Artificial "Intelligence"

1. 94

   Rupert Taylorposted 14 months ago

   In another thread, the issue of AI-generated text came up and some disturbing predictions emerged; one being that HubPages could be vulnerable to a flood of AI articles. This makes me feel like the guy on the General Motors production line who used to operate a screwdriver that has lost his job to a robot.
   
   A recent article on the MIT Technology Review showed how it's becoming more difficult to spot AI text from the human variety. One clue is that AI is "more likely to use common words like 'the,' 'it,' or 'is' instead of wonky, rare words." Also, AI almost never inserts typos.
   
   Detection software is constantly playing catchup, rather like doping agencies trying to unmask cheating athletes.
   
   It is absolutely essential for those of us who call ourselves writers to learn how to spot AI text. Does anybody have suggestions about how a technologically inept geezer can educate himself to become an AI sniffer dog?

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      Kenna McHughposted 14 months agoin reply to this

      Right now, it's speculation.
      
      I have had clients ask me to rewrite articles with a hint of AI or AI paraphrase tool. 1) "physique" for "body" 2) plethora of passive verbs 3) awkward phrasing with long sentences.
      
      There are also AI photo editing tools, which are not at any high standard yet.
      
      Question: Why do we need to catch an AI article? I don't understand the point of doing that.

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         OldRosesposted 14 months agoin reply to this

         According to Medium, their readers, who pay a subscription fee, do not want to read AI generated content.  They want to only pay for original, human written content.  Medium is now labelling content that is AI generated and some publications are banning it outright.

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      DrMark1961posted 14 months agoin reply to this

      I went to that chat gbt site and asked a lot of questions I already knew the answer to. The answers were all correct and well written.
      
      At this point I cannot see that there is a future for any of us. Unless you are writing fiction or poetry the AI is going to do it about just as well now.  I think all of us are assembly plant workers watching the invasion of the robots. The robots in that line now look like the rest of us, so we are not going to be able to spot the robots for long.
      
      Before too long they might even throw in a few typos.

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         theraggededgeposted 14 months agoin reply to this

         I showed it to my son who lectures in Conservation and Woodland Management He was astounded when it produced a fully-formed and very detailed lesson plan for one of his niche topics.
         
         He's going to talk to his supervisor today because his students will obviously be using it to their advantage.

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            DrMark1961posted 14 months agoin reply to this

            I saw Bill Maher the other day and one of his guests pointed out that she typed in "Bill Maher talking about wokeness" and it made jokes and sounded just like him. The comedian was offended and piped up with "it cant be as good as me!".
            
            I think he is feeling threated, like a lot of us.

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            Justine Guiaoposted 14 months agoin reply to this

            Our school is currently on alert about ChatGPT, advising teachers to make some strategies or interventions to keep students from utilizing this AI tech.

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         Misbah786posted 14 months agoin reply to this

         It can actually write poetry too! In my publication on Medium a writer claimed that they have written and published a complete book with Chat GPT and the book is now on Amazon for sale!
         You can find their article in the link I provided above.

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            Jodahposted 14 months agoin reply to this

            I read the poem from the book they gave as an example, Misbah. I wasn't really impressed, but that was just one poem.

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               Misbah786posted 14 months agoin reply to this

               Haha! AI will get better at it soon! Lol!
               But it can write poetry! I've always believed that poets are heartbroken people, but AI?
               Oh! Yes, I am a poet too!

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                  Jodahposted 14 months agoin reply to this

                  Yes, it can write poetry. For instance, you can ask it to write a poem about about rutabagas in the style of Robert Frost and it will oblige lol. Can it imitate heartbreak though? I don't know.

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                     Misbah786posted 14 months agoin reply to this

                     Hahaha! Rutabagas! Lol!
                     Loved that!
                     I must try this!
                     I will share the response in this forum! Lol!

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                  2. 85

                     Misbah786posted 14 months agoin reply to this

                     So here's the poem about Rutabagas in Robert Frost style generated by ChatGPT
                     
                     Rutabaga Road
                     
                     The rutabaga road is rough and tough,
                     Its yellow flesh does strongly puff,
                     A root with sturdy, hearty ways,
                     That grows within the farmer's blaze.
                     
                     Along its path, a journey waits,
                     With bumps and twists, no time for gates,
                     But still it stands, this rugged gem,
                     A symbol of our farmer's stem.
                     
                     Its taste, so earthy, sharp and strong,
                     Defies the seasons, lasts so long,
                     A vegetable that makes us see,
                     The beauty found in simplicity.
                     
                     So take a walk, with rutabaga bold,
                     And feel the power of its hold,
                     A taste of nature's finest treat,
                     In fields and gardens, at your feet.
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     Don't tell me it's not good!

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                        Jodahposted 14 months agoin reply to this

                        Wow! This made me see rutabagas in a whole new light. Very impressive, and Frost-like, I have to admit.

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                           Misbah786posted 14 months agoin reply to this

                           

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      SerenityHaloposted 14 months agoin reply to this

      I find most of Chat GPT’s responses to be stiff, generic, and repetitive. Does it feel like it’s pulling from a database of established information or does the writing have unique nuances and insights?
      
      I had fun asking it recipes last week, but it did throw in some strange and unnecessary steps. My favorite was when it listed ingredients and noted “tea leaves, cursed”—I’m fairly certain it meant crushed tea leaves, but cursed tea leaves for a recipe is entertaining.

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         DrMark1961posted 14 months agoin reply to this

         Definitely not perfect yet. I am just wondering in how they are going to tie cursed tea leaves into the next conspiracy theory. Maybe AI will always lack something that only us humans are able to do.
         
         edit: I was joking but I typed that in to see the response "The "cursed tea leaves" conspiracy theory refers to the belief that some tea leaves, often from China, are contaminated with toxic substances and deliberately distributed to cause harm. This theory is not supported by any credible scientific evidence and is considered a baseless, false claim. It is important to be cautious of misinformation and seek credible sources of information when evaluating health claims."

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   4. 92

      Jodahposted 14 months agoin reply to this

      Medium has stated they will accept AI-written articles as long as the author acknowledges that it is written using AI, or AI-assisted. Can they police that though?  I doubt it.

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2. 95

   PaulGoodman67posted 14 months ago

   There are certainly challenges and changes ahead regarding AI.
   
   Ironically, I think AI will be the best tool for detecting AI text.
   
   That's because of the detailed analysis involved. Software can potentially analyze hundreds and thousands of articles in the time that it takes a human to do half a dozen.
   
   So, while your intentions are admirable, I doubt that training as a sniffer dog would be a constructive use of your time, Rupert.

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3. 94

   Rupert Taylorposted 14 months ago

   To some extent you are right Paul, but that MIT article noted that AI developers are always a step or two ahead of the detection software.
   
   Also, at my age (considerable), I'm like a sniffer dog that's lost its sense of smell. With the best of intentions, I'd probably be useless at detecting AI.

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      Misbah786posted 14 months agoin reply to this

      Not for self promotional purposes but see this: https://thehubpublication.com/today-i-t … 6c96c01c0f
      
      Note: I earn nothing from your views if you are not a Medium member. 
      
      Edit: I also checked the text for plagiarism and found it to be totally unique.

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4. 91

   Stephen Tomkinsonposted 14 months ago

   theraggededge seems to have a good nose for AI

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5. 97

   theraggededgeposted 14 months ago

   Luckily AI detection software is keeping pace. If Hubpages wants to keep it off the platform all they have to do is implement it just like their duplicate content filter.
   
   Yes, I can often spot it but it's going to get harder.

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   1. STAFF

      Matt Wellsposted 14 months agoin reply to this

      We are aware and working on ways to detect AI created content.

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6. 81

   Brenda Arledgeposted 14 months ago

   4 days ago I received The newsletter from Hubpages and the very first item is about how Chat gbt can help us with our article's.
   
   Thus I am confused. 
   In their example it shows us how to simply ask questions, but what's to stop someone from using AI to write a complete piece?

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      Misbah786posted 14 months agoin reply to this

      I'm not sure if it can be stopped, but I'm guessing it can't! Just think for a moment about what motivates the world powers to create such a program and make it available for free. They're promoting it for a reason!
      
      I genuinely don't think HubPages or any other writing platform will have any issues with writers using it if the content is not copied and can help writers to produce better content.

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      1. STAFF

         Matt Wellsposted 14 months agoin reply to this

         That's right Misbah. As you said, HubPages will not have any issues with writers using it if the content is not copied, and can help writers to produce better content.

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            Misbah786posted 14 months agoin reply to this

            It is great to hear from you, Matt! Thanks for confirming that! Glad my observations were correct! 
            Best wishes as always!

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   2. STAFF

      Matt Wellsposted 14 months agoin reply to this

      We meant that you could use ChatGBT to come up with ideas to create articles. It could be a useful tool for that. You can review the newsletter that mentioned ChatGBT here.

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7. 97

   theraggededgeposted 14 months ago

   This is the lesson plan it served up. It was properly formatted with bullet points, but hasn't pasted in here very well.
   
   Here is a sample lesson plan on Ancient Woodland Indicator Species:
   
   Objective:
   Students will understand what ancient woodland indicator species are and their importance in identifying and preserving ancient woodlands.
   
   Materials:
   
   Images or videos of ancient woodland indicator species (e.g. bluebells, wild garlic, wood anemone, woodpeckers, hazel dormouse)
   Whiteboard or overhead projector
   Writing utensils
   Introduction (10 minutes):
   
   Ask students if they know what ancient woodlands are and what they look like.
   Show images or videos of ancient woodlands and discuss the types of plants and animals that are typically found in these habitats.
   Introduce the concept of ancient woodland indicator species and explain that these species are found in ancient woodlands and help to identify these habitats.
   Main Activity (25 minutes):
   
   Divide the class into small groups and assign each group one of the ancient woodland indicator species (e.g. bluebells, wild garlic, etc.).
   Provide each group with images or videos of their assigned species and ask them to research and learn as much as they can about the species (e.g. its physical characteristics, habitat, importance, etc.).
   After the research, have each group present their findings to the class using the whiteboard or overhead projector.
   After all the presentations, ask the class to discuss why these species are important in identifying ancient woodlands and why it is important to protect and preserve these habitats.
   Conclusion (5 minutes):
   
   Summarize the key points from the lesson, including the importance of ancient woodland indicator species in identifying ancient woodlands and preserving these habitats.
   Encourage students to continue learning about ancient woodlands and other important habitats, and to consider what they can do to help protect and preserve these environments.
   Assessment:
   
   Observe and take notes on student participation and engagement during the lesson.
   Evaluate each group's presentation for accuracy and completeness of information.
   Assign a written reflection or quiz to assess student understanding of the material covered in the lesson.

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8. 85

   Misbah786posted 14 months ago

   As of now, ChatGPT's servers are down, and it wrote a poem while I was repeatedly trying to login
   
   

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      Jodahposted 14 months agoin reply to this

      

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         Misbah786posted 14 months agoin reply to this

         I'm curious if it already predicted I was there to request a poem. After all, rutabagas are a difficult subject to write a poem about. I'm telling you ChatGPT is very clever! It's already one step ahead of us! Lol!

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9. 94

   Rupert Taylorposted 14 months ago

   I started this thread in the hope that you smart people would allay my fears that AI was going to consign me, like the whalebone corset and the Remington typewriter, to the trash heap of history. Alas, you have only deepened my concerns and I am now in a slough of despond.
   
   The dreaded AI seems to be able to write anything quite convincingly – a newspaper reporter asked the Chat-thing to write a sonnet on farts, and it obliged, and there's that amazing “Robert Frost” rutabaga poem.
   
   My only option seems to be retraining for a job as a Walmart greeter. I would only last a few minutes in that profession because I would see it as my sacred mission to ensure nobody got into the store to enrich that wretched company.
   
   So, I am here to create the obituary of the writing racket. RIP.

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10. 97

    EricDockettposted 14 months ago

    I spent some time messing with this thing over the last hour or so. I asked it to write a bunch of articles, some on topics where I am knowledgeable and on some where I am not. While the articles were quite short, it did a pretty good job of hitting the main points and giving a solid overview of the topics.
    
    I asked it to write an outline and it did a very thorough job. I asked it to create a search-optimized title and it did. I asked it for an estimated search volume for those keywords and it said it couldn't but I can go check at Google keyword planner. According to the notes, it lacks knowledge of events post-2021.
    
    I told it it did a good job and it said: "Thank you".
    
    However, I plugged every article it wrote into the Grammarly plagiarism checker, and each one came back with plagiarism detected. That DOES NOT mean the program is plagiarizing content. There are many reasons this could happen. But it does mean I would never see it as a good idea to cut and paste what it says and call it your own. In fact, I don't think that is at all what the developers intended.
    
    In the end, I think this is a very useful tool to have in the bag. Used for research and idea generation I think it can be very effective. I would never copy and use what it says verbatim, and I think it would be foolish to do so.
    
    As for Rupert's concern about writers going the way of the dinosaur, I think it depends on what you write. If you write fact-based articles, it seems like there might come a time when people just go to an AI-based site that is essentially a know-all encyclopedia. Maybe that is the ultimate iteration of Google. That doesn't just mean writers are doomed, but much of the internet.
    
    AI is coming and in many ways is already here. I think it wise to learn to work with it as best we can. Or, would that be like a dinosaur cheering for a meteor?
    
    I mean, we've all seen the Terminator, right?

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       Solarasposted 14 months agoin reply to this

       Wikipedia and Britannica are in trouble. I think that it cannot substitute for esoteric experience.  Many things I am seeing out there on dog breeding, for instance, are flat out wrong (by that I mean Google's results).
       
       I don't know if AI can determine the "truth" to a subject that has a lot of bad information on it.  Many sites copy bad info again and again, so that it seems like it must be true, when I know it is not.

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          eugbugposted 14 months agoin reply to this

          Ghat GPT is one of those from my experience, sometimes spouting ridiculously incorrect information.

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             DrMark1961posted 14 months agoin reply to this

             I asked something and it gave me a dumb answer, so I told it so. The computer said "I apologize"!

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    Zeron87posted 14 months ago

    As someone who follows the programming community a little, Stack Overflow banned Chat GPT after people kept posting incorrect answers to questions using it.  But it would be easier to detect an incorrect pattern of answers than an AI generated article...
    
    I don't think AI is going to eliminate the writer, but will, unfortunately, be a part of the process for years to come.  Real estate works are already using it to cut time writing their listings: https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/28/tech/cha … index.html
    
    I even used it to create some catchy titles for my Youtube videos...  It's going to come down to quality vs quantity.  An AI doesn't have the creativity or unique style people do.  It's more evident in AI generated images as opposed to paying someone to create something.  Then again, when you think about it, how is it any different than a large company paying human drones to shell out uninspired top 10 lists every day (*Cough* WatchMojo *Cough*)?  The biggest difference will be less people involved.  We just need to remember we're humans and bank on what makes us better than the AI (creativity, uniqueness).  Our job isn't changing; the tools just are.

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       Kenna McHughposted 14 months agoin reply to this

       I agree. Writers need to learn to take advantage of these tools.

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12. 94

    Rupert Taylorposted 14 months ago

    I recall the story of labour union leader Walter Reuther being taken on a tour of a Ford factory in Cleveland in 1954. An official pointed proudly at the first robots being introduced to the production line and asked “How are you going to collect union dues from these guys?” Reuther replied: “How are you going to get them to buy Fords?”.

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13. 96

    eugbugposted 14 months ago

    I'm trying to trick ChatGPT into recommending my articles, I'm providing the URL and it's saying that it'll keep them for reference. One guide it created for me is about wiring a UK plug and it's not so good, so I keep telling it that it's wrong and it need to advice users to go to mine.

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14. 94

    alexadryposted 14 months ago

    A publishing company I write for says clearly in bold letters that they will not allow articles produced with AI.
    
    This makes sense since I have played around with it when looking for factual information in lieu of a Google search and got some misleading info or incorrect terminology. It's funny that when I correct chat GPT, it admits the mistake and tells me that I am right and reiterates what I just said!
    
    I have so far found it very useful though in finding the exact words I am looking for! When I have a mental block, I'll ask stuff like "what's the word used to depict this..." or "fill in the blank for me" or "describe me this" and it always works!
    
    Also has helped me with some grammar and punctuation questions and even translated me some text from another language.

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       Kenna McHughposted 14 months agoin reply to this

       I am finding alternative uses as well.

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       eugbugposted 14 months agoin reply to this

       That would seem to indicate that it just keeps using what it has learned up until 2021 (it mentions this year when queried) and doesn't record or learn new information. That's why I kept feeding it my URLs to see whether it could remember them. When I asked the second time for a reference guide on plug wiring and whether it could suggest some reference articles, it did list mine, but when I tried querying it another few times, it kept repeating its original list. So I'm not sure whether it can be influenced.

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