The technology already dictates that you must write the first draft yourself because AI can only respond to your initial prompt. That initial prompt IS your first draft.
The title's statement (and the argument presented in the rather short article) appears misinformed about the strengths of AI and where those strengths can support an effective writing process that leads to concise, thorough, and pleasant communication with your audience.
Large language models excel at sketching initial outlines, adding new perspectives, highlighting thematic connections, and shaping format, spelling, and grammar. But their tendency to converge towards an average makes those models terrible at selecting precise terminology, avoiding verbosity, and conveying passion through careful iteration.
My advice: Let AI throw truckloads of slop onto your daunting blank page! Read it to spawn your thoughts, then re-write your message from scratch! That's right - do not attempt to salvage the slop. Borrow the inspiration but avoid copying the words. Then re-read and re-fine. And then again. And again.
And much like the principles of good design have taught us, your writing task is complete when no word can be removed and no term could be replaced to more accurately express your intent.
(Disclaimer: This comment was entirely written without AI.)
How do you detect AI slop today? I mean some 6 months ago it wasn't that hard but today, especially if you give it some simple instructions to be brief and honest, I can't really see the difference... And I am someone that spends my entire day communicating with LLMs as a developer.
No! Write the LAST damn draft yourself!
The technology already dictates that you must write the first draft yourself because AI can only respond to your initial prompt. That initial prompt IS your first draft.
The title's statement (and the argument presented in the rather short article) appears misinformed about the strengths of AI and where those strengths can support an effective writing process that leads to concise, thorough, and pleasant communication with your audience.
Large language models excel at sketching initial outlines, adding new perspectives, highlighting thematic connections, and shaping format, spelling, and grammar. But their tendency to converge towards an average makes those models terrible at selecting precise terminology, avoiding verbosity, and conveying passion through careful iteration.
My advice: Let AI throw truckloads of slop onto your daunting blank page! Read it to spawn your thoughts, then re-write your message from scratch! That's right - do not attempt to salvage the slop. Borrow the inspiration but avoid copying the words. Then re-read and re-fine. And then again. And again.
And much like the principles of good design have taught us, your writing task is complete when no word can be removed and no term could be replaced to more accurately express your intent.
(Disclaimer: This comment was entirely written without AI.)
How do you detect AI slop today? I mean some 6 months ago it wasn't that hard but today, especially if you give it some simple instructions to be brief and honest, I can't really see the difference... And I am someone that spends my entire day communicating with LLMs as a developer.
I think there are obvious tells. The writing is bland, dispassionate and hedged. It also just seems subtly superfluous.