Is AI in the Driver's Seat?
by Crystal Hildebrand
I grew up in Toronto, but after our first child was born, my husband and I decided to move to a small town in Manitoba. My husband then began using words like “Two miles west” and “the half-mile road.” Luckily, he is our primary driver, and I enjoy my role as passenger princess. It was his job to get us to our locations, and I would play the role of DJ and drink my iced coffee in ignorance (the benefits of trusting your driver).
When writing a manuscript, the author should always be in the driver's seat. If we type in coordinates and let artificial intelligence (AI) take the wheel, then we may arrive at the destination we intended, but we are essentially just the passenger princess. AI will interpret the directions for itself and has no problem cutting across fields or using private property to get there. But in reality, we have no idea who is actually driving. And when asked about the journey, we are ignorant of how we got there.
AI is becoming increasingly popular. And it certainly has many benefits and is a great creative tool (see our blog, Some Ethical Uses for AI in Writing by Evan Braun). But there is a difference between having AI create the content (AI-generated) and having AI edit or make suggestions to your text (AI-enhanced). When we remain in the driver's seat, we can certainly, with discernment, take navigational instructions from AI. But putting AI in the driver's seat to generate content for us is an ethical issue. We believe AI is creating new material out of nothing, but is it new? And is it out of nothing?
According to the growing number of lawsuits, the answers are: No. Not new, and not out of nothing. AI can only generate material from what it has, which means it draws on the work of others and often uses those ideas without proper permission, resulting in plagiarism and copyright infringements.
One of the benefits of publishing with Word Alive Press is that the copyright is in the author’s name, and you maintain the rights to your book at all times. This means you have ownership of the content, affirming that it is your unique work. And, our publishing agreement specifically attests to that, that you have the right to publish this content. But if AI has generated the content, the author is then claiming ownership over work that is not their own.
When an editor reviews a new manuscript, one of the things they evaluate is the author’s voice. Some authors have such an amazing way of connecting with their readers. Some are quirky and funny, while others are gentle and enduring. These attributes come directly from the personality of the writer and are one of the most valuable assets to a manuscript. The author’s voice is something we strive to maintain throughout the editing process, which helps keep the manuscript unique and flavourful.
Using shortcuts such as AI is not beneficial to the writer or the reader. It affects our ability to interpret and learn. It corrupts our free thinking, and it ruins the authenticity of sharing our story with others. Christians have the ability to encourage, relate, and teach each other in love – something AI is incapable of. This is something that we should never take for granted, as it is something unique and special about the body of believers.
So, the next time you sit down to write, make sure to sit in the driver's seat, but perhaps ask Jesus to take the wheel!
About this Contributor:
Crystal Hildebrand is a Publishing Consultant at Word Alive Press. She is an avid reader and writer who enjoys coffee, book clubs, and her sensitive wolfhound. Crystal and her husband of twenty years live in rural Manitoba with their two very busy teenagers.