In the annals of literature and writing, we’ve celebrated the genius of Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter, the poignant observations of Jane Austen, and the intricate worlds created by J.R.R. Tolkien. Human ingenuity has been at the core of storytelling, transcending time and culture. Yet, as we stride confidently into the 21st century, there’s an unmistakable transformation occurring in the backdrop — a merger of binary code with the poetic cadence of human thought.

 

Picture the archetypal scene of a writer’s desk: strewn papers, ink-smudged drafts, a quill or typewriter, and perhaps a glowing candle. This setting has metamorphosed over the decades. Today, alongside the modern tools of a laptop or tablet, there exists a more invisible, yet potent, assistant — Artificial Intelligence. The blinking cursor on the screen, once a daunting challenge, now represents possibilities as writers can summon AI to weave tales, craft arguments, or generate ideas.

 

The integration of AI into writing isn’t a mere transplantation of human skills into a machine. It’s the result of intricate algorithmic advancements in the realm of natural language processing. Machines, after devouring terabytes of literature and text, have begun to emulate the nuances, tones, and rhythms characteristic of human-written content. The AI-written prose of today not only passes grammatical scrutiny but can evoke emotions, provoke thought, and even induce laughter.

 

Yet, for all its prowess, AI’s role in writing is not without contention. Detractors argue that it lacks the authentic human touch, the lived experiences that imbue writing with depth and soul. Proponents, on the other hand, highlight its efficiency, versatility, and the democratization of content creation. Why struggle with writer’s block when an algorithm can provide a spark? Why labor over syntax when AI can restructure a sentence with poetic elegance?

 

However, this evolution is not a zero-sum game. The harmonization of human and artificial intelligence in writing promises a symbiotic relationship. Humans provide the context, the experiences, the moral compass, and the overarching vision. AI, with its computational prowess, amplifies these inputs, refining them into polished pieces or offering fresh perspectives that may have been overlooked.

 

 

 

Yet, a pressing question remains: As readers and writers, where do we draw the line? How do we ensure that the essence of humanity is not overshadowed by machine efficiency? And, at the end of the day, if the narrative captivates and the message resonates, does it matter who, or what, is the author?

 

For those still mulling over these musings, here’s an enlightening tidbit: every word of this piece, from start to finish, was crafted by an AI. A reflection, perhaps, of the very future we’re hurtling towards — where creativity isn’t the sole domain of humanity but is shared, enhanced, and celebrated with our digital counterparts.

 

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Pretty neat, huh? Everything under the horizontal line here is written by yours truly, human Kerrie (but still proof-read by an AI for grammatical mistakes).

I used ChatGPT with OpenAI to create this article using the prompt:

 

I prefer to be kind, even if it might seem like extra fluff to the neural network since the system picks up cues from what you write, influencing how it interacts with you. I added the phrase “I feel that you’ve gotten to know me pretty well” as a nod to the idea that the AI might use elements of my style from our conversations to craft the article. On another thread with ChatGPT, I had the model read multiple pieces from this website to mimic my voice…but when it writes back ‘as if it is me’, it sometimes adopts a jolly honky-tonk attitude which I found hilarious (but not overly helpful).

 

What I found intriguing was that the four different times I requested a piece on the role of AI in writing, each ended on a note of hope and collaboration. While this article is impressive, I’ll soon be publishing some not-so-stellar work from ChatGPT that made me giggle. So, there’s no immediate need to fear our jobs being replaced! These AI models, while advanced, still operate based on well-established patterns. They often require oversight, understanding, and a touch of crafty finagling to produce the desired outcomes. But it does beg the question – who should take the credit for writing this piece? Me for crafting the prompt and harvesting the answer like ripe fruit? Or should the author credit ChatGPT and the millions of authors who came before that it took it’s training data from?

 

The images in this piece were generated using Midjourney. I plan to write a guide and provide an explanation about it in the upcoming weeks so stay tuned!