Articles of Serendipity • How can we use AI to activate our curiosity and wonder?

Expand your frame of thinking by using AI as a tool to uncover unexpected interests and ideas. 

  • Emerging Tech
  • Tool

    • Let your curiosity guide you to new destinations while AI helps you map new paths of thought. 

    Think of this activity as a design exercise for your wonder muscle. It’s less about finding answers, more about seeing what unfolds when you follow a hunch.

    How does it work?

    Ask AI to write an article on something you’re curious about. Then spot what piques your interest and see where it takes you. It’s not about creating a great article, but instead about activating your wonder.

    The activity

    Step 1: Use an AI chatbot to generate an article that you wish existed.
    What’s a topic you’re curious about? Use AI to create an article about it.

    Include in your prompt:

    • The type of article (e.g., op-ed, feature, profile)
    • The main point and key supporting ideas you want covered
    • Relevant academic research, disciplines, or specific people to reference
    • A writing style you enjoy

    Here’s a sample prompt

    Step 2: Read and notice what stands out.

    • What catches your attention?
    • What surprised you or made you think differently?
    • What do you want to learn more about—and what felt unnecessary?

    Step 3: Follow your curiosity.

    • Look up sources mentioned in the article that spark your interest.This can lead to unexpected lines of inquiry… and helps check whether any AI-generated claims are hallucinated.

    Reminder: The goal isn’t to create a “great” article.
    This is a creative provocation—a way to ignite your curiosity and wonder.
    Think of it less like a published piece and more like an exploratory sketch of your interests.

    If we only use AI to replicate what's already been done, we miss its potential to open new doors.

    Step 4: Iterate.
    Based on what you noticed and wondered about, prompt a revised version that dives deeper into your curiosities and wonders.
    Don’t overdo it—just follow the threads that seem most alive to you.

    Optional additional prompt for AI that you can try at the end:
    Based on this entire process, what are the human choices I made to get to the current version of _____?
    This won’t be perfect, but it might reveal something interesting about what you put into this article!

     

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