Book Review: Nice Try, A.I.

Reviewed by Elizabeth Zender

A sensational exploration of humanity in an automated world

Looking for a poetry collection reflecting the over-saturation of technology in our society? Searching for that poem that speaks to your need to disconnect from social media and find the value of the self? Wondering if there is any good literature out there that excavates the way that society looks at the human experience? 

Look no further than Lisa George Abraham’s Nice Try, A.I. Within the pages of this phenomenal work, Abraham cries an anthem against the use of artificial intelligence within creative fields and pushes the reader to look deeper into themselves for meaning.

In this eclectic poetry collection, Abraham takes a stab at the familiar conversation surrounding whether or not artificial intelligence can actually create something artistically meaningful. She takes a stance with her content but also displays the impact of human-made art with her own poems laced with talent, meaning, and value.

In one poem, titled “The Hack,” Abraham asks ChatGPT, “has your heart ever bled onto the page,” stating that while A.I. might seem to be intelligent, it cannot recreate the emotion and the true poetry of humanity. Abraham’s work screams against the use of A.I. technology, but a deeper analysis reveals more of the need to retain our connection to what makes us human.

Other poems discuss Abraham’s experiences with social media, such as TikTok and Instagram. In “Makeup Artist on YouTube,” Abraham points out that the influencer she watches “knows how to look like a queen,” and is using this to make a profit. And at the same time, she sees an Indian aunty who goes around without products, without makeup, showing the world her natural face and Abraham wonders how this came to be. She expertly shows the dilemma between the societal desire to meet white beauty standards and our desire to be free and comfortable in our own skin. As someone who struggles with being chronically online, it’s refreshing to read poetry that addresses this problem and the general need for us to disconnect and reconnect to our true selves.

Abraham has created a sense of something lasting with this poignant and personable work. Nice Try, A.I. is built upon the connectivity between people and addresses the way our society sprints toward a dystopian future, if we are not already there. Abraham is honest about the prisons we trap ourselves in and does not shy away from her own distress. 

I appreciate, too, that Abraham maintains a rhyme scheme within many of her poems, something that I don’t always get to see in contemporary poetry. Abraham clearly cherishes the creative side of being human; you can feel it in every poem. She sheds light on the many ways society leaves humanity behind in search of dissociative technology, but in the end, this is an evocative, thought-provoking book with empathy in its heart and an eye on a human-led future.

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