AI and human writers: Ought to we be apprehensive about shedding our jobs and being changed by new know-how?

The prevalence of AI has seen all business sectors quaking of their boots – even us. Does this imply it’s coming for our jobs, or can it’s used as a useful device? We communicate to consultants and fellow writers about this matter.

Synthetic intelligence is throughout us these days. We’ve seen instruments similar to ChatGPT used to recommend journey itineraries, give you copywriting for social media posts, and even plan marriage proposals! Clearly, it’s serving to us in loads of methods. And truthfully? I’m right here for it. Whereas this can be a fascinating improvement, I can’t assist however surprise: with AI changing into extra widespread, am I liable to shedding my job (and identification) as a author? Or, can we work collectively to develop thrilling content material that readers will get pleasure from in years to return? As I ponder these ideas, I search solutions and opinions from consultants and fellow writers.

A jumble of feelings regarding AI

It’s no shock that people have blended sentiments about AI. In accordance with a February 2023 examine carried out by GWI, greater than half polled have been excited however apprehensive concerning the know-how’s speedy improvement. GWI’s information journalist Chris Beer highlights the potential moral misuse of AI, together with spreading misinformation, as probably the most important concern amongst contributors. Its analysis additionally says 28% fear that their jobs are in danger due to AI.

“One other attention-grabbing factor to notice right here is that, in contrast to many applied sciences, AI is definitely being picked up by individuals on the prime first. Usually, new software program travels from the underside up. With this wave of know-how, senior managers are presently the more than likely to make use of it within the office,” Chris shares with me.

Whereas there’s apprehension, there are these – writers included – who welcome AI with open arms and don’t take into account it a risk. 27-year-old Daston Lam, a senior public relations account government at Dify, appears to be like on the device as a “huge alternative for newbie to intermediate writers to leverage its capabilities and enhance their writing”.

Nick Oh, a senior social media government at a global college, has been utilizing it as a result of it makes his job simpler. Nonetheless, he understands why others may understand it as a risk. The 33-year-old opines: “A sensible darkish prediction? A bulk of writing can be achieved by AIs whereas being neglected by solely a handful of writers. Hopefully, it’s not so simple as that.”

Right here at Honeycombers, we draw on AI instruments to assist effectivity and productiveness in various levels. My staff has used it to analysis, develop snappier headline concepts, and get inspiration for social media posts. Whereas it’s helpful, we don’t use it to provide articles. I imply, we’re employed to jot down! It received’t be cool if the whole lot you learn right here is AI-generated.

Are different writers affected too?

It’s not simply life-style writers like us who’re affected by the rebellion of AI. Fareez Shah, 30, is a singer-songwriter of Fingerfunk, a band based mostly in Singapore. Whereas he has but to faucet into the device to assist him write songs, he acknowledges its influence and advantages. “It may be advantageous to musicians who wrestle with writing lyrics. Apart from language, it should even be attention-grabbing to see how AI can write songs based mostly on completely different matters and themes and the views it could possibly present.”

Whereas Fareez isn’t against utilizing the device in his songwriting, he doesn’t see the necessity to faucet into it but. “I write my songs based mostly on what I’ve skilled in life and private messages I want to categorical,” he states. Whereas he’s unaware of different musicians utilizing AI to assist them craft songs, he doesn’t see something incorrect with utilising it. “If it makes your writing simpler and environment friendly, why not?”

In the meantime, self-professed confessional poet and writer Rachel Tan has utilized AI in her work. “I’ve used it to generate an internet site abstract, then prompted it to regulate for tone. It was helpful as a result of it was of a technical nature, and I used to be pressed for time and mentally drained,” the 35-year-old explains. “My shopper appreciated it and requested me to regulate once more, which I fortunately did.”

Each echo Daston and Nick’s views – they don’t see AI as a risk. Fareez firmly believes know-how received’t supersede the feelings channelled into lyrics written by people, whereas Rachel thinks something AI-generated lacks the human contact.

Placing the proper stability

In our line of labor, encountering psychological blocks is a well-recognized incidence. I’ve taken a number of breaks on days after I really feel like I’ve hit a brick wall in inventive pondering. In reality, I did that as I labored on this piece. The problem additionally extends to conceptualising angles for brand new items and the analysis required to provide considerate content material. To say that the work is each time-consuming and energy-intensive is an understatement.

That’s why Urvashi Raizada, content material director at Bud, recommends leveraging AI instruments to boost creativity and productiveness. These purposes streamline analysis by gathering info from the online and brainstorming contemporary angles and descriptions. Nonetheless, writers should nonetheless confirm findings with trusted sources to keep up credibility of their content material. I’ve used ChatGPT on a number of events to compile analysis on sure matters; though it yielded nice outcomes, I nonetheless needed to carry out fact-checks on Google. Isn’t the device supposed to assist in effectivity?

On prime of that, AI-generated content material lacks human creativity and contact, which Urvashi highlights. “The writing nonetheless wants important human intervention if it’s going to be any good. AI-generated content material is commonly too generic and lacks the influence, creativity, and opinion present in human-generated content material,” she tells me.

Sadly, this isn’t discernible to the bare eye. Chris factors out that just one in 5 individuals can differentiate between AI-generated and human-made content material. “The know-how has reached a stage the place it’s tough to inform it aside from what people make, main customers to be not sure of what they see,” he notes.

It’s no query that AI-generated content material has change into remarkably superior, blurring the traces between human writing kinds and machine studying. This raises questions on the way forward for writing and the connection between human creativity and AI.

Will AI exchange writers sooner or later?

Those that’ve been following the information are most likely conscious of the continued author and actor strikes in Hollywood. One of many hot-button points that triggered that is the choice to utilise AI in automating scripts. As our American counterparts rally in opposition to this, is it one thing we must be involved with? Will AI take over our jobs and render writers out of date?

Urvashi believes that know-how will push writers to work even tougher. “With AI’s capacity to do the grunt work of preliminary net crawling and analysis, writers can up their recreation and add worth by extra expert or experiential contributions like technique, creativity, context, cultural nuance, and extra,” she says.

Daston concurs: “It’s not helpful in my work, the place creativity is required to craft compelling tales and attention-grabbing narratives.” He additionally feels that AI instruments are removed from excellent, as they nonetheless require a author’s eye to discern nuances and guarantee coherence.

However what if the longer term – and particularly writing – is overtaken by AI? Nick shudders on the thought. “A future the place the whole lot is AI-generated looks as if a chilly, dystopian world bereft of the human contact. Do we would like writing, or do we would like compelling writing? The latter, which includes creativity and empathy, is one thing an AI might by no means present.”

That’s a moderately bleak outlook. However, if most individuals can’t differentiate between AI and human-generated content material, possibly it’s not one thing we must be overly involved about. Expertise requires time for enchancment. Who is aware of, by then we could also be accustomed to AI being current in our lives. Maybe we writers received’t lose our jobs; as an alternative, AI could possibly be our digital private assistants. Or colleagues.

So, now that you simply’ve made it to the tip, did you determine which traces on this piece have been written by AI?