I’m sorry. I’m old. And I don’t get enough sleep, obviously. So I’m grumpy, and I’ve got a mood on this morning.
See, there’s something’s been bugging me more and more, lately.
I thought I’d share it with you, though it may prove a tad contentious.
Artificial Intelligence Interference.
More specifically, with regard to the increasing use of AI in the production of blog articles.
Admittedly, I know not-a-lot of this subject, certainly as far as the technical aspects of application are concerned. And I can appreciate how the generation of article-specific images would enhance blog posts.
What’s ripping my knitting, though, is the blatant copy and paste of what is quite obviously not the writer’s own work.
I was recently contacted by a very enthusiastic sounding young woman who was keen to write a couple of music related posts for my Once Upon a Time in The ’70s blog. One was to be on Punk music in the USA and the other on the ongoing influences of Disco music.
The ’70s blog is written in a purposefully informal style and I (we – my old school pal, Paul and myself) think offers a unique take on all aspects of growing up in that decade. So my suspicions were aroused on receipt of the promised articles which appeared in a very stiff, formal structure with headings and subheadings peppered throughout.
The content was very generic. Very generic – just the usual bland mention of some of the more ‘commercial’ bands of the day. There were some glaring omissions too … an article on USA punk that doesn’t mention Ramones, for instance?! Come on!
A quick search of keywords led me to an article credited to a radio station from Chicago. Well, whaddayaknow … the structure was similar; the headings virtually identical and the content just as bland and uninformative.
I declined the piece (and the one on Disco as it followed a similar template) and mentioned it appeared too similar to one already published on a radio station’s page.
The similarities were uncanny. Sure, some words had been substituted; some sentences had been switched and some synonyms had obviously been researched and inserted.
The ‘author’ was most offended, quickly refuting any aspersion she’d ever copied an article from another blog. Indeed, she said, she had ‘never heard of that radio station.’
All of which leads me to conclude these were AI generated articles, and not a good look for a website / blog that prides itself in originality.
Now here’s my specific beef this morning – the use of AI is most definitely creeping into everyday blogging here on WordPress. Twice this week already, when reading through the responses to that day’s Daily Prompt, I’ve noticed pieces that are too similar in structure, length and content to be coincidental.
Again, some words and phrases have been altered to make it look like the ‘author’s’ own work – but I’m not buying it!
Many readers are though – the amount of ‘Likes’ recorded against the posts is well impressive.
OK, each to their own, and if that’s the route some wish to take, good luck to them. It’s not a competition. It’s not The Olympics.
But it is a form of cheating, surely?
It doesn’t impact on me directly, but I do question why someone would / could be happy in receiving 50+ ‘Likes’ for something they didn’t produce. Wouldn’t it be more satisfying to have half that number but in the knowledge it’s your work that’s being appreciated?
(I’ll maybe hold my opinion on that till I see how few ‘Likes’ this little article receives. 😉 😀 )
To me, the whole attraction of blogging and reading others’ pieces, is the uniqueness of style and content. It’s good getting to know other writers solely through their enthusiasm and willingness to share. As a reader, I do enjoy the short time I spend in other writers’ ‘company.’
This would be impossible if the use of AI submissions became more prolific – I might as well just go look up Wikipedia and be done with it.
No – give me real people, real memories and original writing every day of the week.
Am I being a bit harsh? Too grumpy? Is this the way it has to be?
Should I take up train / bus / plane spotting instead – I feel each of these would be more entertaining than reading some generic c**p that a lazy blogger has cobbled together.
See – I told you I had a mood on, this morning! 😀
So what do you think?
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Cee Tee Jackson 
You’re not being too harsh or too grumpy, I feel exactly the same way. AI will be the death of blogging, and the creative process in general. I hate it.
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I think that when a reader recognizes it, they should simply ignore it – certainly don’t ‘Like’ it or comment. (Nothing against those that use AI for this if that’s what floats their boat, but it’s down to the prospective readers to show their displeasure … without being rude or offensive, and the best way to do that is completely ignore, I reckon. ) 🙂
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This will sound ironic coming from someone who uses AI to make a bunch of pictures, but I agree with you that posts seem completely sterile and way too proper, for lack of a better term. It’s kind of like sitting in a staff meeting and someone is reading a script verbatim – you kind of just zone out because there’s no life in the presentation at all. I’m not against using AI to assist with research, or maybe some help with structure, but when it’s pretty much a direct copy/paste, it falls a bit flat.
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I don’t think using it for images is an issue – I suppose it should remove any concerns about crediting the correct person / paying for a download. (Though I have to say, some I’ve seen are a bit over the top.) 🙂
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I agree on using AI for blog content. Either write it yourself or don’t bother. I live with the old, not enough sleep and grumpy syndrome myself. Some AI is great. I use it to help write computer programs. AI is great at that. I also recently got a great AI app that separate songs into their individual tracks, and it does a great job of it. Makes it so easy to isolate or remove vocals, bass, guitar, drums, piano, etc. I had AI generate images and video based on lyrics from some of my songs. The images were weird mishmashes of other images. Some of the images managed to offend Google’s YouTube censors and I ended up in a huge fight with Google. Surprisingly, I won the fight, but being old and grumpy, I deleted all my music videos from YouTube because they really pissed me off over their double standards on censorship.
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I’m sure it has its uses. And I have no beef with people using it as a source of info – just as we probably all do with Wikipedia. But at least make some effort and formulate that info and present it in your own style. And possibly add a bit substance to what will likely be very generic and possibly already know / boring information.
(Good for you winning a fight with Google – I don’t think I could be arsed taking them on – like Facebook banned a post I made about me being a ‘reluctant cyclist.’ What the …? Who cares – FB is going down the pan anyway. 😀 )
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There is a lot of AI out there that people have no clue that it’s AI they are using. I’m with you. Make it your own and worth reading if AI is writing for you. I’m not on any of the social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, etc. I don’t need any or that BS.
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No you are not being too harsh. I always try to add a personal connection in mine. That separates it sometimes…but…and there is always a but. When I do chart positions yea…I copy and paste…no AI but it’s copied…but the chart position is not the reason I posted it.
I don’t see how any blogger could submit something or want to show it if it’s generated by AI…it’s worthless at that point. I always want a personal connection in a post. Some music bloggers just stick to facts and they bore me.
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Totally – the personal touch / style is what it’;s all about. I mean, all us bloggers have to get our research / facts from somewhere, right – unless it’s all specifically personal deatil that’s involved.
Blogging to me IS ALL ABOUT OPINION. If I just want facts, I’ll go to the source’s website / Wiki (but perhaps with a pinch of salt at the ready 😉 ) or listen to the radio / watch TV or whatever. 🙂
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Yep… that is the reason I started with my personal opinion…. at first I thought…who in the hell would want to hear my opinion…but then it came to me…they wouldn’t be reading this if they didn’t lol.
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