First Person
Knitting vs. AI: The Phloem Turn Shawl
When I was a child, artificial intelligence was a science fiction fantasy. In 1966, the crew on Star Trek could have a conversation with the ship’s computer, though not the kind of chats Mr. Spock would call “fascinating.”
Two years later, the HAL computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey refused a human command with a chillingly blithe “I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that,” and went about dispatching most of the crew.
In 1970, the titular supercomputer in Colussus: The Forbin Project decided that it, not the people who plugged it in, was in charge, and launched a couple of nuclear missiles to make its point. “In time,” Colossus told its creator, “You will come to regard me not only with respect and awe, but with love.”
Growing up with these visions of AI, it’s no wonder I’m not wild about computer systems being taught to write, draw, and think like us—and better, and faster. The whole idea of it makes me want to knit a cocoon to hide in—a pattern just wacky enough for AI to have generated.
To be sure, there are many benefits to AI.
The medical field is experiencing breakthroughs in diagnoses and research that would’ve taken years if done by human researchers.
AI reduces the likelihood of human error, though it’s also reducing human employment. As a writer and artist, I haven’t yet come to regard ChatGPT and other AI programs that write and create art in nanoseconds, for free, with respect, awe, or love.
AI is everywhere, from that friendly customer service voice to Alexa playing your favorite song to knitting patterns. Wait, what? Yes, AI is writing the pattern for your next sweater—or trying to, anyway.
In 2018, AI expert Janelle Shane began training an AI program to write knitting patterns. The program was dubbed SkyKnit, a pun on the human race-eradicating AI system SkyNet from the Terminator movie series.
After reviewing hundreds of patterns on Ravelry, SkyKnit began writing its own, even making up pattern names that ranged from the poetic to the potentially naughty: “Square Main of Grass,” “Phloem Turn Shawl from Bunny Ears Increases,” “21, With the Row Row Row in the Round (Copy),” and “Buttrich Diagonals.”
So, will the next MDK Field Guide designer be HAL from 2001? Unlikely.
When a group of human knitters on Ravelry volunteered to make the knits from the AI-generated patterns, the result was called “Operation Hilarious Knitting Disaster.” Bizarre instructions led to equally bizarre creations—some beautiful, some amusing, all nonfunctional, in the traditional sense of knitting.
AI hadn’t learned how to interpret knitting patterns (at last, I feel some kinship with AI!). Not yet, anyway.
Nor did AI do much better with crochet. A project called HAT3000 yielded patterns for lumpen objects with winding, fold-heavy pieces made of thousands of stitches that looked more like the brains inside the heads the hats were meant to cover. As an art experiment, it was a triumph.
Those who’ve seen or tried to make AI’s knit creations are charmed and amused by the results, including me. Yet, aside from this being an interesting experiment, I can’t help but wonder…why?
I understand why companies give so many human tasks to AI—to save money—though I don’t agree with it.
But why do we also give so many of our human experiences, including making the mistakes we learn and grow from, to technology so we don’t have to—or get to—do them?
Why would we want to use a computer to imagine something, instead of getting to use our own limitless, awe-inspiring imagination?
As AI does more, including things it was never programmed to do, even AI programmers are calling for restrictions on the use and applications of artificial intelligence.
Photos, videos, articles, songs, and other AI-generated media are supposed to be labeled as such to distinguish it from what’s real, but they aren’t always, depending on the motivations of those who create and share them.
The wonder I felt upon seeing a photo or video of an otherworldly, luminescent starfish from the deep is now replaced by skepticism: is that real? Or did it come from a computer’s imagination?
One of the reasons I learned how to knit is because, in this time of artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and downright deepfakes, knitting is real. There is no trickery; it’s just me, the yarn, my needles or crochet hook, and a pattern.
If I want a shawl or a sweater or a baby blanket that’s functional and beautiful, for the moment, at least, that pattern will have been written by a human.
If I want something poetically wonky, though, I can always make SkyKnit’s “Ribnentenegskin (Walker 32) No Chunkeanie.” Sounds like a great project to knit while watching 2001.
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So funny, but I completely agree with you. My son had a hilarious time asking chatGPT to design some sweaters for him, and for me to knit for him of course. He had recently made an account and we experimented, I wish I could post a photo here of one of the results, suffice to say imagine a futuristic chic military silhouette, if possible!
All I can say is, Amen! Couldn’t agree more. Thank you.
I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t knit that.
You win the internet today!
Great article
I would LOVE to see some of the knitted objects. Anyone know where to find them?
The article piqued my curiosity as well. I popped a couple of the “pattern” names in a Google search and found a few results – one of which is in Ravelry (Skyknit: The Collection). Very artistic project photo… I’m off to do some more fun reading on the subject.
You can click the links in the story or search Ravelry for SkyKnit. Hat3000 has a website called AIWeirdness.
I glad that human designers are safe, at least for now!
Great article! I totally agree with you. So many people turned into “makers” during COVID. It was essential to create something authentic by ourselves, whether it was sour dough starter or a cosy crocheted hat. And once we got a handle on COVID, maker groups formed for people to get together IN PERSON or on zoom to craft or cook.
Let’s save AI for ways to help in the health sciences, auto industry, etc., to help obtain medical help, food and safety around the world.
My adult son dared me to ask AI to give me a pattern for a knitted elephant. I was hoping for an unmitigated disaster so was quite disappointed to have it turn out at least recognisable.
While it was a bit of fun, I do hate the photos that keep cropping up of some old lady and her fabulous knitted or crocheted project. Obviously AI. I find it really sad that these images are taking over social media instead of celebrating real achievements.
Where are the photos??
Hi Laura! In the article, if you click on where you see the words SkyKnit and HAT3000 in orange, those are links that will take you to the photos.
With kind regards from your non-bot author,
Suzan
So funny…and sobering.
Thank you for a funny and thought provoking post this morning! I agree with what you’ve written and I’m off to the SkyKnit rabbit hole to see more of the wacky patterns.
That was awesome. Who did the illustrations. LOVE them!
This all-too-human person sends gratitude, Patty! 😀
❤️❤️❤️
Those are 100% human made by Suzan!
Many years ago, a friend’s husband helped her with direction to”reverse shaping” on the opposite front of a cardigan. He used his computer, and was so proud of himself. Of course the neck shaping was on the armhole side!
This 73 year old knitter uses AI (openai.com) for all kinds of daily help and find it a super useful addition to my tool box. Examples are to help me convert recipes, make suggestions for fun local things to do with my 9-y/o grandson, and suggest ways I can continue learning to speak and write Japanese without going to Japan. I just realized that I can ask it to help me convert knitting patterns to different sizes or make other modifications I specify. Neat. AI is a tool and a very useful one. It is already helping modern medicine save lives and designing better traffic flow. Rather than deny its useful inevitability, learn how to use it yourself. Do remember that being as specific as you can with your prompts (use LOTS of words and directives!) you will get better outcomes.
Can’t agree more with your comments! Think of it as a helpful tool that you guide/control.
I love this! Thanks for encouraging us to use AI; my retired teachers association had similar comments about learning to use, and recognize, AI.
Resistance is futile…;)
Loved this – what I think about AI in general
I’m not in love with AI yet either, but I understand the desire to have AI create patterns. Designing a gorgeous knitted object may be as simple as a thought, but turning that thought into an actual pattern that be used by others? That’s a specialized skill set that most knitters don’t have, and it seems like potential drudgery fraught with peril.
a year or so ago, Tayler (WoolNeedlesHands) asked some AI to make a pattern for, iirc, a simple top-down round yoke swtr, and it turned out..ok? ish? anyway, she has a youtube ep abt the experience.
your AI swatches are interesting, but the names are the best part :-))) !
I’d love to see pictures of some of the AI knitted and crocheted objects.
The reason ‘why AI’? Because when your only metric for success is more $$$$ as fast as possible then you go for the cheapest option not the best one. Not the one that supports the long term success of a business or community around that business (define ‘community’ however you want, it doesn’t support it).
(Yup, I’m kind of a cynic about unfettered capitalism, can you tell?)
One part of your report is disturbing: “After reviewing hundreds of patterns on Ravelry, SkyKnit began writing its own.” Um… were the pattern designers compensated or even notified? This is a fight visual artists and photographers have confronted. The AI program’s “research” is really stealing any examples of original work which artists have posted on-line — without the artists’ permission or compensation.
Love your prospective on AI knitting patterns!
AI of the ChatGPT is basically a scam on the order of NFTs or cryptocurrency. There are true believers, but also a lot of people just trying to get investor money or consulting contracts chasing the latest tech fads.
Please do not play with it. It is incredibly resource hogging. The electricity demands it makes are so high that server farms are asking for new power plants to be built. We need to be cutting energy usage, not creating new high use fields that do not actually add real value to our lives.
Also, servers are water cooled. Every query made to ChatGTP pours a 16 oz bottle of water into the ground.
This is a very expensive service that they are giving away for “free” now, but like so many recent tech “innovations,” people won’t be as interested when they actually have to pay the very high costs investors are currently covering. And we’ll have another tech crash on our hands.