Why AI? Are You Not Confident Using Your Voice?

Or do you have another motive for using it?

If Medium desires this platform to be a place for human writers, why go against that?

Here is the original position from this platform on the use of AI. Thanks, John Pearce, for digging this up for me.

“We currently allow the responsible use of AI-assistive technology on Medium. To promote transparency and help set reader expectations, we require that any story incorporating AI assistance be clearly labeled as such. AI-assisted text without disclosure at the beginning of the story (within the first two paragraphs) or other AI-generated content not labeled as such (for example, AI-generated images should include captioning identifying them as such, along with proper sourcing) will similarly be restricted to distribution on the writer’s network. Read more about our approach to AI here.”

There has been and most likely will be continued discussion of AI. I get it.

Do I want to “get” it? No. Do I have to? Maybe.

Have you ever heard the saying, “I like what I like?” For myriad reasons, AI does not fall into that for me.

I had a private conversation with a writer today. Her name will remain confidential. I asked her if she used AI to write her post. Her answer was “only to proofread for her.” Ok.

Every day, I see evidence of AI use without any disclosure. And the examples are quickly increasing in frequency.

I also read a post today from Ariel Meadow Stallings regarding many topics. AI was not mentioned, but one thing she shared stood out starkly. The entire staff size for Medium is 80 people. Here is her post.

That number of bodies for Medium’s processes daily is minimal at best. They are severely understaffed, in my opinion. So, I’m not surprised that the policing done by Medium regarding AI may come up short at times.

If you’re a new writer and maybe lack confidence in your writing, please don’t turn to AI to do that for you. For one primary reason. It’s not your voice. It never will honestly be. And it will show because it’s not human.

If you don’t practice writing and develop your unique style, you will never establish a presence here and attract a following of loyal readers and friends.

Suppose that’s not your goal, and you have other reasons for being here, like being “opportunistic” (not my choice of words), you’re not welcome. Pack up your tools and go elsewhere.

This is why it is essential that all of us, in keeping with the intentions of Medium, do our part in detection, questioning the writer’s intentions, blocking, and reporting if need be.

And if you don’t see the disclaimer, call them out on it.

This is our community. It is a home for human writers writing human stories. Let’s all work together to keep it that way.

Thanks for reading.

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