With all the news coverage of Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT, one would think that the predictions from numerous science fiction writers have come true and computers are taking over.  But before you hide under the covers, know that ChatGPT and other AI programs can write well, but that is only part of the story.  For example, ChatGPT relies on a combination of machine learning algorithms, natural language techniques and human feedback. The human feedback part is most telling, since it demonstrates that it is only as good as the information it receives. 

It takes a human to create a written work that is more than just grammatically correct.  Humans are still the ones who can best write something that compels, as well informs.  So, what are AI writing programs good for?  They can be used to edit for grammar and style, to do initial research or to provide an outline when you just aren’t sure what to write.

Regarding research, many times AI programs can present information that is completely incorrect. Allison L. Carter, an executive editor for PR Daily, recently asked ChatGPT to write a press release about her being hired as the executive editor.  The idea behind this exercise was to see if ChatGPT could take the information about Carter that is available on the Internet and write a press release. It wrote a grammatically correct press release, but it was filled with incorrect information. She gave it another chance by letting the program know that PR Daily is a part of Ragan Communications.  The only thing that ChatGPT got right the second time around was that it mentioned PR Daily is a part of Ragan Communications. 

All of this demonstrates that you need your mind now, more than ever. Yes, AI programs can write grammatically correct content, but they can have trouble getting specific information correct, so human oversight is needed.  ChatGPT is a tool and like all tools, there are right and wrong ways to use them. You can use it as an editor or idea generator, but you still have to do your due diligence in checking sources and actually doing the work of writing content.  Technology doesn’t take the place of humans; it serves humans.

Sources

Humans are still better than bots at writing. Here’s why.

How to responsibly use AI in your writing

We asked ChatGPT to write an article and a press release. This is what happened.