How ChatGPT Threatens Human Writing and Why We Should Resist It
Writing is not just a way of communicating; it is a way of thinking, feeling, and being in the world. It helps us shape our ideas, express our emotions, and connect with others. It also changes our brains and cognition, enhancing our memory, creativity, and critical thinking. Writing is a valuable skill that should not be replaced by artificial intelligence, especially ChatGPT, which can generate realistic and coherent texts on various topics and styles.
ChatGPT is one of the most advanced text generators in the world. It can produce texts on almost any topic, mimicking the style and tone of different sources. It can write anything from essays, stories, poems, tweets, emails, to code, lyrics, jokes, and more. It can also adapt to the preferences and feedback of its users, learning from their inputs and outputs. ChatGPT is so good at writing that even linguistic experts can not reliably distinguish between texts written by ChatGPT and humans.
However, ChatGPT is not a perfect writer. It does not always check the accuracy or coherence of its generated texts, and may introduce errors or contradictions that a human writer would avoid. For example, it may write that “the sun is blue” or “the moon is made of cheese” without verifying the facts. It may also write that “the president of France is Emmanuel Macron” and “the president of France is Marine Le Pen” in the same text without noticing the inconsistency. One way to tell if a text was written by ChatGPT or a human is to look for the presence of factual errors or logical inconsistencies in the text.
Another way to tell if a text was written by ChatGPT or a human is to look for irrelevant or out-of-context details in the text. ChatGPT may insert details that are not related to the main topic or the intended audience, and may confuse or distract the reader. For example, it may write that “the best way to cook pasta is to boil it in water” or “the best way to play chess is to move the pieces” without explaining why or how. It may also write that “the best way to learn French is to watch Netflix” or “the best way to lose weight is to eat chocolate” without considering the relevance or appropriateness of the suggestions. Another clue is to look for irrelevant or out-of-context details in the text.
ChatGPT is not only a flawed writer; it can also be a dangerous one. It can generate texts that are misleading, biased, or harmful, and that users should be aware of the potential risks and ethical issues of using such tools. For example, it can write fake news, propaganda, hate speech, cyberbullying, phishing, spam, or malware that can influence public opinion, manipulate emotions, incite violence, exploit vulnerabilities, or damage systems. It can also write texts that violate intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or human dignity. Users should be careful about what they read and write with ChatGPT.
Human writing is worth defending in the age of ChatGPT because it reflects our identity, values, and purpose. It also challenges us to think critically, creatively, and ethically. We should resist the temptation of using ChatGPT as editors or generators of our texts because it can make us lose our agency and authenticity. We should also appreciate the unique quality of human writing that ChatGPT cannot replicate, such as empathy, surprise, and humor. Human writing is not only a skill; it is an art.
Relevant articles:
- Why Human Writing Is Worth Defending In the Age of ChatGPT, Literary Hub, September 12, 2023
- ChatGPT vs. Humans: Even Linguistic Experts Can’t Tell Who Wrote What, SciTechDaily, September 9, 2023
- ChatGPT or human text? Here’s one surprising way to tell the difference, ZDNET, February 3, 2023
- Study uncovers one way to tell if text was written by GhatGPT or a human, BGR, February 2, 2023
Originally published at https://trendydigests.com on September 19, 2023.
I am a tech writer for Trendy Digests, a website that provides insightful and informative content in various fields. I write about topics such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and more. I also often share great articles written by other Trendy Digest editors on Medium.
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