Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

I guess we live in an age where we have to state this, even though many disbelieve.

If the grammar is too good, AI must have written it. If the style has changed, AI must have written it. If fill-in-the-blank, AI must have written it.

It is possible to write with good grammar and punctuation. It is possible to completely change one’s style and voice in writing. I don’t recall anyone complaining when spell checkers arrived and documents lacked mispeled words. Why all the fuss about this new tool?

I read recently that if a person is publishing 100,000 words a day, that must be AI writing everything. Perhaps so. I don’t know anyone who can type 100,000 words a day. I don’t know anyone who can dictate 100,000 words a day. I would agree that such productivity is AI, but that’s just me.

What about 10,000 words a day? What about 20,000 words a day? What about 1,000 words a day? I believe those numbers are possible for a person to do. I know people who believe those numbers are impossible for a person to do. Anyone who publishes 1,000 words a day is having AI write them. Huh?

I was once in an on-line writing group. We were to post drafts of essays we wrote. The group would then comment. It was snowing where I lived. Since my regular Saturday-afternoon routine was interrupted, I drafted an essay and posted it. One member of the writing group became quite angry. The rules were to post DRAFTS, not finished products. I, in the reader’s opinion, had posted a polished, finished product. I could not convince the reader otherwise.

Did AI write this thing or that thing? I am not smart enough to judge. If the writer says they wrote it, believe them. If they are lying, they are a liar. Let’s move on and write more. At least that is my advice.