Should there be a new Fluther convention to not use AI to answer questions?

I agree. I don’t want to read AI generated stuff. It’s lazy.

I agree but I admit that I don’t think I would know it’s an AI generated answer unless the person asking specifcally states it. Therefore, being cynical, I feel that the person asking might not state that it’s AI generated and get away with it. Is there a way to tell if it’s AI, if the person doesn’t state it?

The answers I’ve seen recently have stated that it’s AI although sometimes if it isn’t stated, I’m beginning to see a basic essay writing style. I doubt one can always tell. This is becoming an increasing problem in academia.

Yes, there definitely should.

I guess a good question for the site’s administrators would be if AI is banned, how can we tell it’s AI unless the person states it? It’s easy to say let’s ban it, but what’s the next step?

What I would suggest is that if AI is suspected, any Jelly might flag that answer for removal and the mods could make the determination. I’ve sent this Q to the mods for their opinions. Since one of them is an academic, they may have more insight into the issues.

There’s a new jelly that posts extensively with AI, but he gets very argumentative when anybody counters him, so I am remaining mum. However, his posts are 90% AI, which are about as fascinating as reading Wikipedia.

OMG make it stop.

Despite being guilty myself on one occasion I agree 100%.

I agree 100% @janbb I like answers from jellies not bots. Especially not pissed-off trolls disguised as bots.

I didn’t realize it was a thing on this site, but I’m not on very often.

I just commented about this on a question about 5 minutes ago. Use your brain. Anyone can hide their ignorance behind an AI. I suspect that a number of jellies would be able to detect AI-speak.

@jca2 if it’s the user I think you are talking about, I don’t think they use actual AI, or at least not that often. The “AI” comment seems to be something that crop up recently after some unsavory incident. It was used as some kind of satire on that thread originally. I don’t know why they started to use it unironically now.

From what I know about that user, it just seems to me like they have “that” kind of long-winded writing and ideas. I used to frequent a spiritual forum, and I can attest there are a lot of people with similar writing style and ideas, and once you are around them long enough you will know that kind of speech. The attitude checks too. Considering how much they talk about spirituality, I strongly believe it’s just the “typical” kind of person who is deep in spirituality.

They seem to me more like a really troubled person that needs help.

Of course I’m not an expert. I know there’s a jelly here who is an expert in AI speech. Maybe he can analyze the user and tell us whether it’s an AI in disguise.

@Mimishu1995 I’m not talking about any specific user. I have seen examples of people citing AI and using it extensively in posts. I’m seeing a trend here and elsewhere and trying to address it.

@janbb in this case I don’t think I have much to add to everyone’s answer above. I hate bots myself. And I don’t like that people are becoming too reliant on AI. If we can find a way to detect AI and ban them I would certainly support it.

I’m so out of the loop. What is Al?

Please don’t laugh at me.

I think lately “Open AI” (Artificial Intelligence) applications have been used as a trolling device by one particular individual, who has very particular issues.

It can be annoying as @janbb points out, or occaisionally interesting. The problem with banning it is that by design AI learns exponentially, and improves it’s ability to copy human performance. So in a few years or less how will any of us know anything for sure?

Personally I think the only defense against this is Imaginary Intelligence. So starting right now, I’m just making more shit up.

You’re welcome.

This is going to become a very serious and widespread problem very quickly, and not just in academe or in little backwaters like Fluther. Already so many websites are not what they appear to be, even without AI, and information presented as genuine may just be well disguised. People’s natural BS detectors are outmatched.

I see this development in rather dire terms, I’m afraid, and not just as an annoyance on a site like this. Not being able to tell what’s real: mass psychosis.

Sure, let’s ban it and see what happens. Maybe there’s a sure-fire AI remedy about to be invented. My guess is that huge numbers of developers of soft and hard text processors are already trying to codify defenses against AI and that AI will develop faster.

Maybe we should call it HAL.

I’m still confused but wanting to learn. :(

@Jonsblond AI is artificial intelligence and there are now programs that generate content artificially. Students can use it to write essays that are totally not their own work. Others can use it to generate false (or true) information and news articles.

@Jonsblond: Here’s an example of a Jelly using AI, specifying that it’s AI. If you read it, it will give you an idea as to what the wording looks like:

https://www.fluther.com/234779/is-disobedience-ever-good/

@Jonsblond AI like in the movie MEGAN. You might think of the term “robot” which isn’t entirely correct but close. More like Data from Star Trek, an android.

If any of you want to learn a bit more about the subject, the movie “The Social Dilemma” talks a little about it. The movie is a great documentary, mainly focused on social media and the many problems it causes, including unforseen problems that are coming up,, like AI and how it can be used in bad ways.

Trailer: https://www.thesocialdilemma.com/

Thanks!

I was about to go against the grain and say “no” until I read the very first paragraph here

“We think there’s still nothing better than getting an answer from a real person. So we made it easier.”

It goes against the mission statement, don’t you think?

I don’t see anything wrong with using limited AI, being careful to label it as such. I have done so and make no apologies for it. AI is going to play an ever larger role in our lives, and it can be interesting to see the reply of a chatbot.

I already have a computer. I am on this website to talk to people, not talk to another computer.

If it’s just for fun or the question is about AI, then I don’t have a problem with it. But if a disgruntled user is using it in place of an actual response or using it to mock other users’ responses, then yeah, I could do without it.

@Michael_Huntington and @snowberry, GA & GA. (And others too, of course.)

I’m not sure I’d want to argue with a computer and doubt that I’d have much luck in convincing it of any of my positions. To be honest, in the decade I’ve been on this site, I don’t think I’ve ever convinced anyone here. Hell, maybe I’ve been arguing with AI the whole time. If there are any real people out there, raise your hand.

@Jaxk Would a flipper count?

@Jaxk I would raise my hand, but I am having some rotator cuff issues. How about I do a little dance instead?

@janbb – Your getting into a grey area here. Do real people have flippers? It’s like the definition of a woman, I’m not ready to go down that road.

@canidmajor – I’ll buy the dance even though I’ve seen some youtube videos that I know were computer generated.

@Jaxk I think it’s more of a black and white than that!

As I said, I’ve never convinced anyone.

@Jaxk, I limp. Maybe that helps…

It does. Imperfections are what define people.

Well then, I am the very definition of your definition!!! ;-D

As the mother of cats, I voluntarily raise their paws.

Hand raised, sitting in my wheelchair.

We’ve got a hand, a flipper, a few paws, and even a dance. I guess we’re not all bots.

With a little rehearsal we could take it on the road!

The Ai Jelly has left the building

Not gonna be upset about that.

Aww, @Jaxk, don’t feel bad. I’m sure you must have persuaded someone . . . sometime. We did used to have a lot more members than we have now. So maybe one of them. Anyway, I’m not a bot. (Raising hand.)

@Tropical_Willie, thanks for the good news. There are benign nuisances, and then there are malicious ones. The latter really can do harm. Next time let’s please remember not to feed them.

I’m totally a bot.

@raum But a cute one!

[beep! beep!]

^Watch your language!

[boop? boop?]

I bet you say that to all the boys.

Meh.

How many people here just see a question and google the answer, just so they have something smart to say? Happens all the time. Some people, including some on this thread, routinely drop links instead of actual answers. The only way to live with AI is going to be to accept it as the tool it is. Google hasn’t made us dumber and Wikipedia actually facilitates learning, rather than undermining it as professors were lamenting 15 years ago.

OpenAI can make an argument, and provide facts, but the world of ideas is much larger than it can imagine. I don’t worry because it gives boring answers. It’s remarks are useful for organizing our thoughts, but ultimately it is not a thinker, it does not take risks, and it has no desire to engage with us socially.

Ask this question again when the bots actually become indistinguishable from the humans.