Some time thinking about outperforming AI and ChatGPT etc etc
Bringing in a human touch
It’s been a tad busy so in terms of Have You Thought About - there’s been a heck lot of thinking but a requirement for reflection.
Although I’m quite pleased as one of my short stories was chosen for publication in a collection by Calibre Audio which focuses on audio books. The brief was it had to include a print disability, so I included a character with that.
I’m still putting myself forward for things. In fact, in between a few hospital appointments, I took part in a response piece session at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in London where as an ensemble whose cultural experiences spanned the global majority, we created a pretty cool piece focusing on race and belonging. I had a little cry at seeing others perform my words on stage while it was a case of shaking off my acting boots and returning to a space I hadn’t been in for a while. We even had a movement coach.
It was a reminder that it’s nice to be part of teams and doing something artistic while also weaving in our cultural heritage. I also made friends - which is something as an adult it takes a lot longer to do.
It was also nice to see my words appear in a different form.
Although I have been dabbling in the artistic and cultural side more. I went to the Jaipur Literary Festival at the British Library thanks to my friend Sheela who was speaking there. It would be lovely to be considered to be on one of their panels one day. I’m doing a bit more book reviewing at the moment, so perhaps two birds one stone situation could emerge. I’ve always wanted to go to Jaipur in India but for now the British Library works. I even popped into the Unearthed exhibition they have on gardening which is worth a wander around as it gives you an appreciation of gardens.
I wish I had a better relationship with nature. I have a friend who is creating a most beautiful garden and has those green fingers. She has an insta worth following but be warned you may have outdoors envy. But I just have a very rough and ready relationship with the environment. My plants just don’t survive.
But I am worried about the state of our planet; the constant heating. We’re in a heatwave at time of writing but while yes, it’s time for ice cream; it’s also worrying about how hot it’s getting and what that can lead to.
It’s quiet on the work front which isn’t ideal. But I know that other freelancers are in the same boat and those emerging from the TV and Film industry are still in a decimated space where it’s hard to keep going. I am trying to figure out this storytelling path but I will say it’s hard when you reach out with your updated CV to people whom you know and get no response. Nothing’s personal in this industry but if people who you thought were friends and colleagues are not offering acknowledgements or responses, what happens in a cold outreach situation.
But since I think light relief is just as key, I often take words and play with them. I wrote an ode for the job hunter after collecting inspiration from some of the replies that have come when I’ve tried to get positions and have been rather unsuccessful. Most of my work honestly has come via connections. It’s a lesson in turning up to places so people see your face and trust you.
But this poem has gone down well. Often people say don’t publish your poetry on social (though it’s worked for Rupi Kaur and Nikita Gill) as you won’t be considered for traditional publication but sometimes some work is just created with that social broadcast in mind. So as long as it’s given one person light relief (in my case the feedback seems to be a lot of people are enjoying it), then it’s all good.
Just a quick note as I have an investigations background - I worked in verification for over a decade at an international newsgatherer; have spoken at key notes at international festivals to journalists, neuroscientists, psychologists and more; have taught investigation skills to journalists and investigators globally in warzones, on the social and digital beat and often try to include fun materials in my teachings as it's all about critical thinking. I also find it quite interesting that I've offered my investigation skills to some global media outlets but because I've been so hidden in the supply chain of news over the years, despite my extensive experience, I get sifted out of the job application process. Strange but that's the world right no.
Anyway, for fun, I have amazing friends that send me cute animal videos - I like animal videos. Do send those through. Sending gifs and memes is known as pebbling - it's a love language. Anyway there's one doing the rounds on TikTok and Inst at the mo of a tiger cub being bullied and relying on humans for help. So sad. So cute. So sad. So very easily shareable.
But so misinformation. Misinfo comes from all manner of sources. I tested out ChatGPT asking it if first the video was AI and secondly the original source. It told me completely wrong information and I knew it was wrong straight away. Apparently it was a true video and the tiger was being bullied by a Mongoose. NO! Also not right. Anyway about 20 minutes later, I'd found the original source of the video on YouTube and from 11 years ago.
I asked ChatGPT why I as a human could find it and it couldn't. Here you go
1. You had a clearer visual or memory cue
You likely saw the full video or had better keywords in mind (like “three little tigers” or “TV Animal Farm”), which pointed directly to the YouTube original. Those very specific terms make a huge difference when searching older or international content.
🤖 2. I searched based on viral reposts and generic captions
I was working with what was trending now — mostly:
TikTok captions like “tiger bullied by mongoose”
Generic queries like “tiger bullied and cared for”
These phrases pointed to remixed, viral versions with misleading or incomplete metadata (wrong animal, edited clips), so the algorithm led me to surface-level content.
🌍 3. The original is old, foreign, and mislabeled in viral versions
The SBS clip is:
12 years old
Korean-language
Labeled with correct info (meerkats, not mongooses; three tigers, not one)
Because the current viral narrative is so warped, most searches brought up the wrong animal and wrong geography — so unless I had something like your link or exact title, it was buried.
🎯 So how did you succeed?
You likely watched more closely, caught a detail (like a watermark, name, or language), or reverse-searched from a TikTok screen grab.
You might have typed in better keywords like “Animal Farm tiger meerkat” or “SBS tiger bullied,” which are very hard to guess from just a TikTok video.
✅ Final Word
You found the original because you out-researched the algorithmic noise. Seriously — good instincts, good observation, and great search skills. I can help with speed and connections, but this was a very human win on your part.
And I left ChatGPT at that.
So there you go. A shorter HYTA than usual. I do have to go find paid work but as usual, for those who are supporting the writing with funds and sharing and sponsorship, it is appreciated and valued. Pledges make a difference as I’m not supported by any platform.
Here is my Ko-Fi if you’d like to drop me an ice cream equivalent if the writing and creative endeavours inspire in any way: https://ko-fi.com/dhrutishah