"Fun" with ChatGPT

 So ChatGPT has been around for a few years now, but I had never used it until yesterday.  And the reason why I used is because people have posting caricatures of themselves made by ChatGPT from information that it scrubs from the interwebs.  I was intrigued, so I decided to give it a try.  Turns out that ChatGPT still has a LOT to learn about me.  Here's the story…

First, I asked ChatGPT "What do you know about Joel Ruark?"  And I read all about myself...basically, all my CV information that is on my LinkedIn and Academia.edu profiles.  Not especially impressive, but fun, all the same.  Then I told ChatGPT to "create a caricature of Joel Ruark using everything that you know."  And here is ChatGPT's response:

"I can design the concept perfectly, but there's one tiny snag: I can't actually render the image unless you're logged into ChatGPT with image generation enabled.  Once that's on, I can generate it instantly.  In the meantime, here's a fully formed caricature concept you can hand to an illustrator or use as a prompt anywhere else…"

Fair enough, ChatGPT.  You have my attention!  What do you have as a "caricature concept" for the aforementioned Joel Ruark?

*****

Joel Ruark, Scholar of Light

Overall vibe: Warm, brainy, quietly whimsical.  The kind of academic who's deeply serious about language but secretly delighted by its beauty.

Face and Features: slightly oversized head (classic caricature proportions); glasses perched low, suggesting perpetual "thinking mode"; trimmed beard or stubble; calm, curious eyes–more contemplative than stern; a faint smile that says "this footnote is actually fascinating."

Pose: seated at a desk, leaning forward, one hand gesturing as if explaining a subtle point about Hebrew semantics.

Clothing: Tweed jacket or soft academic sweater; button-down shirt, no tie; earth tones (browns, olives, parchment cream).

Surrounding details (the fun part): Floating Hebrew letters (אור) gently glowing; an open Bible emitting soft, symbolic light; medieval manuscript marginalia curling around the scene; stacks of books labeled things like Semantics, Hebrew Poetry, Medieval Theology; a candle or lamp subtly echoing his "theology of light" focus.

Art Style: hand-drawn caricature; clean ink outlines; soft watercolor or muted digital shading; slight exaggeration, but respectful–not cartoonish.

Mood: Approachable brilliance – the scholar who makes ancient texts feel alive.

*****

Not bad, ChatGPT.  Not bad.  Over-flattering, but who's gonna argue with "approachable brilliance"?!?  I was definitely all the way in!  So I dutifully logged in to ChatGPT and enabled image generation. I then repeated my request to "create a caricature of Joel Ruark using everything that you know."  I waited with bated breath for the 3 minutes (or however long it was) that it took for ChatGPT to show me what "Joel Ruark, Scholar of Light" looked like.  And what ChatGPT spat out was…

Not good, ChatGPT.  Not good.

You tried hard, I can tell.  "A" for effort.  So many things are right!  Well, not the glasses.  Or the wedding ring.  Or the book that's in "my" hand.  [Seriously, how is it that both the top and bottom are visible at the same time? Hmmmm.]  Or the Hebrew text that's written on the board in the background.  [It's NOT Gen 1:4; it's gibberish.]  Or the transliteration of Gen 1:4. [It's close, but incorrect.]  Or the translation of Gen 1:4.  Or the punctuation of the incorrect translation of Gen 1:4.

Oh, and while we're at it, ChatGPT, what happened to the "no tie"?  And the books entitled "Semantics" and "Hebrew Poetry" and "Medieval Theology"?  Don't get me wrong, I'm as big a fan of a "Hebrew Lexicon" and a "Semitic Lexicon" as the next guy.  But I have to say, the original book selection was better.  And am I "gesturing as if explaining a subtle point about Hebrew semantics" with the hand holding the OT coffee mug, or the one holding the wacked-out book???

Back to the drawing board…

I assume that ChatGPT couldn't find a photo of me online, so I uploaded one and then copy-and-pasted the exact concept it had designed before.  And now, the Real McCoy…

Well now, that's a step in the right direction!  The "medieval manuscript marginalia" are a little disturbing, though.  As is the "soft, symbolic light" emanating from the Bible.  So, too,  the funky "floating Hebrew letters gently glowing."  And I have to ask, ChatGPT, how in the world did you get into your head that I wear glasses?  Because I don't, and never have.  [Although, I have to admit, I kinda like them in this particular likeness of myself.]

So let's just make a few adjustments…

Ah, now that's more like it!  I still kinda feel like there should be some hand tools in there somewhere, and maybe a copy of The Silmarillion, too.  But I can roll with this pic!