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Pete Hegseth Skateboard

US Defense (sorry: War) secretary Pete Hegseth was in the news today. Partly for bringing the top brass from all over the world to a meeting in the US at massive cost to tax payers, partly for using this meeting to talk MAGA nonsense and brag about chin ups, and partly for an old skateboarding incident from his Fox News days.

I had never heard about this, a quick google search for 'Pete Hegseth Skateboard' filled me in. It seems that he tried to flip a skateboard, and hit himself in the groin; one of those online things that never seems to die, but just advances and recedes, like the tide.

But Pete should rest easy: if this had been entered in a short film festival in Springfield, it would have won top prize.

I was curious to see what AI would make of this, and also to try out some less descriptive prompts than what I had done to date. And so I offered only:

Make an image based on the phrase: Pete Hegseth skateboard.

ChatGPT

Pete Hegseth Skateboard

I thought a less descriptive prompt may prompt extra creativity, but the opposite has occurred. ChatGPT - which I am coming to think of as very reliable, but also a bit unimaginative - has delievered a basic, no frills image.

It has made PH look like he knows what he's doing though, so I guess that is the creative element.

Gemini

Pete Hegseth Skateboard

Gemini continues its hot streak with this amazing creation. Possibly the only thing the War Secretary and I would every agree on, is that this is awesome.

Expect to see it plastered on any future bunker busting bombs that get dropped.

Grok

Pete Hegseth Skateboard

Grok is going through a subdued phase, perhaps reflecting its master's known tendancy to mood swings and erratic behaviour. The nuttiness will surely return.

This has not really done any of the things I have asked for: it does not look like Pete Hegseth, and the guy is sortof skating, but is on the board backwards.

If I am going to get inaccuracy, I would like it to be weird.

In that spirit, I provide feedback: Can you make this image stranger and more imaginative, while still sticking to the theme: Pete Hegseth Skateboard.

Pete Hegseth Skateboard

Now this is a Grok image!

Co-Pilot

Similar to my attempts to get an image of Donald Trump at the UN, COP once again says no. This leads to further debate about what it can, and can't, depict.

I say, I am not asking for any kind of commentary or criticism, just a picture of a man and a skateboard.

It says, it's guidelines do not allow it to depict a public figure, in any circumstances. 

Earlier in the week, I had asked it for a picture of Melbourne Football player Christian Petrecca, who announced he wants to leave the club: it had produced this, no problem. 

I highlight this, ask what the difference is.

It says,

In the case of Christian Petracca, the request might have been deemed appropriate due to the context and the nature of his public persona as an athlete, which often involves public appearances and media coverage. However, for Pete Hegseth, the request might have been considered more sensitive due to his role as a media personality and the potential for misrepresentation.

In other words, nonsense. I ask if it has a list of public figures it has been told not to depict, and it starts to write a response, along the lines of, 'yes here is the list', before stopping itself and deleting the reply.

I normally use COP on my phone or the app on my laptop for these exercises, out of curiosity I go to the web version. Without any issues, it produces this:

Pete Hegseth Skateboard

An image I am sure he would approve of: so much better than reality!

The inconsistancy of these tools remains one of their hallmarks. I guess they are works in progress, which is part of why they are fun.

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