Check out AI@UNE Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
In the fourth instalment in our AI series, we asked Associate Professor Rosemary Williamson and ChatGPT whether chatbots threaten the imaginative power and connectivity of human writing ... and then we ask ChatGPT to share its 'thoughts'.
To use AI or not; that is the question
Artificial Intelligence has inspired countless works of literature and film over the centuries, dating back perhaps to Mary Shelley’s 1818 science fiction classic Frankenstein. Yet Rose Williamson, who has taught writing for 15 years at UNE, admits to being “chilled” by recent developments.
“There is now a deep-seated unease; people are worried that AI and robots are starting to dilute what it means to be human and threatening our relationships with one another,” she says.
However, Rose - who is Head of UNE’s Department of Creative Arts and Communication - doubts that generative AI, however sophisticated, will ever surpass human writing in its many forms.
“We write so as to connect with others,” Rose says. “Take a wedding speech, for example. The bride’s father rises to deliver a speech that is full of self-deprecating anecdotes and family memories and is really personal. It’s about affirming connections. AI is never going to be able to do that.
“Journalling and composing a family history are other examples. Writing down your thoughts and feelings in a journal is a way to reflect on yourself and get to know yourself better. It’s a widely accepted form of therapy, that AI can never replace. Similarly, family histories are about piecing information together; making sense of past lives and working through questions, to leave a legacy for future generations.”
So the process of writing, as much as its purpose, is irreplaceable to humans?
“Yes. I recently asked a group of my writing students if they would use chatbots like ChatGPT to do their writing and the resounding answer was ‘no’,” Rose says.
“They said they wanted to develop the skills so they would be confident in their craft and enjoy the satisfaction of connecting with an audience.
It is only by developing good writing skills that we can we spot bad writing or even fake writing. ChatGPT ... cannot come up with the imaginative, left-of-field, innovative and truly startling ideas that break conventions and are critical to human creativity and growth.
“And it is only by developing good writing skills that we can we spot bad writing or even fake writing. ChatGPT can only draw from content already in the public domain and already known. It cannot come up with the imaginative, left-of-field, innovative and truly startling ideas that break conventions and are critical to human creativity and growth.”
While conceding that chatbots can – and probably already are – employed to assist with research or even editing human-generated writing, Rose is cautious about the accuracy and quality of outputs. “AI makes things up – it’s not always reliable – and often the writing is very mechanical,” she says.
“The intention of most human writing is to find common ground and identify with people, and that’s beyond the capabilities of AI. If we start to rely on AI to attempt to do that for us, what does it say about us and our relationships? I think AI should be used selectively and wisely.”
“The intention of most human writing is to find common ground and identify with people, and that’s beyond the capabilities of AI. If we start to rely on AI to attempt to do that for us, what does it say about us and our relationships? I think AI should be used selectively and wisely.”
A looming threat? A few words from ChatGPT-4 ...
Prompt: In a conversational tone appropriate to a LinkedIn article, please write an article comparing the writing of a generative AI chatbot to the writing of a human. Explore the ability of chatbots to be creative and connect with human readers. Use a really cool metaphor to make your point. Restrict your response to 200 words.
AI output follows…
Title: Generative AI: The Loom of Language
Imagine a skilled weaver at their loom, crafting intricate patterns of language. This is the human writer — gifted, empathetic, and creative. Now, picture a new, robotic loom: our generative AI chatbot. It weaves with precision, producing vast tapestries of words in seconds, with patterns learned from billions of text threads.
The AI loom’s patterns are remarkably accurate, often mirroring the human weaver’s artistry. It can weave a technical manual or a poetic sonnet, all from the same threads. Yet, the loom lacks the weaver’s intimate understanding of the world, their personal experiences, and the gut instinct that leads to the most profound creativity.
Generative AI is a valuable tool, a robotic loom that tirelessly churns out patterns. But while it can mimic the human touch, it doesn’t truly understand the depth or nuance of the words it weaves. It’s a powerful assistant, but it cannot replace the human weaver’s creative spirit and emotional connection with the reader. So, while we marvel at the patterns the AI loom can create, let’s remember to celebrate the irreplaceable artistry of the human weaver.
