Three authors using AI on a laptop.
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“AI is going to be a fundamental part of our civilization in the future. It’s going to change the way we work, the way we live, and the way we interact with each other.” – Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla.
Is using Artificial Intelligence (AI) as an author assistant a good thing or a bad thing for aspiring authors? How you use it could determine your answer—at least for now. When it comes to AI and writing, we could apply a favorite phrase of physicist Sabine Hossenfelder, “For what we currently know.” It aptly applies to anything in the rapidly exploding field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially when it comes to writing.
“For what we currently know,” applies to the current debate raging over whether authors should use AI as an author assistant to help them with their writing. In the past, some non-AI debates about writing have gone on seemingly forever. For example, consider the Oxford Comma debate. Will it ever end?
The current debate over authors using AI could likely end sooner than later, as AI is evolving at unprecedented speeds. Even if the debate might be over soon, some authors will hang on to their arguments no matter how AI evolves.
As an aspiring author, you might consider using AI to enhance the craft (I know. Some argue writing is an art, not a craft. But that’s another discussion).
Before starting to use AI, you should understand its pros and cons. AI offers enticing benefits, but it also has potential drawbacks.
Benefits of Using AI as an Author Assistant
Enhance your creativity by AI helping you to overcome writer’s block or a lack of inspiration. AI analyzes data and patterns in existing content to suggest new ideas or approaches to a topic.
Improve your productivity as AI-powered tools can help you generate ideas, suggest content topics, and even write complete articles or stories, which you can edit and revise with your unique angle. saving time and improving productivity.
SEO Optimization seems to be a benefit of using AI tools. You can potentially optimize your work for search engines and social media platforms, increasing visibility and engagement with readers. However, I haven’t yet found real data on this.
TIP: Embrace AI: The Future of Writing?
Drawbacks of Using AI
Ethical concerns are raised by some authors around the potential for bias or discrimination in AI-generated content. They also raise issues of transparency, accountability, and copyright.
Homogenized content is raised as an issue when using AI. Some writers worry that using AI could result in a loss of creativity and originality. Essentially, they think AI might make every article or story sound the same.
A decrease in quality is also a concern with AI-generated content. It may lack the nuance, emotion, and context essential to good writing.
Overall, using of AI as a writer can be both a good thing and a bad thing, and its impact depends on a range of factors such as the quality of the AI technology, the context in which it is applied, and the ethical considerations surrounding its use. While AI can be a valuable tool for writers, it is important to approach its use with caution and consider the potential benefits and drawbacks carefully.
Let’s explore more about a big benefit for some using AI as an author assistant. AI can help you become more productive. Let’s look at how AI can help overcome writer’s block (of course, there’s yet another debate: some authors don’t believe writer’s block exists. But that’s also a discussion for another blog).
Author Assistant & Writer’s Block
If you’re struggling to get started, you can prompt AI to help. It can provide a narrative framework for you to work from. Here’s an example of an AI prompt:
“Imagine your story or article as a movie. What would be the opening scene? What would be the climax? What emotions do you want the audience to feel? Write a brief outline of the key scenes in your story or article as if you were planning a movie.”
By thinking of your story or article as a movie, you can tap into your imagination and come up with a compelling structure and storyline that can help you overcome writer’s block. The prompt also encourages you to think about the emotions you want to evoke in your audience, which can help you focus on the core message or theme.
Or try this other AI written prompt:
“Imagine you’re telling a friend about the topic you want to write about. What would you say? How would you explain it to them? Imagine that you’re having a casual conversation with your friend over coffee. Write down the key points of your conversation and use them as the basis for your writing.”
This second prompt can encourage you to approach writing in a more informal and conversational way. By imagining you’re explaining the topic to a friend, you can tap into your natural speaking voice and find a more natural flow for your writing. The prompt also encourages you to focus on the key points of the topic, which can help you clarify your thoughts and organize ideas more effectively.
Of course, the results you get from AI are only as good as the prompts you give it. As the old saying goes: “GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out).” Playing around with the prompts you put in will help produce better results. While AI can help overcome writer’s block in some ways, it might produce a new “prompt writing” writer’s block. How do you know what to write as a prompt?
Author Assistant & Copyright Issues
Many authors won’t touch AI apps at all because of the drawbacks. In addition to the other drawbacks mentioned, some are fearful of copyright issues. This part of the current debate may never be answered.
Let’s look at this issue in more depth, as well. AI “for what we currently know,” sometimes writes pure BS. As one of OpenAi’s founders put it, the AI bot often “hallucinates” the truth. Others add, AI writes “convincing nonsense.” With fake output, who would worry about copyright? Yet some do.
On the one hand, some authors believe in stronger copyright laws. They argue the laws are necessary to protect creators and incentivize innovation. Copyright laws ensure creators have exclusive control over their works, which can help them earn a living and invest in new projects. Stronger copyright laws also provide a legal framework for enforcing intellectual property rights and deterring infringement, which can help to promote creativity and innovation.
On the other hand, some authors argue against strict copyright laws, as they can stifle creativity and restrict access to information. They argue that overly broad copyright laws can prevent creators from building on the ideas and works of others, which can hinder innovation and limit artistic expression. Others argue that strict copyright laws can lead to monopolies and restrict access to important information and cultural resources, particularly with AI and in developing countries.
Overall, the debate over copyright is complex and multifaceted, and it involves a balance between protecting creators’ rights and promoting innovation and access to information. The copyright issue, along with the other issues in the debate over whether using AI is good or bad will likely continue in the near future.
While some aspiring authors may be hesitant to use AI because of copyright concerns, others recognize the potential benefits of this rapidly growing technology. As AI continues to evolve, it’s important for you to stay informed about its capabilities and limitations. All authors should use it responsibly to enhance creativity and productivity. The key, of course, is finding the right balance between your creativity and AI assistance.
Tips for Using AI Tools
Whether you’re using a tool such as Grammarly or ChatGPT, these tips can help:
- Use AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, your creativity and writing.
- Maintain your unique voice and writing style.
- Before using any AI tool, set clear objectives. Decide what you want to achieve. Then use the tool to align with your objectives.
AI can be a valuable tool for a new author. So, why not give it a try and see how AI can improve your productivity? With the right mindset, you can unlock your full potential as a writer and take your work to the next level.
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