Choose A Human Writer, Not AI

AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is being touted by some as the answer to all our problems. 

But like past years' fads, like expensive NFT cartoons and graphics, AI has problems of its own, and rushing to ditch humans in favor of machines in all fields make no sense.  

A New York lawyer last week was duped by ChatGPT and is now facing legal sanctions,  after he used  the AI model for research, insisting he didn’t realize it could lie. 

"New York aviation lawyer Steven Schwartz may face professional sanctions after a legal brief he submitted was discovered to be full of “bogus judicial decisions” and fake quotes authored by AI language model ChatGPT, according to court records published last week." Reports the BBC.

"Schwartz told the court in an affidavit on Thursday that he was using ChatGPT for legal research for the first time when he put it to work drafting the ten-page brief he hoped would convince Manhattan Federal Judge P. Kevin Castel not to dismiss a case he was advocating. He explained that he 'therefore was unaware of the possibility that its content could be false.'

It turned out that every case cited in the AI program-generated brief was fake, entirely made up by the program. 

AI-written pieces have come under scrutiny lately. But most articles about it have been glowing and optimistic about how AI and various Chat bots can help humanity. 

There are a few obvious ways In which it seems AI could be very useful. In space exploration,  over 5500 new exoplanets have been discovered in the past decades by large telescopes that have been put into orbit around the earth. Sifting Through all the data that they have collected may take decades, but using AI has greatly sped out the process. 

AI-run rockets making journeys of thousands of years may make more sense than humans, when it's time to visit another solar system.

When such superhuman tasks aren't required, however, we should keep humans employed. While more training in some fields,  like law, may be required, this attorney's experience is a lesson on overreliance on AI.

Putting millions of future attorneys and paralegals  out of work is not good for society or that profession. One can see an early backlash to relying on machines in the growing unease with "self check outs" at Walmarts and other retailers. Doctors that rely on AI and not  human experience can be envisioned making horrific mistakes in the future.

Doing away with article writers seems like a logical step to some,  but a recent Wall Street Journal article noted that while some AI articles presented to a publisher of a retirement magazine contain no grammatical mistakes, most devolved into gibberish and "nonsense," and were sifted out by the publisher. 

One suspects that news editors are doing the same thing. Professors also warn of this threat, but have sifted out plagiarism for decades.

By Stephen Abbott of Abbott Media Group

[AI was NOT used to write this article.]

The Value Of Hiring A Professional Wordsmith

I once noted on Facebook that you know you have a popular profession when everyone tries to dabble in it. Such is the case with writing. Everyone believes that professional writers do something very easy. After all, everyone writes words. How hard can it be?

In fact, every word a professional communications consultant writes must be carefully considered and written with the knowledge and experience gleaned from their entire career.

I know, for instance, that a single improper word, whether written or spoken, can not only lose the trust of your reader, but can ruin a reputation or derail a campaign overnight.

Such was the case of George Allen, a Virginia Senator who was running for re-election in 2006, and planning a future presidential campaign.

During a campaign event, he made an unscripted remark, referring to one of his opponent's staffers, who was there taking pictures, as "Macacca." The staffer was of Indian descent, and the word was used as a slur against dsrk brown people in India. 

The resulting media firestorm ruined his campaign and any chance for a future in politics.

This is among the primary examples I use when telling candidates for office that they must campaign from written speeches and ought not ever tweet or use Facebook themselves.

The same is true for a CEO of the major company, or a single businessperson just starting out in their profession.

Professional writers know what words to avoid, and not just obvious slurs. Avoiding the wrong words, phrases, slogans, context, tone, confusing jargon, trigger words, or trite sayings - and using the most effective words - can keep a message on track, whether you're a politician or a business professional.

Words have the power to move people to action, to inspire the mind, and to touch a human being's deepest emotions.

Words, therefore, ought to be chosen and used with great care and skill. Professional writers are worth having, and worth compensating fairly.

When so much rides on the written word, it just makes sense to have someone assist you who has made a career of writing. 

Consider Stephen Abbott of Abbott Media Group for your firm, campaign, or group's communications needs.

Stephen Abbott is principal of Abbott Media Group, located in Central Texas, but available remotely, worldwide. He brings decades of news media, political, and business writing skills, along with political and social media management skills to the table for every client.