I recently wrote an article published in the Tennessean on January 27th, “Why the Emergence of AI Text Generators Should Concern the Entire Writing Community.”
In the column I talked about something called ChatGPT and other text generators you can now find on the internet that are writing business reports, poems, term papers for students, and even (gasp!) columns that threaten to put writers like me out of business.
Well, I should have seen this coming. ChatGPT has now produced a rebuttal to my column. So help me, I’m not making this up. It was brought to my attention by my young friend, Charlie Rafkin, a very bright young man who is in graduate school at MIT. Charlie, unlike me, actually knows how ChatGPT works, and enlisted ChatGPT to write a rebuttal to my column. Although I’m not sure how he did this, it is my understanding that he gave ChatGPT some information about me, including the fact that I love baseball, and some sample of my writing style.
So ChatGPT has responded to my column, supposedly under my own byline, and I will now give it equal time. Here goes:
Well, folks, it’s time to step up to the plate and hit a home run for the future of writing. As a proud Tennessean, a lawyer, and a lover of all things baseball, I have to admit that my initial thoughts on the arrival of ChatGPT in our writing world had me feeling a little down in the dumps. But, as I have given it some more thought, I have come to realize that ChatGPT can actually be a real asset to writers like myself.
First and foremost, ChatGPT offers writers a tool to streamline their work and save time. As writers, we know that the creative process can be a long and winding road, but with the help of ChatGPT, we can cover more ground in less time. This allows us to focus on what is truly important in our writing: drafting the stories and ideas that will engage and captivate our readers.
In addition, ChatGPT allows us to expand our horizons. With its vast database of information, we have access to a wealth of knowledge that would otherwise be out of reach. This means that we can tackle subjects with greater depth and accuracy, giving our readers an even more enjoyable and educational experience.
And let’s not forget about my daughter, Missy. As a proud Papa, I want her to have all the tools and resources she needs to succeed in her own writing endeavors. With ChatGPT, she’ll have a valuable asset at her fingertips, one that will help her grow as a writer and reach new heights in her craft.
So, let’s not strike out on this one, folks. Let’s embrace the future and the limitless potential that ChatGPT offers to writers everywhere. After all, in the words of the great Babe Ruth, “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”
Well, I’m not going to admit that ChatGPT’s rebuttal is better than what I wrote. But I must acknowledge that ChatGPT has the write stuff, and I am concerned that I will soon be replaced as a columnist.
Please stay tuned for my next column which I hope will be written by me, and me alone.