ChatGPT, “AI-gerism” and the Ethics of it All
Should we have ethical concerns over AI? Can you tell the difference between a piece written by AI and a human being? Is AI here to help or hinder?
Hey there, parents and families! I know you might have heard about this newfangled thing called “AI” and how it can write articles just like this one you’re reading right now. But, before you start thinking about replacing your little Johnny with a robot writer, let’s talk about the ethical implications of AI-generated content.
First of all, let’s get one thing straight, AI-written articles are not as scary as they sound. In fact, they’re already being used in the field of journalism to help with tedious tasks like fact-checking and data analysis. But, just because AI can write an article, doesn’t mean it’s going to be a Pulitzer prize-winner.
One thing to keep in mind is that AI can be biased, just like humans. So, if you feed it a bunch of biased information, it will spit out biased articles. Plus, since AI is not a human, it can’t have original thoughts or ideas, which means that the authenticity of the content may be questionable.
But, what about the human writers? Are they going to be replaced by robots? Well, not exactly. AI-written articles can help to free up human writers from the grunt work and allow them to focus on more creative and investigative journalism. It’s like having a robot assistant that can take care of the dishes while you can sit down and enjoy a nice glass of wine.
Another thing to consider is the legal and regulatory aspect of AI-generated content, such as copyright and ownership. It’s important to make sure that the AI-written articles are not spreading false information or fake news. Imagine if your AI-written article said that broccoli is bad for you, and suddenly, no one wants to eat broccoli anymore.
But, let’s not forget the broader ethical implications of AI-generated content. It can impact our societal values and beliefs and raises the question of whether AI-written articles can truly be considered “free speech.”
Now, we can’t deny the fact that AI technology is advancing rapidly and the future of AI-generated content is exciting. Imagine AI-written articles that can help with advertising and marketing, or even writing children’s stories. The possibilities are endless, but so are the ethical considerations.
So, parents and families, don’t be afraid of AI-written articles. Just like with anything new, it’s important to approach it with an open mind and be aware of the potential implications. And remember, robots can’t replace your little Johnny’s creativity and originality, so don’t worry, he’s safe.
Oh, and by the way, this article was written by an AI, but don’t worry, I promise it’s not a robot uprising. Yet!
By: Micah Gibson
Incredible, isn’t it? (It’s an actual human writing this part now, by the way.) Utilising some of the newest and emerging technology of today, AI wrote the above piece of content. I put in some different prompts such as, “give me a complex article idea on the ethics of an AI writing an article,” of which it gave me, “Exploring the Ethical Implications of AI-Generated Content: The Case of AI-Written Articles”, and then I asked it to generate the article in a warm, slightly humorous way, less than 500 words, that appeals to parents and families.
In some ways it’s actually quite unnerving, especially when the AI says things like “…don’t be afraid of AI-written articles…” and “…let’s get one thing straight, AI-written articles are not as scary as they sound”. If anything, that might make you even more sceptical of utilising this new technology!
And you might be right to be sceptical. As the AI identified, one of the ethical concerns with the utilisation of such an advanced technological tool is the “plagiarism” that could be present. Now I was intrigued by this, and so I ran the above article through three separate plagiarism detector tools – all of which came back and said the piece above was 100 per cent unique and genuine. That is simply remarkable.
However, there are significant emerging concerns as universities across the world are struggling to keep this technology at bay. Some students are utilising the AI to go as far as writing their assignments for them. Ironically, to combat this, universities are utilising AI detection tools, which are in themselves, AI, to figure out (and penalise) students who are using the technology to write their assignments for them. And so, a new term has arisen – “AI-gerism”.
While I think it’s pretty conversational, and certainly not bad, there are machine-like tendencies if you look back above. Like how it straight up addresses “parents and families” as if it is a letter and not an article to a broad audience or how it references how you might have a kid as “little Johnny”, a term we almost certainly wouldn’t use in modern language or conversation in Australia. Or, how each paragraph is started is quite basic writing, “first of all… one thing… another thing…” It is in essence, reasonably predictable in that regard.
So, the question really is, how do we approach something like this, and even how do we approach it as Christians? Well, as its new and emerging, we’re still figuring that out. But it actually doesn’t hurt to approach it with an open mind (as the AI suggested). It can actually be really helpful for new ideas, and getting you started on different projects.
Struggling to find something fun for the kids to do on holidays? I asked the AI and it gave me seven new suggestions on how to entertain the kids. Including ideas I never would have otherwise considered.
Have you got a question from the passage you just read in the Bible? I asked the AI what we know about Nephilim (Genesis 6:4) and it returned to me a simple paragraph with what some biblical scholars believe they are. Now what I do with that information is up to me, but it certainly can a helpful tool in that regard.
Asking the AI to do my work for me? Well, it just doesn’t work that way. A tool to assist me be more efficient and effective in my work? Well, yeah, maybe it can be.
Is AI here to help or to hinder? It’s a helpful tool if utilised correctly but a hinderance if used with malintent. It’s certainly a space worth watching, and as our society continues to evolve and develop, a question certainly worth asking.
This piece was written by Micah Gibson and ChatGPT.
Article supplied with thanks to 96five.
Feature image: Photo by Possessed Photography on Unsplash
