Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) Taking Over?

So, a hot topic now is an AI product called ChatGPT.

This application writes copy once prompted by a question set by a human. But, is artificial intelligence (AI) taking over?

According to the website, OpenAI, the company that brought us this bot, has come up with something that can write for us in a conversational way. "We’ve trained a model called ChatGPT which interacts in a conversational way."

All you have to do is sign up and then ask whatever question you like and the bot will write about your subject. Easy right? But how is this going to affect writers and other creatives? I've already seen photos on Instagram where famous people are placed in front of places they have never been. Places like famine areas, remote communities, and sitting amongst dangerous animals. I knew instantly these images were AI generated and were essentially fake. But can we spot fakes when something is written?

A cute AI robot - are they going to take over?

My curiosity was piqued by all the media frenzy surrounding this bot, so I created an account with ChatGPT and asked it to write a blog on what Artificial Intelligence is -

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become one of the most exciting and rapidly evolving fields of technology in recent years. As a form of intelligence that is demonstrated by machines, AI has the potential to revolutionize nearly every industry and aspect of our lives, from healthcare to finance to transportation and more.

At its core, AI is about using data and algorithms to enable machines to perform tasks that traditionally require human intelligence. This can include anything from recognizing images and speech to making predictions and decisions based on data. AI is often categorized into two types: narrow or weak AI and general or strong AI.

This is only a short section of what the bot wrote, I could have used it all here and claimed it as my own. It does sound conversational, accurate and a human could have written it. But this is the issue ... is it ethical? As a writer, I'm not comfortable using the exact wording ChatGPT or any other AI bot has generated on my site, or in any of my writing.

What I do think this bot is good for is to give ideas, maybe if you're stuck with writer's block or you want to see a different way of writing a paragraph. The uses for writers are seemingly endless, so I asked another question -

Is ChatGPT a good tool for writers?

For writers, ChatGPT can assist in various ways, such as:

1. Generating ideas: If a writer is struggling to come up with ideas for a story or article, they can give ChatGPT a prompt or topic and receive suggestions.

2. Improving writing skills: ChatGPT can provide feedback on grammar, syntax, and word choice, helping writers improve their writing skills.

3. Overcoming writer's block: If a writer is stuck on a particular scene or plot point, they can turn to ChatGPT for inspiration.

4. Research: ChatGPT can provide information on various topics, including history, science, and current events, which can be helpful for writers conducting research for their work.

Overall, ChatGPT can be a useful tool for writers, but it's important to remember that it's not a substitute for human creativity and expertise. Writers should use ChatGPT as a supplement to their own writing process and judgment.

This last point is important. We as humans, and writers especially, should strive for honesty and integrity in our work. Use AI and bots like ChatGPT as a supplement or tool to enhance what you do and be honest about how you use what it writes. This issue has prompted some countries to ban ChatGPT because although researchers are impressed with its capabilities, ethical and regulatory issues remain a problem.

Are we making progress for progress' sake? This is only my opinion, but with companies like Microsoft backing these AI products, I think our leaders need to put regulations in place before these products are launched. Is this even possible? What is your take, is AI like ChatGPT a good tool, and is the hype surrounding these products worth it?

I have to admit, as a writer, I'm a little worried. Will we be able to tell the difference between an author who is human and one that is computer generated?

Happy reading

Maria P Frino