WRITING | ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | AI
We Are Saying Yes to Human Intelligence, No To Artificial
A group of committed writers not using AI, but instead writing from their souls with their own voices
Ignorance is Bliss Until it’s Not
Living relatively isolated as a hermit who, by and large, eschews news and popular culture, I happily keep my head down. I revel in a peaceful ostrich-in-the-sand existence across the globe, far from the industrialized West.
Months ago, if someone had mentioned AI, my reply would have been, “A what?” ChatGPT? “Never heard of it.”
That would have been the entire extent of my interest and curiosity. Booooorrrring!
Then, I read Clive Thompson’s brilliant piece about “content.” I skimmed a couple of pieces about The Writers Guild strike in Los Angeles, where the use of AI was a major negotiating point.
And, while spending more time playing in the Medium sandbox, I stumbled upon a few articles.
As a died-in-the-wool technophobe, I remained uninterested in anything smacking of computers or technology. I paid little heed.
That is…until I read other writers I respected…who had taken up the mantle. Hmm, more articles.
The Telltale Signs
Then, I started paying closer attention to articles that read like “Google cut and paste.” Or canned reads from a boring college professor.
No first-person in the stories. No humor. No soul or humanity. Then, the telltale overused introductory paragraphs or phrases. Too perfectly formatted. Use of language that felt unauthentic.
Hmmm. There became more and more of these. Next, the bizarre comments that are clearly not written by any human creature.
My Research
Having spent a large part of my life in the bowels of libraries and research halls, and as a lifelong student, I became intrigued — primarily regarding ethics, plagiarism, integrity, and impact on the livelihood of human creators.
Hence, without intention, I joined the fray with others. Those committed to reading the work of human writers. Those sick and tired of reading AI-generated glop.
After decades of fighting in the trenches for the oppressed, under-represented, women, children, and human rights, such entrenched history apparently can’t be totally eviscerated by chanting om and manifesting fairness and integrity.
I first wrote an article, “Consider This a Non-AI Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, or New Year’s Gift for All” (1) thanking writers for their authentic writing, and (2) urging others to join the cause.
Superb Response
The response has been terrific!
The list below indicates the overwhelming replies — to not only mine but several other writers’ articles as well.
It has been particularly heart-warming to obtain enthusiastic support from luminaries, professional writers, and journalists, such as Gabriel Piedmonte, Roz Warren, Eva Lesko Natiello, Susie Kearley, MaryAn Pelland, and FrancesMorelandJones, who for decades have earned a livelihood from their beloved craft. Thank you.
Extraordinary Articles
Numerous excellent writers (my apologies to others I likely have missed) have penned these articles about the unpleasant explosion of ChatGPT and its progeny on the Medium platform.
Kudos to everyone who has continued the hue and cry.
To paraphrase Malky McEwan, the greater the masses who shout from the rooftops, the better. Keep writing. Keep shouting. Keep pleading.
Hundreds of new readers and writers are entering Medium daily whom we can continue to educate.
To name only a few, these are exceptional, written by Maryan Pelland OnText.com, DJ Hopkins, Annie Trevaskis, and Malky McEwan.
Committed Human Intelligence Writers
Kudos to the brilliant Conceivably Me for the term “HI” for Human Intelligence. She said we, as a human writers group, could steal it!
Others have signed up, expressing disdain for the invasion of vast amounts of AI “content,” along with bot-generated comments to their stories.
They are not using AI.
They also don’t want to read it, waste their time, and contribute money to faux writers.
Some have added this logo at the bottom of their stories.
In my Holiday gift and thank you story, the endeavor was to collate a bank of a few hundred likewise committed folks. It has proven a rousing success.
Non-AI Users = Human Intelligence (HI)
Silence tends to be the loudest voice of all. Many choose to refrain from committing to write with their own voice. That is their choice.
It is not my place to judge whomever uses AI for whatever their reasons. Realistically, AI is part of the new world order. Those writing professionally or for clients will use it to survive and to compete.
Nevertheless, it is my right, along with thousands of other Medium readers and writers paying their monthly dues, not to: (1) waste time reading pablum, or (2) enrich the coffers of those using computers to do their writing.
I love what MaryAn Pelland wrote in her article, “Legalities vs Ethics: We’re Still Arguing About AI-Generated Stuff.”
My firm stance is this: A person who cannot compose a relatable, clean, supported, engaging, useful piece of writing needs to be in some other form of expression. That person is not a writer.
Writers to Support
My apologies to Tag Haters. I could envision no other way to identify everyone.
So there you have it — a bank of writers compiled, thus far, not using AI in their stories or vowing they will not in Medium stories (obviously, except for Grammarly for routine grammar and punctuation).
A list of “HI” — Human Intelligence — writers whom you can feel comfortable are not using AI.
There are likely hundreds or thousands more. Feel free to weigh in.
Eva Lesko Natiello, Gabriel Piemonte, Malky McEwan, Maryan Pelland OnText.com, Greg Daneke, Emeritus Prof., Conceivably Me, R C Hammond, Annie Trevaskis, Natalie, Guy Nave, CarolF, Priyanka Sinha, Johnny Poitras, Jome Nartatez, barry robinson, Toni The Talker, Paul Dotta, DJ Hopkins, Annelise Lords, Liberty Forrest, Author, Ted Czukor, Trisha Faye, Frances A. Chiu, 🌬️Mitch, Mark Anthony, FranMorelandJohns, Orrin Onken, ✨ Bridget Webber, Benighted, Kimberly J Fitzgerald, Prasanna Srinath Subhasinghe, Deepak Chopra, Colby Hess, John Hansen, James Bellerjeau, Dixie Dodd, Barbara J. Martin, Darren Weir, Paul S. Marshall, Darrin Atkins, Curt Melzer, Viraja Teggihal, Chaithra Mailankody, Samuel, Adele Arbi, Diana Rose Borisuck, Ronke Babajide, Carolina Smith, Cappelli, MFA, JD, PhD, Susie Kearley, Chris Snow, Randy Pulley, Joy DeSomber, Katherine Valentino, Sara Larca, Kit Desjacques, Logan Silkwood, Melissa Gray, Andrew Gaertner, Roisin Welsh, Graham Lilley, Adele Arbi, Debra G. Harman, MEd., Paul Gardner, Momentum, Rip Parker, Joy DeSomber, Sara Larca, Kit Desjacques, Logan Silkwood, Lu Skerdoo, Nancy Oglesby, Marcus113, aka Marc Dauphin, MSM, CD, MD., Graham Lilley, Katie Jgln, Christina Hoag, Esme Raine Harlow, Brad Yonaka, Future Philanthropic, TzeLin Sam, Elizabeth Emerald, Shanti C K, Tovah Rainsong, Brad Yonaka, Pyrros Mathios, Ulf Wolf, Uvebruce, Melcarriere, Ruby Noir 😈, Bruce Coulter, Emy Knazovic, Baranverse, Xenox, Chandrayan Gupta, lyndi, Susan Wheelock, Carly Hayes, Vernalisa, James Beaufait, May More 💜 Tales, pockett dessert, Bernie Pullen, Josh Hinton, Annie Trevaskis, Marilyn Glover, Kris Downey, József Manhertz, Boateng Sekyere, Kenny Minker, Shelli Reals, Christopher Paul Bettridge, Philip Temple, Anna V, Len Morse, Karen Wettstein, Hermione Wilds Writes, Deb Palmer, Wesley van Peer, Steve Stockdale, Grandma Smillew, Smillew Rahcuef, Holly Pettit, Stacey Lynn Klug, Maria Rattray, Katy Ramm, Dave Karpowicz, Carlo Zeno, Chrysa stergiou, Christina Sponias, Sindoora Rai, Carol Labuzzetta, MS Natural Resources, MS Nursing, Shereen Bingham, Victoria Kjos, Toya Qualls-Barnette, Nanie Hurley 🌿, Harry Hogg, Michele Maize, John Egelkrout, Patrick Eades, Diane Neill Tincher, Lea Bardot, Rebecca Designs A Life, Michael Burg, MD (Satire Sommelier), John Otini, Vincent Pisano, Sanjay Singhal, ✅ Doc Samurai Sam, Smillew Rahcuef, Xenox, Christine D Richardson, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, Misty Rae, Pat Romito LaPointe, Susie Winfield, Delaney Patterson, Jan Sebastian 🖐👩🦰, Roger O’Keefe, I write because I love words!, Mark Suroviec, M.Ed., Michael Rhodes, Anne Wellborn, Barbara Carter, Jenny Lane, Wendy King, Victor Cardenas, Ann James, Bobbie O’Brien, Ali Hall, Sia, Judy Walker, Mike Butler, Maryanna Busarova, and Ryan Doskocil.
Excellent AI Stories Well Worth Reading
Many other superb pieces have been published, all expressing the same sentiment. Thanks, Greg Daneke, Emeritus Prof., Natalie, R C Hammond, and Josh Hinton.
Enough AI already!
Join the Human Intelligence Writing Group
Feel free to comment below so the “HI Writing Gang” knows you. Join in.
Thanks for reading, Victoria
