Writing is Art

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Our resident hound asked a question that’s been making the rounds in the writing world: “Do you have any fear(s) that A.I. (artificial intelligence) will take-over the production of poetry, scripts, short-stories, novels, articles, reference works?” 

I’m not a worrier by nature. That doesn’t mean I have a lackadaisical approach to everything. I lock my doors, pay my bills, and wash my hands regularly. I don’t post my phone number or identification on social media. But I don’t spend a lot of time on “What if” type questions, especially when they relate to things I would have absolutely no control over.  

I do know about AI based programs like ChatGPT, which I’m certain a few of my university students have used to write some of their papers. When a college freshman who claims to have had no background in music is asked to write a description of a performance and then turns in a paper containing a musical analysis using vocabulary that has never been introduced in class, it’s obvious the work wasn’t done by said student – or any of her friends.

I’m also aware of companies that have been accused of using published works (presumably pirated books) to train AI systems, and that several of the authors of those books have filed a lawsuit. A list of books and authors included in that group was published, and I’m thankful mine weren’t among them. But can a machine actually replace human creativity? I don’t think so. However, in an effort to respond to the question in a thoughtful manner, I decided to do some more research. 

I found several articles discussing the feasibility of an AI takeover. Most agreed that artificial intelligence is good for generating reports. In other words, it’s useful for delivering factual information where personal insight is not needed.  

Lucy Marino, Executive Director at Robert Half Employment Agency, seems to agree. She writes, “While AI can assist artists in the creative process and expand the possibilities of art-making, it’s not going to replace artists. Instead, there is great potential for a collaborative relationship between artists and AI, where AI serves as a powerful tool to enhance the creative process.” (Retrieved 4.12.24)

I found several similar responses on Quora, but the one that resonated most for me was from Jovita Elveera Mendonca, a writer from Mumbai. I thought her answer was so apt that I made part of it into a meme:

So in conclusion, my answer is no, I’m not worried about being replaced (at least, not as a writer) by Artificial Intelligence.