5 minute read
WHO’S ON FIRST with AI?
Microsoft Bing’s image creator, powered by AI, is a fun tool with a few kinks. The prompt for this image offers a look at the outer limits of AI imagination, but still struggles with interpretation: “Image of Abbott and Costello skit ‘Who’s on First?’ with a t-rex, shark, and pot of gold.”
BY HARPER CRABTREE
I’m Gen Z. This means I know who rules Tik Tok with a million followers, but I’d never heard of the farcical comedy duo Abbott and Costello and their skit, “Who’s on First?” until my mom referred to it when I showed her how ChatGPT works. The premise of their sketch is that Abbott is identifying the players on a baseball team, inspiring a cyclical repeat by Costello of the same question with no resolution. As artificial intelligence increasingly becomes the silent hand behind our words, we find ourselves at a crossroads of ethical inquiry that mirrors Abbott’s repetitive question. Can we trust AI to be our wordsmith or are we sacrificing the essence of human expression in favor of efficiency and innovation, and to what end?
Why should publishers keep paying writers like me when programs like ChatGPT can write quality works faster and for free? Since its inception in 1956, artificial intelligence has etched itself deeply into the fabric of human society, providing indispensable tools for everyday life. We may take it for granted, but AI is now an integral part of our daily tasks, whether it’s asking Siri about the weather, requesting Alexa to play a favorite song, or simply searching Google for the nearest gas station. However, as we transition from casually using Grammarly to fully relying on AI programs for our writing, ethical concerns and limitations inevitably arise.
The rapid advancements of this technology are urging societies and governments to establish policies to ensure that humans survive the potential risks and Stanley Kubrick does not prove himself a fortune teller in 2001 SPACE ODYSSEY. But AI also makes demands of each one of us, especially professional writers, to balance and harness this technology without relinquishing authorship or personal integrity.
The incorporation of artificial intelligence into writing tools has greatly facilitated the creative process for writers like me, offering unforeseen advantages. Writer’s block, an all-too-familiar and exasperating experience, can often lead to mental barriers that inhibit creativity, productivity, and my paychecks. Thankfully, AI-powered writing applications provide endless and unique solutions like topic suggestions, idea generation, and paragraph starters. These valuable features allow writers to swiftly dismantle any mental roadblocks and stimulate our imagination in ways that were previously unimaginable. Furthermore, the integration of AI-powered tools within the writing ecosystem extends to every one of us. More universally accepted tools like spellcheck are powered by AI disguised as a disembodied copy editor on your phone. Overall, incorporating arti cial intelligence into the eld of writing has proved to be an invaluable asset for boosting creativity and elevating the standard of written communication, but when does it go too far?
One of the foremost concerns is the potential loss of creativity, human touch, and originality in students, particularly in relation to plagiarism. Often, I find myself ignoring AI’s functions as a tool and using it as an effort-free shortcut on fact-based narratives. As AI tools become more sophisticated, students may rely too heavily on these technologies, compromising their ability to think critically and express their unique ideas to gain a good grade. Moreover, the rise of AI-generated content poses a threat to my job and all writers’ career security, since automated systems produce written works faster for less. This reality prompted the recent writer’s strike in Hollywood. Job displacement not only affects livelihoods but diminishes the diverse, individual voices that contribute to a vibrant literary and cultural landscape. Additionally, there are concerns about potential biases embedded in AI-generated writing. AI is trained on existing data, which may inadvertently perpetuate biases present in the data, leading to discriminatory content. As my best writing teacher said, “There is danger and magic in one voice.”
These concerns are no competition to the evolutionary speed of AI technology. Tech moguls and political leaders are far behind in a scramble to balance risk versus benefits. is month, President Biden signed an Executive Order establishing standards for AI safety and responsible innovation. However, AI is a global tool and potential weapon. How do we ensure its ethical application is monitored, since experts warn this is already impossible? Like the atom bomb, legislation and negotiation can only serve as BandAids on humanity’s future.
In regard to my chosen field of work, it may be too late to prioritize guidelines to preserve journalistic integrity. Fake news bots and major media sources have eroded public trust by ensuring truth is no longer its gold standard. Even without AI, human expression and a diversity of voices can inform, add value, and create art, or inspire chaos and warp perceptions. Every time I prompt ChatGPT, the technology proves itself a powerful and amazing creative writing ally. And yet, repeatedly, I’m faced with Abbott’s question, but it’s an ethical choice. The answer, for now, is “Who knows who’s on first?”
Therefore, my advice is: don’t believe everything you read, because half of this article was analyzed and rewritten by AI. Can you tell the difference?
In this image, the more challenging prompt reads “Image of Abbott and Costello skit ‘Who’s on First?’” that explores the complicated ethical relationship between human creativity and artificial intelligence.” The photo’s text is an example of some of the limitations of AI image generators.
