IWSG: Thoughts on AI

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

SEPTEMBER QUESTION - What are your thoughts on using AI, such as GPChat, Raptor, and others with your writing? Would you use it for research, story bible, or creating outlines\beats?

MY ANSWER: AI can be extremely useful for research, examples, and inspiration. The problem I have is when people rely on it to be lazy - they just recycle instead of using their own brain. People automatically trust it to be accurate. However, a recent study by Tow Center for Digital Journalism found AI to be inaccurate about 60% of the time. I also hate how often people (students in particular) try to pass it off as their own creation. Not only is this plagiarism, but they are also shortchanging themselves the ability to learn and use critical thinking skills which we all need.

How about you? What are your thoughts on using AI, such as GPChat, Raptor, and others with your writing? Would you use it for research, story bible, or creating outlines\beats?

IWSG: AI Use

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

MARCH 6 QUESTION - Have you "played" with AI to write those nasty synopses, or do you refuse to go that route? How do you feel about AI's impact on creative writing?

MY ANSWER - We had a similar discussion in our October posting if you'd like to look back at those. My only interaction with AI as a writer has been to address using it in the classroom. As soon as ChatGPT released more than a year ago, I saw a huge use of it by students to attempt writing assignments. We spent time actually looking at instances where you could use it, but the software was creating sadly horrible and oftentimes completely incorrectly factual writing. This helped to dissuade plagiarism in that first year. However, as AI software increase in reliability so too does it's use, not just by students but also by teachers and writers. Some only use it as a means to see examples (a learning or confidence building tool). However, I believe we may see an increase in reliance on this technology, and an outright substitution for individual authentic creation. In response, more schools and legal systems will attempt to define what is allowable and what is not (refer back to Hollywood/writers/actors strikes last year).

What about you? Have you "played" with AI to write those nasty synopses, or do you refuse to go that route? How do you feel about AI's impact on creative writing?