Does hating AI slop make me a snob?

Two recent episodes about AI-generated text made me check my privilege, and re-evaluate my stance on the technology.

💥 Well, that escalated quickly

Here are two posts that took a stance on the use of AI for writing. They both took quite a beating.

• Some LinkedInfluencer praised AI for the 'democratization of content.' The backlash was immediate: do we really need more of this AI slop? (Especially on LinkedIn.) We don't, was also my initial reaction.
• But then, a writing organization (NaNoWriMo) actually endorsed the use of AI for aspiring novelists. In their statement, those opposing it were deemed 'ableist' and 'elitist'. Given a lot of creatives are understandably nervous about the advent of AI, the organization basically shot itself in the foot with a bazooka.

Now, what NaNoWriMo (short for 'National Novel Writing Month' by the way) did was an exercise in not reading the room.

But it made me think: is it OK for me to bash on people using AI to write? Or should I check my privilege, having been fortunate enough to have enjoyed higher education? (In literature and linguistics, of all things.)

⚖️ Why (not)?

Here are the starting arguments on both sides:

• Why AI can be of use: not everyone feels comfortable writing. We accept spelling and grammar checkers. Even autocomplete. So why wouldn't we accept more advanced text generation?
• Why it pisses people off (myself included): there's already an avalanche of poorly written content out there.

🤷🏻‍♂️ So what makes the difference?

Here's me thinking my way into a more nuanced stance. One that takes into account both the sender and the receiver of AI-generated text.

• What can reasonably be expected of you, the sender?
  • Although I do believe communication is an immensely useful skill in both professional and personal contexts, many people simply have other talents. A world full of Shakespeares would be a bit much. We can't hold everyone's written communication to the same standard.
  • But if communication is an important part of what you do, then I'm sorry: you do need to be able to express yourself clearly. Say your work involves writing strategic memos or briefings, then there's no excuse to just dump meandering AI soup on people's plates.
  • You can use AI as an aid, sure. But still: investing in training or actively practicing your writing will pay great dividends in your career.
• What do you expect of your audience?
  • This might sound like a weird flex, but hear me out: not every reader is equal either. Some have a choice to read your stuff, while others don't.
  • Take family or friends. Say you're writing to loved ones to mark an occasion. It's the intent that counts, so I'm sure they'll forgive you for using ChatGPT. But, honestly, they'll love you either way, and I'd like to think they prefer your clumsy but authentic words over something that sounds like a Hallmark card.
  • Or if people need to pay attention to what you're writing because that's their job (like a doctor or contractor). Then, form is probably not what matters most. You're not entering a writing contest here. So it's OK to keep things functional. Let ChatGPT be your companion if that helps get your message across.
  • However ... some writing does end up in 'the marketplace of ideas'. (Probably the fanciest description ever awarded to a social media feed.)

In that case, I'm a lot less forgiving. If you're writing to me – a new set of eyeballs that you want to inspire or convince, and you want me to invest my attention ... then I expect you to put in your time as well:

• Structure your message. This is not an AI-problem per se, but it's definitely exacerbated by how easy prompting has made things. Reflect on which point you want to get across, and how you aim to do so. AI is really bad at this kind of storytelling and structure.
• Use your words wisely. We often tend to drown our messages in word sauce. (To sound smarter. Or mask a lack of substance.) That's unfortunate. But most communication is best when it's crisp. (I'm a big fan of the book 'Smart Brevity'.) AI-text often borders on the Baroque. So many words, but what do they mean?

In essence, it's about respect. And I won't respect you if you throw AI slop at me, because that's not really respectful in the first place, is it?

💼 Don't even get me started on office use

You might have noticed I left out examples of using AI for professional emails, meeting notes, etc. I'm sure AI is way more efficient than the old, manual way of doing those things. But honestly, why would we keep feeding the flames? Why not put an end to this longstanding office theater?

There's the cartoon we've all seen by now. On the left, someone praises AI for creating an email from just 3 bullet points. On the right, the receiver praises AI for summarizing that email in just 3 bullet points.

For the love of Jehoshaphat: just stick to the 3 bullet points. But please, don't use AI to write them. Use your human brain, and make every word count.