This is well written. I believe the concerns of AI in writing are largely overstated because I don't see the typos, or lack thereof, as analogous to artistic imperfections, unless the art in itself is spelling everything correctly. To me, the content of the writing is what makes it art and I don't think AI has reached, nor will reach, a place of true artistic parity with humans. Therefore, I still believe the typos ought to be corrected as the typed words are merely a framework for conveying the intended meaning. Framed in this way, I don't think typos make writing more obviously human except insofar as such an error might indicate the final draft wasn't proofed by way a perfect system (and it is probably worth mentioning ChatGPT does not catch every little error when I enlist it as a proofreading aid).
I think our concerns around AI in writing are born of a threat within the marketplace rather than a genuine worry over the authenticity of ideas. After all, AI does not possess ideas that weren't ours first, nor do all human writers have the expressive ability that can justify their work being considered art. So in the end, though there may be the occasional convincing simulacrum, I believe truly human expression will be a more prominent flame in the vastness of written words than that of our greatest imitators, drawing near those of us to whom the words are truly speaking.
Thank you for the kind words, I'm glad you enjoyed my response. Difficult to know exactly where this ai stuff is going but one thing is for sure, we are all going to find out!
I didn't know about that one Stephanie. Appreciate you sharing! I'm sure there's so many more examples from all types of cultures. It's so amazing to see this be such a universal impulse we have.
Haha yep you caught me. Those were both on purpose :)
If you're not a native speaker (I'm not), I guess this new status symbol extends to embracing some instances of direct translation from your native language. Lots of things will become cool with time; let's wait and see.
I think typos are inevitable. I read the manuscript of my book, The Practice of Living, many times, but I recently caught one typo still. Anything manual cannot be without errors, and anything manual is a demonstration of real work nowadays.
I've become more patient and accommodating with time, and I actually do love errors that say "I did this" without making someone come across as sloppy.
I mainly speak Italian now and one of my first jobs was learning to love the uniqueness that being a second-language speaker of that language that is now my main one gave me. I found that everyone adored my mess-ups and I found love for the deliciousness I bring to the language. It's let creativity and personality out to the extent that I sometimes mess up on purpose. It also feels authentic because I'm NOT born Italian so messing up is part of making sure everyone knows a part of my story without even needing to say it.
I love this, Helen. There is some unique beauty in speaking a language you learn later on. You enjoy both the mastery as well as remaining a learner; you relish the messiness of expressing yourself in it. Languages are an expression of a culture, and speaking and writing in a foreign language is to see the world from an angle earlier unknown. We should learn each other's languages so that we can remain natives and novices at the same time.
That is such a cool example Helen. Thank you for sharing! I've always felt embarrassed about trying to speak foreign languages but this inspires me to try again without trying to speak perfectly.
At this point I am less concerned with AI than I am with speech-to-text apps. They often insert a homonym into the text that can be hilarious all by itself. The S2T apps also don't correct grammar, and apparently English grammar has been dropped from the curricula of all public schools. I use Kindle Unlimited because book volume is good. Quality writing involves $ I can't afford. Thank you Mr Biden. Their (Unlimited) editing is poor at best. I just read a great story that was edited so poorly, I discarded it. A good editor is so important in a writer's career. I watch no tv. Very addictive format that actually causes withdrawal symptoms if you try to quit. I read. I have enjoyed your posts and this one is quite refreshing. I don't and can't ignore those red squiggly lines. If I did, nobody would have a clue what I'm trying to say. You keep at it. You are making an impact, at least on me.
Yeah, nice. You might also have included the entire musical genre of punk. If you like academic essays, there’s a really strong one by Samantha Bennett about how Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols is not a punk record because it is too produced.
I’ve also started building requirements into assessments that are slightly not-formally-correct, (like, in a technical report, asking them to include the images in the essay rather than in the appendix at the end) to see who is using their own mind.
This is a great way to change how we view typos. No matter how hard I try, there is at least one typo in most of my posts. It's frustrating but this post makes me feel a little better!
I would like to add that in many Native American pottery traditions, artisans intentionally preserve the asymmetrical forms and textured surfaces that result from handcrafting methods, reflecting a spiritual connection to nature and the belief that perfection is not only unattainable but also undesirable.
Spelling mistakes physically hurt me. I can feel my soul cringe every time I spot one....especially in the news. Pretty sure 18 years of Catholic school nuns hardwired spelling into my survival instincts.
If AI resulted in us being less harsh on ourselves and other species, then I applaud it. Overall, not a fan of AI…
I used to correct (read: made fun of) my mother’s pronunciation of English words *all the time* but am less critical of myself and others nowadays. Why? Because of these words:
“Don’t criticise someone who speaks broken English. They know a second language.”
I'm still ashamed that I can't speak multiple languages. I can barely speak English! I applaud anyone who even attempts to communicate in a second language. It's inspiring.
When I first learned English (back in high school, ages ago!), I didn’t use words like “barely”. So, you’re doing a great job speaking English, I’d say!
Really funny article. I can totally relate. I hate typos in books and lose all respect for the writer and/publisher when I see any....I run a small artisan press and we make all our books by hand....and each one is different because of the artisan hand-designed/printed and binded feature of each book...which is then dated, numbered and place stamped with real ink within the back pages.....for me the beauty of my wonderfully perfectly imperfect books I sell is about the realness and physicality of them. We would never make our books eBooks. Never and so imperfection is beauty....the sad part of this AI malarkey is that we now feel we have to place a disclaimer on our inner front pages, that no part of our stories were made using AI. Never. Ever.....Ever...... great post. Have subscribed to you. Thanks, Jo
Sounds like you are doing some really meaningful work. Long live physical books!
Ebooks may be more convenient, but there's nothing like spending time with a real book. Holding it in your hands. Underlining your favorite lines. Writing notes in the margins. I think those are all signs respect for the author. To start a conversation.
I'd also say that the same is true of us too, we try to create this perfect version of ourselves that never makes mistakes, looks great on camera, and we try and hide all our flaws. Yet, the truth is, our flaws make us unique and hard to copy. Our scars show we lived life... not hidden from it.
My craft example is my recent attempt at a perfect ball/circle of string (wrapped around a balloon and glued)....I was a bit impatient and deflated the balloon too early. I was left with an irregular shape, kind-of circle thing. luckily there is a style called wabi-sabi in traditional Japanese aesthetics. So I embraced the imperfection and now have a unique artwork.
This is well written. I believe the concerns of AI in writing are largely overstated because I don't see the typos, or lack thereof, as analogous to artistic imperfections, unless the art in itself is spelling everything correctly. To me, the content of the writing is what makes it art and I don't think AI has reached, nor will reach, a place of true artistic parity with humans. Therefore, I still believe the typos ought to be corrected as the typed words are merely a framework for conveying the intended meaning. Framed in this way, I don't think typos make writing more obviously human except insofar as such an error might indicate the final draft wasn't proofed by way a perfect system (and it is probably worth mentioning ChatGPT does not catch every little error when I enlist it as a proofreading aid).
I think our concerns around AI in writing are born of a threat within the marketplace rather than a genuine worry over the authenticity of ideas. After all, AI does not possess ideas that weren't ours first, nor do all human writers have the expressive ability that can justify their work being considered art. So in the end, though there may be the occasional convincing simulacrum, I believe truly human expression will be a more prominent flame in the vastness of written words than that of our greatest imitators, drawing near those of us to whom the words are truly speaking.
Thank you Jay. And wow that was an eloquent response. Gives me some new thoughts to chew on.
To be honest, I still hate typos. But I think you're right. The ideas themselves are what matter.
I hope you are right and we don't have to worry about AI becoming an idea generator itself.
Thank you for the kind words, I'm glad you enjoyed my response. Difficult to know exactly where this ai stuff is going but one thing is for sure, we are all going to find out!
Ooh I love that.
You forgot the ancient Japanese art of Kinsugi, wherein cracks in pottery were filled with gold.
Oh--and I know the "you're's" was purposeful, but was this one: "edting?" lol
I didn't know about that one Stephanie. Appreciate you sharing! I'm sure there's so many more examples from all types of cultures. It's so amazing to see this be such a universal impulse we have.
Haha yep you caught me. Those were both on purpose :)
I was thinking of something similar with Wabi-sabi aesthetics. see my comment.
Yes that's a good example too Wendy. Let's keep them comin!
I refuse to make typos just so people won't think I'm AI ☹️
Haha I still hate typos too but maybe they can at least hopefully stand for a bit of authenticity. Without being sloppy of course.
If you're not a native speaker (I'm not), I guess this new status symbol extends to embracing some instances of direct translation from your native language. Lots of things will become cool with time; let's wait and see.
I think typos are inevitable. I read the manuscript of my book, The Practice of Living, many times, but I recently caught one typo still. Anything manual cannot be without errors, and anything manual is a demonstration of real work nowadays.
I've become more patient and accommodating with time, and I actually do love errors that say "I did this" without making someone come across as sloppy.
I love taking a "let's wait and see" approach to just about everything that gets hyped up.
Congratulations on writing a book! That's an incredible accomplishment. No matter if there is a little typo or not :)
Yeah it's a fine balance between purposely adding an occasional error and just plain sloppiness.
I mainly speak Italian now and one of my first jobs was learning to love the uniqueness that being a second-language speaker of that language that is now my main one gave me. I found that everyone adored my mess-ups and I found love for the deliciousness I bring to the language. It's let creativity and personality out to the extent that I sometimes mess up on purpose. It also feels authentic because I'm NOT born Italian so messing up is part of making sure everyone knows a part of my story without even needing to say it.
I love this, Helen. There is some unique beauty in speaking a language you learn later on. You enjoy both the mastery as well as remaining a learner; you relish the messiness of expressing yourself in it. Languages are an expression of a culture, and speaking and writing in a foreign language is to see the world from an angle earlier unknown. We should learn each other's languages so that we can remain natives and novices at the same time.
Patrick you write better in English than I do. And English is the only language I know!
Thanks man, I appreciate this compliment.
That is such a cool example Helen. Thank you for sharing! I've always felt embarrassed about trying to speak foreign languages but this inspires me to try again without trying to speak perfectly.
At this point I am less concerned with AI than I am with speech-to-text apps. They often insert a homonym into the text that can be hilarious all by itself. The S2T apps also don't correct grammar, and apparently English grammar has been dropped from the curricula of all public schools. I use Kindle Unlimited because book volume is good. Quality writing involves $ I can't afford. Thank you Mr Biden. Their (Unlimited) editing is poor at best. I just read a great story that was edited so poorly, I discarded it. A good editor is so important in a writer's career. I watch no tv. Very addictive format that actually causes withdrawal symptoms if you try to quit. I read. I have enjoyed your posts and this one is quite refreshing. I don't and can't ignore those red squiggly lines. If I did, nobody would have a clue what I'm trying to say. You keep at it. You are making an impact, at least on me.
Thank you Gary. I'm glad you enjoyed this!
I have very little experience with speech-to-text but I'm sure they come up with some funny interpretations of what it thought you said haha.
I agree editors and editing are still a crucial part of the writing process. Maybe AI can help us out with that?
Yeah, nice. You might also have included the entire musical genre of punk. If you like academic essays, there’s a really strong one by Samantha Bennett about how Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols is not a punk record because it is too produced.
I’ve also started building requirements into assessments that are slightly not-formally-correct, (like, in a technical report, asking them to include the images in the essay rather than in the appendix at the end) to see who is using their own mind.
Another great one Amos. I love all these other examples people have been pointing out. I guess I'm punk when I purposely leave a typo :)
AI makes typos and grammatical errors.
I think AI is going to be like the weather. Sometimes lovely and sometimes catastrophic with its grammar:
haha that's a good analogy!
yep. we're doomed...
I fell for it! Ryan Broderick from Garbage Day newsletter ends each newsletter with the disclaimer:
***Any typos in this email are on purpose actually***
Thought that was pretty cool. Although I get my wife to take out the plethora of commas in my newsletters.😀
Haha that's clever. I like it. Great way to cover your back!
Love the idea 💡
This is a great way to change how we view typos. No matter how hard I try, there is at least one typo in most of my posts. It's frustrating but this post makes me feel a little better!
Well now you can just add a little PS at the end and say my typos are proof of my authenticity :)
That’s a good way to save time on Grammarly!
haha do you use grammarly? ive never gotten on that train
I do use it but only to spot some typos because I sometimes read and re-read but still miss things.
haha never fails for me even after rereading. I always go back after I click publish and inevitably find a few mistakes.
I still love the premise of this.
I'll always be guilty of typos. Something is embarrassing that sneaks out after I hit send. But I don't think I can intentionally do it.
Something to talk to my therapist about, I guess 😂
There does seem to be a weird blindness that prevents us from seeing our own typos. I didnt say it would be easy, but it may be our only hope!
Haha let me know what they say because the red squiggly line of death does still haunt me.
I would like to add that in many Native American pottery traditions, artisans intentionally preserve the asymmetrical forms and textured surfaces that result from handcrafting methods, reflecting a spiritual connection to nature and the belief that perfection is not only unattainable but also undesirable.
Spelling mistakes physically hurt me. I can feel my soul cringe every time I spot one....especially in the news. Pretty sure 18 years of Catholic school nuns hardwired spelling into my survival instincts.
That's another great example! There's so many of them out there. I love hearing about them all. It gives me hope.
Haha typos still make me cringe too. But if they're purposely placed then maybe I'll have to tip my hat :)
If AI resulted in us being less harsh on ourselves and other species, then I applaud it. Overall, not a fan of AI…
I used to correct (read: made fun of) my mother’s pronunciation of English words *all the time* but am less critical of myself and others nowadays. Why? Because of these words:
“Don’t criticise someone who speaks broken English. They know a second language.”
Like: wow.
(I’m Dutch.)
I'm still ashamed that I can't speak multiple languages. I can barely speak English! I applaud anyone who even attempts to communicate in a second language. It's inspiring.
When I first learned English (back in high school, ages ago!), I didn’t use words like “barely”. So, you’re doing a great job speaking English, I’d say!
haha well thank you. ive had 32 years to practice so i should be decent at least by now.
Good for you! I read a quote a few years back:
"Don't make fun of someone who speaks broken English. They know a second language." It stuck.
Really funny article. I can totally relate. I hate typos in books and lose all respect for the writer and/publisher when I see any....I run a small artisan press and we make all our books by hand....and each one is different because of the artisan hand-designed/printed and binded feature of each book...which is then dated, numbered and place stamped with real ink within the back pages.....for me the beauty of my wonderfully perfectly imperfect books I sell is about the realness and physicality of them. We would never make our books eBooks. Never and so imperfection is beauty....the sad part of this AI malarkey is that we now feel we have to place a disclaimer on our inner front pages, that no part of our stories were made using AI. Never. Ever.....Ever...... great post. Have subscribed to you. Thanks, Jo
Thank you Jo. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Sounds like you are doing some really meaningful work. Long live physical books!
Ebooks may be more convenient, but there's nothing like spending time with a real book. Holding it in your hands. Underlining your favorite lines. Writing notes in the margins. I think those are all signs respect for the author. To start a conversation.
I'd also say that the same is true of us too, we try to create this perfect version of ourselves that never makes mistakes, looks great on camera, and we try and hide all our flaws. Yet, the truth is, our flaws make us unique and hard to copy. Our scars show we lived life... not hidden from it.
Wow how did I miss this point? Its so obvious now that you pointed it out!
I have zero interest in hanging around anyone who doesnt have a plethora of scars (bonus points if they have a few good stories tied to them)
New selling point as a proofreader and editor - I promise to leave a few typos for authenticity purposes 🤣 no matter how difficult it would be.
Haha boom go ahead and double your rates! It still pains me to stare at those red squiggly lines of death, not gonna lie.
My craft example is my recent attempt at a perfect ball/circle of string (wrapped around a balloon and glued)....I was a bit impatient and deflated the balloon too early. I was left with an irregular shape, kind-of circle thing. luckily there is a style called wabi-sabi in traditional Japanese aesthetics. So I embraced the imperfection and now have a unique artwork.
Haha I love it! What a beautiful attitude to take to your kind-of circle thing :) The Japanese were onto something. Perfection was never the point.