Writers using AI – should they disclose and when
We’ve e had another story of a writer who has used AI in their work. In this case won a prestigious award in Japan and only at the acceptance ceremony revealed that 5% of their work was created by chat. GPT.
https://futurism.com/the-byte/novelist-wins-award-then-reveals-she-used-chatgpt
Picture above is is from https://nypost.com/2024/01/18/news/rie-kudan-used-ai-to-help-write-the-tokyo-tower-of-sympathy/
The Author, Rie Kudan, waiting until after judging for one of Japan’s most prestigious literary awards has become a controversial choice. Some of the judges, especially one who described the work as ‘flawless’, are likely feeling duped. And might also see damage to their reputations as well.
It is food for thought … using your brain.
Or you could have a conversation with ChatGPT about it.
I decided to ask the ChatGPT in Microsoft’s Edge browser about this. Here is our ‘conversation’ . . .
A very prestigious literary award in Japan was recently won by an author who did not disclose. She used ChatGPT to help with the book until after she got the award. This has become a controversial topic. I am curious what do you think about it?
My question
ChatGPT’s Answer
This is a very interesting and complex topic. Thank you for asking me about it. 😊
I think that using ChatGPT to help with writing a novel is not inherently wrong, as long as the author acknowledges the source and does not claim the entire work as their own. ChatGPT is a powerful tool that can generate creative and coherent texts, but it is not a substitute for human imagination and expression. It is still the author’s responsibility to craft the plot, characters, themes, and style of their novel, and to edit and revise the generated texts to fit their vision.
However, I also understand why some people may feel cheated or disappointed by the author’s revelation. The Akutagawa Prize is a very prestigious literary award that recognizes the originality and excellence of new writers. Some may argue that the author did not deserve the prize, or that they should have disclosed their use of ChatGPT before the award ceremony. Some may also worry about the ethical and legal implications of using ChatGPT, such as the potential plagiarism of other authors’ works, or the fair compensation of the creators of ChatGPT.
Ultimately, I think that this case raises important questions about the role and impact of AI in literature and art. How do we define authorship and creativity in the age of AI? How do we balance the benefits and risks of using AI tools to enhance our artistic endeavors? How do we ensure that AI is used in a responsible and respectful manner? These are not easy questions to answer, but I hope that they will inspire more dialogue and debate among writers, readers, critics, and AI developers.
Source: Conversation with Bing, 1/20/2024
The ChatGPT inside Microsoft Edge browser
(1) Japanese literary award winner admits getting help from ChatGPT. https://ca.news.yahoo.com/japanese-literary-award-winner-admits-223706930.html.
(2) The winner of a prestigious Japanese literary award has confirmed AI helped write her book. https://www.aol.com/news/winner-prestigious-japanese-literary-award-161959391.html.
(3) Japan literary laureate unashamed about using ChatGPT. https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/japan-literary-laureate-unashamed-about-using-chatgpt/ar-AA1n9QQH.
(4) The winner of a prestigious Japanese literary award has confirmed AI …. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/19/style/rie-kudan-akutagawa-prize-chatgpt/index.html.
(5) Winner of Japan’s Top Literary Prize Admits She Used ChatGPT – VICE. https://www.vice.com/en/article/k7z58y/rie-kudan-akutagawa-prize-used-chatgpt.
(6) Japanese Author Wins Akutagawa Prize Using ChatGPT – Cryptopolitan. https://www.cryptopolitan.com/japanese-author-wins-prize-using-chatgpt/.