27: Is AI Friend or Foe?
As an educator, I am always on the lookout for extension content for my kids. This used to mean heading to the not-so-local teacher store to get educator workbooks about math, reading, or whatever skill I needed extra activities and supplies for. Today the website Teachers Pay Teachers plays this part. Most districts frown upon the usage of TPT while others literally forbid it. What cracks me up is that we teachers have been looking for extra materials in our classroom forever—this is not new. True, I could use Canva or Google Docs to create my own extensions…and to lengthen my workday even more. I could also decide that having any sort of a life outside of school is healthy, too.
AI feels similar to this quandary. I do NOT support the use of AI as a creation form for writers. I fear some are, but I’m not TOO afraid. The book market is saturated—UNESCO approximates 2.2 million books are published each year. The vast majority are self-published. The Book Industry Study Group estimates 300,000 books are traditionally published each year, although that number is thought to be a bit low. I’m going to go out on a limb and say traditional publishers are not on board with AI generated fiction…yet. Perhaps AI generated books are being self-published via Kindle Direct. Self-published books sell on average 250 copies. Simply put, AI probably isn’t moving the needle with publishing. Maybe someday, but not now.
I do know some writers in the writing group have used AI to help with line editing or with critique. I’m not quite to that point in my journey as a writer, and I’m not sure I will ever be. In terms of line editing, my stories are written with the middle grade reader in mind, and they are not quite the most proficient in grammatically proper English speech. Chat GPT would blow a gasket if it tried line editing my drivel. As for AI developmental editing advice, I’m not comfortable with that for my works. I’d rather use others with experience in my genre. I’m not trying to be a prude; you do you, boo.
The hypocrisy lies in blanket hatred for AI. It’s a tool. So are dictionaries, Google Search, Teachers Pay Teachers, or spellcheck. I wonder if some authors poo-pooed typewriters when they were invented. If used as a tool and not as a way to profit (and to hurt other authors) then cool. If not, well just forget everything I’ve written in this blog post.
