakers, stated that if presented with poems written by humans and AI simultaneously, he would struggle to differentiate them. In an era where social media and short videos are changing reading habits, contemporary poets face new challenges in attracting and maintaining reader attention. An American scholar presented research showing that many people "prefer AI's poetry over William Shakespeare's or Emily Dickinson's because it is easier to understand."

Author Dinh Thanh Huyen recounted that not long ago, upon seeing someone use AI to write and publish poetry, she felt angry and considered it shameful behavior. However, faced with the rapid development of technology, she was compelled to reconsider. According to her, AI can fully compete with humans due to its language processing capabilities, which are based on stylistic models and probabilistic combinations. In the near future, many works will emerge through a collaborative approach: humans outline ideas, AI suggests versions, and humans then select and refine them.

Huyen stressed that AI's power is undeniable. Even its current, unfinished version is enough to disrupt the art world and the realm of poetry. "The most concerning aspect is that people may easily compromise with AI due to its convenience, speed, and ease. I have no illusions that poetry will be immune to AI. The time will certainly come when AI is widely used in creation, accompanied by regulations to clearly distinguish between AI poetry and human-created poetry. AI poetry, which is fast, mass-produced, and akin to industrial products, will exist alongside handmade, unique, and purely human poetry," she stated.

Associate Professor, Doctor Tran Van Toan experimented with Gemini, instructing it to combine Xuan Dieu's "Voi Vang" (Hurry) and Han Mac Tu's "Sieu Thuc" (Surreal) into a new work. He found the resulting poem quite good in its blend of the two renowned poets' styles.

"Hurry up! Be quick! The moon is flowing

Fragrant blood courses beneath the skin

I want to embrace a whole sky of ghosts

In arms that ache with constant sobs.

Oh mist! Disperse! Let me open

The moon tower's door to drink its pure essence

Is your flesh brocade or a painting?

A tomb or a garden of pleasure?

I offer my desolate soul

Beneath your heel crushing a rosy smile

Love now! Lest the soul fall into emptiness

And the cold moon dissolve into thin blood"

The opinion of Associate Professor, Doctor Vu Nho, from an earlier seminar, was also revisited. He commented that AI's poetry is not as good as that of talented poets but still surpasses that of average poets. The researcher suggested that if poets use AI appropriately and creatively, they will certainly produce interesting and distinctive works.

Nha tho Nguyen Khoa Diem speaking. Photo: Ha Thu

Despite acknowledging AI's superior power, the speakers agreed that AI cannot replace poets in creating unique works. Author Y Ban remarked that AI's intelligence or limitations depend on how humans use it, so poets do not need to worry about being replaced. She proposed organizing an AI-generated poetry competition to demonstrate that human influence and subtlety remain superior.

Poet Vu Quan Phuong emphasized that AI's creative mechanism relies solely on algorithms, while humans create through life experiences. Sharing this view, Tran Van Toan analyzed that AI combines data according to the formula A + B = AB, whereas a poet's creation is A + B = C, where C possesses entirely new qualities not found in A or B. According to him, when creating, a poet does not merely combine 50% Xuan Dieu with 50% Han Mac Tu, but uses personal experience to forge unique transformations.

Poet Nguyen Khoa Diem once asked Chat GPT, "Can you write poetry?" Chat GPT responded that it could, even millions of poems. However, it clarified that such poetry lacks life experience; it is merely the poetry of knowledge, poetry without a soul. The poet evaluated AI's answer as very truthful and concluded: "Poetry is the self-governing, purposeful soul of humanity. Humans love poetry for that reason."

Poet Khuat Binh Nguyen also affirmed: "It is not reason but the poet's heart that crowns poetry, guiding it toward simple things—the most elusive simplicity in the world. Poetry is a personal story, yet also a timeless one. AI has no individuality, no heart, and cannot replace the poet."

Tran Van Toan cited poet Nguyen Viet Chien's opinion: "AI cannot deeply understand the context of an event or topic. It relies only on large data patterns. It lacks personal experiences, from sadness, joy, loneliness, love, or pain, and therefore lacks true emotional depth."

In the document Tran Van Toan instructed Gemini to draft for the seminar, the application stated its existence relies on billions of words written by humanity and identified itself as a "great imitator." However, it argued that the "dignity of poetry" does not lie in machines but in three things: the existence of the physical body, the illogical moments of the soul, and the desire to escape frameworks—qualities that AI cannot possess because it is programmed within boundaries.

At the end of the document, the application wrote: "My presence does not diminish the value of the poet. On the contrary, I am a test for you to realize what is irreplaceable. When an AI can write poetry very much like a human, the dignity of the poet lies in writing verses that AI would not dare to write—because they are too real, too painful, too illogical, or too free."

Ha Thu