As generative AI takes the internet by storm, it's crucial to assess whether it truly serves as an asset, particularly in creative careers. Writing, art, and music are just a few areas where AI is making its mark, and the results can be surprisingly impressive. However, it’s still clear when art is created from someone’s passion instead of being generated by AI.
In my opinion, AI struggles to evoke genuine emotion. Without that emotional resonance, there's little incentive for the audience to engage with the art.
Having worked for a company that implemented an AI writing program, I have firsthand experience in both independent writing and collaborating with AI to generate a complete book. In this blog, I will share my insights and discuss the importance of recognizing both the negative and positive effects of using AI in writing.
As a writer, I value the process of writing and wouldn’t want to give that up. I enjoy the process of thinking deeply and finding ways to convey my ideas in a digestible manner.
When it comes to non-fictional writing like research articles or e-books, AI could be very beneficial, especially with saving time in research and fact-checking. To however use generative AI to completely write the whole project, seems like a grey area that each person has to decide over for themselves.
In my experience, depending exclusively on AI doesn’t produce the most effective outcomes. You spend more time editing the AI’s work than you would have spent just writing your thoughts.
Challenges I Faced When Using AI for Writing
Time Management: One of the biggest challenges I had was the fact that I became the editor for the generative AI, instead of a writer of the book itself. It took so much time to rewrite what the AI wrote, I almost felt like I was rewriting a whole book.
Writer’s Block: It’s easier in my opinion to write something where there is a blank space rather than trying to rewrite an already perfectly written sentence. Generative AI writes perfectly but still, sometimes a sentence seems off, and you can't quite figure out how to rewrite it better. There is something about being an imperfect human that makes art more interesting.
Repeat Information: One of the most frustrating parts of reading a book written by AI is the repeat information. Not only does it repeat the same sentence structures, words and information throughout different chapters, it also recycles what has already been said on the internet. Original thoughts are scarce, especially in the information era we live in today.
Generic Voice: Sometimes, when reading passages generated by AI, it’s evident that the voice is so generic that what is being said almost seems irrelevant. There’s something distinctive about a writer’s voice that stands out, even in content that is more informative and unemotional.
Uninventive Storyline: When it comes to fiction writing I do not recommend using AI to generate a book at all. It won't be unique; it will merely be a collection of existing stories, all mixed together. AI can help generate great ideas, but reading even a single chapter can often be difficult and boring.
Best Practices for Using AI Responsibly in Writing
AI presents both challenges and opportunities in the art of writing. AI can write much faster than a writer, but that doesn’t guarantee the content is accurate, high-quality, or enjoyable to read. Writing is an art form that informs, and when used thoughtfully, AI can be a beneficial tool.
AI is highly effective in assisting with research, summarizing information, fact-checking, and drawing conclusions.
It serves as an excellent tool for generating project outlines and working through the intricate details before the writing process begins.
A key benefit of incorporating AI in writing is its ability to help reconstruct phrases or find alternative words to express ideas, making the writing process more effective and enriching.
In my opinion, AI makes a better editor than a writer. Using it as a tool for checking grammar and spelling is incredibly helpful.
Using AI as an objective opinion to your writing could also be beneficial. If I’m unsure whether I’m conveying the right message, I often ask AI for its interpretation of my writing. It’s interesting to see if it understands my intent, which helps me identify areas that may need adjustment.
No AI program can replicate the depth of human writing; at least not yet. I believe it should never come to that, as it would turn the internet into a space where AI only communicates with AI. Humans seek connection, using art whether through writing, music, or visuals to bond with one another. AI should not have the power to take over the realm of creative expression. Different opinions and viewpoints are so valuable that their power can sometimes be intimidating; that’s why the laws protecting freedom of expression exist.
If we become too reliant on AI, we risk losing our ability to think for ourselves, which would represent a significant downgrade for society.
While AI is a valuable tool for improving your craft and making the creative process more accessible and efficient, it shouldn’t receive more credit than it deserves.
Creativity has always felt innate to my life, leading me to envision a future where I have more time to pursue my passions. However, the reality is that a creative career is highly competitive. With the demands of work and the many administrative tasks of daily life, there’s often little time left for expressing oneself through creative hobbies.
I always believed that AI would take over the tasks we don’t enjoy, like cleaning or admin, making daily life easier and more manageable so we could have more time to embrace our creativity. I truly believe that every individual is a creator at heart.
We should embrace creative expression without relying too much on AI, using it instead for the logical tasks we don’t always enjoy.
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