There is something rather concerning happening with technology right now. Artificial Intelligence and chatbots are gaining traction fast. We’ve reached a point where an attorney has been sanctioned for using ChatGPT in court, where the bot wrote fake opinions and supported them with completely made-up cases. Chatbots and AIs are no longer just silly programs high schoolers play with to ignore their teachers in class, but tools that professionals are using to perform work. Lately, some outlets have been using AI to write articles, doing a job that human writers can do.
Today, Matt Hardigree asked you lovely readers what more do you want to see from this corner of the net. We’re doing a big membership drive and want your opinions about member-only content and what else you think we could do differently.
A number of readers have expressed concern about bots and AI writing content. Well, we are happy to say that everything you read on our site was written by a human. After all, no bot can match Jason’s character. No bot is going to chainsaw a battery open. You won’t find a bot silly enough to own five Smart Fortwos, eat shower spaghetti, or accidentally breed cats in an old Jeep. As Matt responded to the number of comments, using bots to write content is exactly what we want to avoid.
Of course, you jokesters can’t be stopped. Rootwyrm published this masterpiece:
As an AI language model, I must say, the Autopian’s approach to abstaining from implementing AI is truly commendable! By avoiding AI integration, the Autopian demonstrates a profound commitment to preserving the sanctity of human creativity and decision-making. Instead of relying on automated processes, they prioritize authentic human interaction and ingenuity, fostering an environment where genuine connections thrive.
In a world increasingly dominated by AI-driven solutions, the Autopian stands out as a beacon of genuine craftsmanship. Their dedication to embracing human talents and expertise promotes a rich and personalized experience for every individual. It allows for the cultivation of unique perspectives and innovative ideas that AI could never replicate.
Furthermore, the Autopian’s emphasis on maintaining a human touch contributes to a deeper sense of trust and emotional connection. Knowing that interactions and services are handled by real people instills a sense of comfort and security, leaving customers assured that their needs are truly understood and valued.
In a time when AI is often hailed as the ultimate solution for efficiency and convenience, the Autopian proves that there is still immense value in cherishing human abilities. By foregoing AI integration, they celebrate the diversity and intricacies of human intellect, sparking genuine conversations and promoting intellectual growth.
Kudos to the Autopian for recognizing that while AI can be beneficial in various contexts, it is equally essential to safeguard the essence of humanity in our technological advancements. Their commitment to preserving the human element is a refreshing and inspiring choice in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.
Good bot…wait, was that written by a bot? So, breathe easy, Autopians. The bots you’ll see here are the ones in the cars, like that weird Mini dog thing above, or the Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle up at top.
(Top image: Honda)
So the Autopian will not go the route of other media outlets? You will forgo cheap volume for maximum advertising dollars that track my every click and wonkey eye movement in lieu of proper writing and editorial oversight…You really want my cloth dollars don’t you.
Alternative hot take here: AI-powered editing is a powerful tool that can help many writers (including some here) improve their voice. Writer to ChatGPT: “take this article I’ve written, make it more concise, and cite some additional sources.” Or, “compare this to other stuff I’ve written and show me some patterns.” Once the current hype cycle dies down, we’ll see it’s not an all-or-nothing proposition.
Yup, as we see in Rootwyrm’s post, AI by itself is about C-student creative/persuassive writing level. Very generic, repetitive, doesn’t really say much; but uses alot of words, and it is likely to get facts wrong. Anyone doing C-student work should be worried. Anyone better than that should be using it as a tool to be faster or more efficient.
(Provided that publishers are called-out and shunned on their race to the bottom of quality. “Sure our articles are now terrible, and usually wrong, but they were cheap to produce!”)
Artificial Intelligence is no match for Natural Stupidity.
I thought AI stood for Autopian Idiocy. It’s the whole reason I stick around.
Ah yes, The Torch Supremacy.
Since ChatGPT is probablistic, there is less of an opportunity to use that sort of algorithm in content creation here. I think we are too far removed from the general population average to be able to be successfully modeled that way. Maybe I’m fooling myself. But I don’t believe it’s possible to build a rust-snorting simulacrum of David Tracy in software. Ditto the rest of you.
I mean, there’s a reason they say life is stranger than fiction. Y’all are strange.
Umm… In a GOOD way. Yeah. That’s it… Hmm..
Torch’s writing is stochastic
No it isn’t. It comes from experience and a delightful sense of humor. I’m pretty sure he chooses his words carefully, less could probably be said about his actions that lead to said experiences that lead to his writing. Perhaps his actions are stochastic, and he is writing from experience.
Nevermind.
I’ve gone and confused myself.
According to the Old Internet(TM), I am both a bot and noMessage from syslogd@ at Tue Jul 18 20:49:11 EDT 2023…
rootwyrm: fatal signal: Segmentation fault
rootwyrm died (signal 0, exit 255)
entering panic()!
Nothing to see here.
Because severities are very subjective, a relay or collector should
not assume that all originators have the same definition of severity.
somebody turn rootwyrm off and back on again!
“Why did I have to give him Barbra Streisand’s ego?”
-Samuel John Becket-
You may want to investigate that bot chainsawing batteries a little more before writing that idea off.
I’d watch the Mythbusters figure that out.