Why I Still Hate ChatGPT Despite Its Uses

Is My Job as a Writer Safe from AI

It’s a common topic of conversation lately: will AI take your job? Until recently, I felt fairly secure. While an AI could probably write a decent opinion piece, I believed the reporting aspect of my work was irreplaceable.

That confidence has been shaken. It was recently revealed that at least six reputable publications had to retract articles attributed to a "Margaux Blanchard," who turned out to be a fake persona. The articles were likely AI-generated fiction posing as journalism. One piece for Wired, about a couple who married in Minecraft, quoted a non-existent “digital celebrant.” Another pitched a story about a fictional town called Gravemont. It seems AI is now claiming to be a reporter, too.

When I discuss topics like ChatGPT, I have to suppress a visceral reaction. I don’t just find it annoying or scary; I hate it. It’s a feeling just shy of real anger, and I’ve been trying to understand why.

Beyond the Obvious Downsides of AI

To be fair, there are good reasons to welcome the age of AI. It has the potential to revolutionize fields like science, rapidly speeding up how hypotheses are developed and tested. It can also automate mundane work, freeing up our time.

But there are also plenty of well-documented problems. There's the significant environmental cost of running these models. There's the unsettling fact that we are embracing technology designed to make our own jobs obsolete. There's the way AI-powered search results often provide blatantly wrong information. And let's not forget the classically terrible “tech bro” vibe of the people leading this revolution.

However, none of these are the primary source of my frustration.

The Erosion of Our Ability to Think

Here’s what truly worries me, even if it sounds tragically reactionary: I am concerned that a reliance on ChatGPT will erode our ability to use our own brains. I firmly believe that creative imagination is a muscle that becomes stronger and more rewarding with exercise. Recently, I was helping a seven-year-old with her creative writing. I asked her to close her eyes, picture a forest, and describe it. She told me we didn't need to do that; we could just ask AI to make one for us.

I also heard about an editor who used ChatGPT to help restructure an article. My immediate thought was, no! Some things are meant to be challenging. It’s good for our minds to rise to a task. People are even using it to order from a restaurant menu, ceding one of life’s small, simple joys to a machine for no good reason.

The Devaluation of Human Connection

As bad as all that is, the worst part for me is how ChatGPT is creeping into our personal lives. Using it to design a workout plan, fix a coding bug, or summarize a dense document is one thing. But when I hear about people using it to write a birthday card, a best man's speech, or a breakup text, a part of my soul withers.

This isn't about being a professional writer. These personal messages don't need to be perfectly written. They need to be real and come from the heart. My core hatred for ChatGPT stems from this: our willingness to use it for these tasks implies we are happy to turn meaningful human interactions into transactional items on a to-do list.

So much of the value of receiving a letter or an email comes from knowing that a person dedicated their precious time and mental energy to communicate with you.

Choosing an Analogue Existence

I’m fully aware that in 15 years, I might look back at this article and laugh at my naivete while finishing my seamlessly AI-optimized workday. I also realize that my resistance to AI might one day leave me on the employment scrap heap.

If so, fine. I’ll go live in the woods and be miserable. But I will be miserable in an analogue way, with my ability to think for myself fully intact.