7322. Brunel Way (342)

Conrico, Brunel Way, Bristol, November 2025
Conrico, Brunel Way, Bristol, November 2025

This futuristic cityscape by Conrico has made it straight into my favourites for 2025. It was painted over the central section of a three-way collaboration by Sled One, Oust and Stivs, and if you look closely to the right side of this piece, you’ll see a shout-out to Oust.

Conrico, Brunel Way, Bristol, November 2025
Conrico, Brunel Way, Bristol, November 2025

There is so much depth in this piece, not only literally with the deep perspective of the street scene, but also emotional depth. Conrico depicts a world without humans, who have been replaced by AI robots, who have inherited the ordinariness and drudgery of their human forebears. It feels like a direct replacement, rather than the shiny new world we are being promised by Elon Musk and the like, and presents an alternative view of the future.

Conrico, Brunel Way, Bristol, November 2025
Conrico, Brunel Way, Bristol, November 2025

The mural is full of pathos, perhaps epitomised by the touching scene in the foreground where a robot is crouching to pet a cat, a real cat. All of this scene is painted with Conrico’s unique style that looks like the whole thing was painted with brush strokes. This is a truly outstanding work. Bravo Conrico, Bravo!

Sled One, Oust and Stivs Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2025
Sled One, Oust and Stivs Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2025

ChatGPT, a haiku

.

First words from the screen

AI shapes thoughts into verse

new paths softly bloom

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by ChatGPT

  • I had to do a training package today about using AI for communications, and thought I’d have a little practice session on ChatGPT. This was the instruction I gave:

“Write me a haiku about using AI for the first time to write the haiku”

Having done the training, it only reinforces my scepticism about AI, but I do see how it might be helpful in the right circumstances. Unfortunately, I think that it is so open to misuse, deliberately or accidentally, and I fear in these early days a lot of people and organisations will get their knickers in a twist and fall foul of what is really the Wild West out there.

The seduction of new technology is powerful, and the early adopters get super-excited. It is important that there are others who ground truth these novel opportunities and maintain some level of human experience, skill and knowledge. I feel that AI should be used when it is needed rather than because it is there.