The Writer and Artificial Intelligence

Introduction

In a world increasingly dominated by technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a transformative force in countless fields, including literature. Tools like Bard, ChatGPT, and Claude are redefining what it means to write, assisting writers from all disciplines in their creative process. This article explores how these tools are changing writing, not taking away authorship from the writer, but serving as a catalyst for their creativity.

The Evolution of AI Writing

The publication of the article “ChatGPT and the rise of demi-humans” in the journal Nature on September 30, 2023, marks a milestone in the perception of AI-assisted writing. The piece compares ChatGPT to a “writing factory,” highlighting how the tool simplifies the creation of written content. Under this approach, ChatGPT and the like act as intermediaries between the idea and the written word, executing tasks that previously required hours of human effort.

Use Cases & Testimonials

A significant example of the practical application of these tools is that of sociologist and political scientist Ignacio Varela, who revealed on the program “Por fin no es lunes” on November 11, 2023, that he had used an AI tool to develop the script for his intervention. This case demonstrates how AI can structure complex thoughts and present them coherently, freeing the intellectual from the most tedious tasks of the writing process.

Other examples of enthusiastic adoption of generative AI by professional writers and other creatives abound. Renowned historian Jack Granatstein used generative AI to produce a complete first draft of his latest military history book, drawing on an enormous number of historical sources that AI was able to analyze and synthesize with speed and consistency impossible for a single human.

Another fascinating example of AI-generated literature is the poetry series Aum Golly. The first book in this series, Aum Golly 1, was written in just 24 hours by the GPT-3 language model without any human intervention. The following volumes have continued to explore how AI can be used to create surreal and evocative poetry. Flipping through Aum Golly’s books, which now has a dozen volumes, one can see the rapid evolution of AI’s language generation capabilities. While human supervision and editing are clearly needed to polish the results, the Aum Golly series offers a fascinating glimpse into a possible new frontier of literature created collaboratively between humans and machines.

Beyond book writing, prestigious newspapers such as The Washington Post and The Guardian have begun routinely publishing news articles written entirely by artificial intelligence, after only providing the AI with the desired topic, relevant sources, and editorial guidance. AI can produce readable, well-researched news of a competitive quality with humans, in a fraction of the time.

More Than Just Assistants

However, these tools are more than just assistants performing routine tasks. They are collaborators who can inspire new directions in writing, suggesting ideas, styles, and perspectives that the author may not have considered. AI, in this sense, becomes a partner in the creative act, offering possibilities that broaden the writer’s horizon.

Redefining Authorship

Despite the assistance of AI, the authorship of any generated work remains indisputably human. AI doesn’t possess the intuition, feeling, or life experience that writers bring to their work. What AI does is facilitate the expression of these human qualities, allowing authors to focus on the creative core of their work.

Impact on Research and Development of Ideas

One of the biggest advantages of AI in the literature is its ability to conduct thorough investigations in fractions of the time that a human would require. Not only does this speed up the writing process, but it also enriches the content with accurate information and analysis, which might otherwise require extensive hours of research and verification.

Amplified Creativity

The relationship between the writer and the AI is symbiotic. While the writer provides the vision and direction, AI provides a range of possibilities and executions. This collaboration doesn’t diminish creativity; on the contrary, it expands it. AI allows writers to experiment with styles, structures, and themes that previously might have seemed too arduous or inaccessible.

New Genres and Forms of Writing

With the advent of these tools, we are witnessing the birth of new genres and forms of writing. Interactive narratives, collaborative works between AI and humans, and experimentation in styles and formats are just a few examples of how AI is breaking new ground in literature.

Challenges and Ethical Considerations

However, integrating AI into writing is not without its challenges. There are ethical considerations, such as the originality of content and intellectual property, that need to be addressed. In addition, over-reliance on AI could lead to a homogenization of literary style, something writers need to keep a careful eye on.

Conclusion

AI tools like Bard, ChatGPT, and Claude are transforming writing from a purely human skill to a synergy between man and machine. These tools not only assist in the creative process, but also enrich it, opening up new possibilities and democratizing the ability to write well. In the age of assisted writing, the essence of creativity and authorship remains profoundly human, but it is now empowered by the astonishing power of artificial intelligence.