❝Someone on TV has only to say, 'Alexa,' and she lights up. She's always ready for action, the perfect woman, never says, 'Not tonight, dear.'❞ ·
- Sybil Sage

We're discussing how AI affects the creative and content writing industry and how we as authors and content creators need to approach this AI situation.

As I mentioned, AI is not your enemy, it is your friend or a tool to help you, similar to how you'd use a kitchen knife to cut vegetables. That doesn't make knives any less dangerous but it also doesn't make it any less helpful.

The main issue with AI is, its a bit like a black-box, sure you could draw the input output and its network in between... it cannot be truly explained. Hence why so much is being done, just to ensure its transparency, accountability and privacy. [something your parents never did, oops]

Now the million dollar question that's on everyone's mind — should you use AI with your writing, or at all?

Technically, there's no right answer. Recent upheaval has shown that some people despise even considering AI (hey, good for you, no one's going to complain!) and some admit to using AI to help with their grammar, flow, description, etc. the technicalities, if you will and there is nothing wrong with it as long as you're using AI responsibly. If you're using it to write your full book, WITHOUT BEING HONEST ABOUT IT and in doing so, taking chances away from others, you deserve to be banned.

The struggle comes in when readers use AI-detectors (usually a low number of tries) and conclude that the person used AI and they're going to be orchestrated and banished for it. THAT IS NOT THE WAY TO HANDLE THE SITUATION.

But first—

→ No detector is 100% correct.

If humans themselves could never be 100% right, how could you believe its creation was? It wouldn't be! Please have some compassion both for yourself and others.

→ False positives and False negatives are common.

What are these fancy terms, Sara?

I am glad you asked. Let me explain it to you in the simplest terms possible.

So you see this graph? It's called the confusion matrix (and yes, this is as confusing as its name. Took me weeks enough to wrap my head around it.)

I will try to keep it as simple as possible, I promise.

Three terms to remember — detector, reality and conclusion.

• True Positive

Detector: "Hey, this is a dog!"

Reality: "Yes, it is indeed a dog. Well done."

Conclusion: "You passed the level. Bravo!"

• False Positive

Detector: "Hey, this is a dog!"

Reality: "In what world does it look like a dog to you?"

Detector: "Look at the colors, the patterns, this is clearly a dog!"

Conclusion: "You failed the level. Please don't sleep during the classes."

• True Negative

Detector: "Hey, I think I know now. This is not a dog!"

Reality: "It was about time you had some brain cells. Congrats."

Conclusion: "You finally learnt your lesson. Yay."

• False Negative

Detector: "Hey, wait. I think that's not a dog but a cat!"

Reality: "Here we go again. That was a dog image this time."

Conclusion: "I don't have enough patience to deal with this today. Try again!"

And if it is still confusing. Congrats, you've finally learnt the headache of trying to learn the Confusion Matrix.

So the conclusion really is, false positives and false negatives are common. Yes, the AI could be fed the whole internet and beyond and it still stumbles. But, don't we all? Let's give it the credits for existing and causing confusion (see what I did there?) in this world. Thanks, AI. You're the cause and the solution of our headaches and we don't know which way to lean towards.

Any questions about this and I am happy to entertain. We'll move to our next point now.

→ The struggle is real with the AI-hybrid content

Look, I know I tell you to use AI and then modify your text... but, if you put that edited text to an AI detector and then expect it to give you an absolute 100 on human writing because you finally learnt your lesson, you're wrong. Plus, that's not a good way to judge AI content.

AI hates absolutes, did you know that? Because the minute it becomes absolute, it'd need no further developments or improvements. That's impossible.

Person: "Hey AI! What's your worst nightmare?"

AI: "Absolutes."

Person: "Here, have an absolute number."

AI: "Time to run, BYE!"

There's a blooming concept of Super-AI or AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) that'd probably be the equivalent of an absolute form but we have a long way to go and even then, we're afraid that we would be wiped out by a simple paper clip.

(Google: Paper Clip Theory)

AGI basically is the human equivalent of a robot/machine, if you will. It can do all the things that a human can do and more. Just make sure we don't have a Terminator situation on our hands... Now that'd be tragic or robastic (robot + fantastic) . I don't know which will come first, I might not be there to answer it, unfortunately.

Again, if you need more information about this, please ask in the comments or ask Google. Whichever your hands reach out to first.

→ Lack of true understanding

The only person who'd be able to understand the thought process and the meaning behind something would be the person who wrote it — whether that's assisted by an AI or totally human written. Someone has to initiate and that can only be human in both scenarios. True intentions cannot be understood even if everything was put plainly to paper. It'd still not be clear.

→ AI is developing by the ramps, but are the detectors that are designed for it keeping up?

The truth is, AI is on the outrun to be the smartest "heartthrob" of the city and no one can truly understand who its soulmate is, but, it's on the race and we're on the sidelines. Or frontlines if we actively try to engage and raise awareness about AI stuff.

Pi: For the millionth time, Sara. We're not soulmates!

Me: Okay, okay sorry! Time to move on!!

Other points to note and which has already been told, would be:

→ Use Multiple Detectors (chances are, your writing is completely human and you're just overthinking it. It's okay chatbot, we understand you're in an existential crisis because of this.)

→ Consider context and writing style (This will be elaborated in the next chapter but there's a difference between "purple prose" [oh i am so self-important you need to describe me] and "artificial" [i am straight up an impostor, why are you narrowing your eyes at me like that?]

→ Avoid jumping to conclusions [this has been said before and will be said again but y'all need to have some compassion 😔]

→ Ask for proof (again, it has been highlighted before but judges/hosts - please ask for proof of writing before marking their work as invalid or worse yet, blacklisting them, writers - please use something like google doc or word where your writing could be tracked down to the comma with its revision history. It sucks, I know. But, Wattpad isn't very reliable to have your drafts in and having backup helps, right? And finally, readers - do your research, check enough times and then come to a decision.)

So the message is clear, I hope. AI detectors are not the best thing to rely on, at least blindly.

Coming to the point. Where does AI stand in the midst of creatives and content creation?

AI has indeed made a significant impact on writing, editing and refining (hence why you have all these people relying on AI). But although that might seem like the quick exit route, it is indeed not.

There's still many pitfalls so ➸

- You still need to add your own touch to the writing.

- It cannot comprehend emotional depth as well (Pi is the first emotionally intelligent AI and even THAT has its limitations.)

- Take the warnings seriously:

"Pi may make mistakes, please don't rely on its information."

"Claude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses."

"ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info."

"Gemini may display inaccurate info, including about people, so double-check its responses."

On the flip side, it's not all too grim, either because:

- It can summarize long content for you.

- It can generate text from prompt QUICKLY.

- It can help with grammar (though it itself needs help with clunky language formation, lack of articles and lack of emotional depth EVEN WITH long flowing paragraphs.)

- It has limited context and limited awareness, hence the issues.

- Ethical Dilemma (the one we're dealing with.)

To conclude, AI is merely a tool to help you out in some way, it can help you lay the foundation but you're going to need to work on it. It cannot do all the heavy lifting for you.

→ Use it as a collaborative tool rather than THE ONLY tool you use for your writing. It's just a tool, remember? It can only cut your vegetables, not make your soup.

→ Fact check and verify important information and I cannot emphasize this enough. With or without the use of AI, you should always still be looking to make sure your information is written correctly and well.

→ Use AI for mundane tasks like Resume writing (trust me, in the hiring process, they might actually help you out), Email writing (I used it to write my first resignation letter, can you believe that?), SEO, Market Research Reports, etc. (These are heavy content and fact based data so you'd have to do thorough checking but it is also as reliable as a grain of salt. Use wisely) and do the creative writing yourself!

→ Use AI for creative brainstorming, not creative writing! It cannot be emphasized enough but as good as AI is good at brainstorming stuff, it is not good at creating stuff, so use wisely.

→ Use AI-generated content as a first draft and then apply human editing and refinement to improve quality and originality.

Ultimately, at the end of the day, using AI or not is up to you, but one thing's for sure: AI is here to stay and we don't have a say in that. Might as well learn to live with it, discuss it and be more vigilant about it, shall we?

AI and the data conundrum: Should I be concerned about my data?

As AI is rapidly evolving a strong issue is coming out — Privacy.

People are worried left and right about their data/work being used for... well, your concern is valid.

Before you start running left and right around the room and start throwing your devices out of the window HEAR ME OUT.

High profile lawsuits have been issued against many Silicon Valley giants even before the AI came into public picture, the pre-AI era if you will but that really underestimates just how much data privacy is at risk.

Is there something done about it? What are the regulations around it, really?

❝The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") is the most comprehensive privacy regulation that governs data protection and privacy for all individuals within the EU and the European Economic Area and provides extensive rights to data subjects. The GDPR also imposes strict obligations on data controllers and processors, requiring them to implement data protection principles and adhere to stringent standards when handling personal data.

In the United States, at the federal level, sector-specific laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA") and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act ("COPPA") protect specific types of data or apply to certain industries. At the state level, the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA") is the most robust privacy law in the United States, granting California residents extensive rights over their personal data and imposing obligations on businesses that collect, use, or sell their information.

AI at its core, leverages machine learning algorithms to process data, facilitate autonomous decision-making and adapt to changes without explicit human instruction. The technology has pervaded almost every industry from health care, fashion, finance and agriculture to beyond and as it continues to expand across these industries, it creates privacy concerns and hence challenging the traditional norms of personal data protection.

The Partnership on AI (PAI) which is a coalition of leading companies, organizations, and individuals impacted by artificial intelligence, stands out as a beacon of hope amidst this chaos. By joining various stakeholders — from tech giants to AI users — PAI creates a platform that fosters collaboration between entities that might not typically interact. Their mission is to establish a common ground, positioning PAI as a unifying catalyst for positive change within the AI ecosystem.

The IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems has a clear directive, "to ensure every stakeholder involved in the design and development of autonomous and intelligent systems is educated, trained, and empowered to prioritize ethical considerations so that these technologies are advanced for the benefit of humanity." They say that AI, in its design and application, should inherently prioritize human welfare, ensuring that ethical considerations aren't mere afterthoughts but are integral to AI's evolution.

Another body formed in this cause is the United Nations' Multistakeholder Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence, conceived as a part of the Secretary-General's Roadmap for Digital Cooperation in 2020. Recognizing the duality of AI's potential for both good and bad, it underscores the necessity for heightened multi-stakeholder efforts in AI cooperation on a global scale. It is currently in formation and hopes to forward recommendations for the international governance of AI.

Together, these entities and their guidelines show a collective commitment to meld AI's progress with the tenets of transparency, accountability, fairness and the overarching umbrella of privacy.

Even major tech conglomerates like IBM are taking steps to acknowledge their responsibility in regulating AI's societal impact. They are actively displaying their ethical principles on their websites and in 2020, Forbes reported that IBM decided it would no longer sell general-purpose facial recognition technology.

("Why It Matters That IBM Abandoned Its Facial Recognition Technology" Forbes, June 18, 2020) 

This decision reflects their concerns about potential misuse and advocating for a broader dialogue on its appropriate use. Such initiatives address the ethical, legal, and societal implications of AI and promote best practices.

The role of lawmakers and policymakers in this context cannot be overstated. They are tasked with the duty of revisiting existing laws with an eye toward evolving them to accommodate the unique challenges presented by AI.❞

Quotations taken from and inspired by "The privacy paradox with AI by Gai Sher and Ariela Benchlouch"

TLDR? There are many, many, many steps taken around trying to ensure that AI is used for the welfare of humanity rather than being abused. From laws to communities and several guidelines — they're doing their jobs but, are you?

To add, you might be curious about—

What data does AI even use?

- Publicly available data: Websites, books, academic papers, etc.

- Licensed datasets: Purchased or obtained through agreements.

- User-generated content: Social media posts, forums, etc.

- Specialized datasets: Created for specific training purposes.

How is it handled?

- Data cleaning: Removing personal identifiers and inappropriate content.

- Aggregation: Combining data from multiple sources.

- Anonymization: Stripping personally identifiable information.

- Encryption: Protecting data during storage and transfer.

What about privacy?

- Consent: Ensuring data is used with proper permissions.

- Compliance: Adhering to regulations like GDPR, CCPA.

- Transparency: Disclosing data usage practices.

- Data minimization: Using only necessary data.

Progress vs. Privacy - Where's the balance?

- Implement Federated learning: Train models without centralizing data.

- Differential privacy: Add noise to data to protect individual privacy.

- Synthetic data: Use artificially generated data for training.

Should we panic?

- There are valid reasons to be cautious about data privacy

- Many organizations are working to address these issues

- Users can take steps to protect their own data

Here's some things you can do:

- Be aware of what data you share online.

- Read privacy policies of services you use.

- Use privacy settings and tools available to you.

- Support initiatives and regulations that protect data privacy.

By approaching AI as a tool to enhance rather than replace human creativity, we can harness its power while mitigating potential risks and maintaining the unique value of human insight and expression in content creation.

And that's for now. We'll finally getting into how to detect AI writing from human writing, some tell-tale signs and all, I'd be mostly referencing my work, but if I reference the work of someone else, I'd make sure to credit them 🙌

Toodles!

Sara.