My Own Vocal Manifesto: Thoughts on AI (AKA Tar & Feather These Remorseless Brass Studs)
The intelligence is artificial, but the stupid is real. The excessive use of bold, italics, HEADLINE font, plus all the swearing (content warning for that btw) should give you an inkling that I have some FEELINGS about this...
The sheer contempt on display here is impressive, in a warped way.
I invite you to take a second to sit with it, and really absorb all the layers of "I don't give a shit" in that bio.
- I don't give a shit about creating quality content.
- I don't give a shit about the platform.
- I don't give a shit about the community here.
- I don't give a shit that many of them pay to be here, and work hard to put out content they can be proud of. Or that my own shocking lack of effort drags down the overall standard and takes the absolute piss.
U mad yet bro?
Not only could he not be bothered to write his own bloody bio, he couldn't even be bothered to remove the line at the bottom. It isn't even a part of the suggested bio. It's "communication" from the AI he was using.
His answer, writ plain in every line: No, I wouldn't like to tweak it, because I don't give a shit.
Not only, that, he is spamming stories with the same nonsense comment.
"support please"
"support please"
"support please"
Give.
Me.
STRENGTH.
His "stories" are utter crap. I am repulsed. I'm embarrassed to share a platform with that.
My message, no, my heartfelt plea to Vocal is
**PLEASE GET RID OF ALL AI GENERATED WRITING ON THIS PLATFORM**
No, I don't want it "disclosed". I want it gone.
This is probably my biggest beef with Vocal at the moment. It is insulting to take my money every month and make me sit next to that guy. I'm over it. And then some.
D.K Shepard has written a superb manifesto regarding suggested changes for the platform. You can find the intro for it here:
The piece specifically about AI is here (and it is well worth a read if you haven't already seen it):
AI is also mentioned in the section about the Vocal Leaderboard, because AI content has placed there. And the one on Vocal Challenges, because an AI generated piece placed in a Challenge on at least one occasion.
Take another second to sit with the layers of that. Let them sink in to your bones. Let them boil your blood and piss.
Is there a greater slap in the face we could get than that?
Be the change
It's better to light a flamethrower than curse the darkness.
-Terry Pratchett
Instead of whinging for another 300 words about what I don't want, here is what I do want. Buckle up.
The Intelligence is Artificial But The Stupid is Real
- Longer moderation times for non-plus members
- The ability to restrict comments from non-plus members
- The ability to report profiles, not just individual pieces
- A small entry fee for challenges
- All AI gen writing removed
- Consequences for anyone producing AI-written content
Let's dig in to a few of these:
A small entry fee for challenges
I hope that would help slow down the flow of AI generated content. I'd like to see those fees expand the prize pots.
Since Vocal Plus members have already paid a subscription to the platform, I'd like us to able to submit our first entry for free, and then pay a small fee after that (maybe $2-3).
If entry is open to non-plus member, I'd expect they'd pay more (eg. $20 for first entry, and $10 for subsequent ones).
No AI Generated Writing AT ALL
I don't think Vocal should allow any written AI content at all.
It drags down the overall standard of work published here. If Vocal care about that, then it has to go.
If anyone is found to be posting AI content, that content should be removed.
Consequences
The person should also:
- have their publishing ability restricted
- face more stringent monitoring for plagiarism and AI content
- resulting in longer wait times for publishing
- forfeit the opportunity to be considered for any more Top Stories or Challenge placements
- be blacklisted
And I do mean BLACKLIST THEM.
Literally. I literally mean literally.
I'd like to see a huge black (stop it) stripe across the top of their page and all their individual stories, so everyone knows who and what they are and can avoid.
Yes, I'm in my feelings about it
Content that is written by AI is a study in bland, homogenous mediocrity. It is antithetical to creative endeavour. It thieves from writers without their consent and without giving credit.
I am going to go out on a limb and guess that you didn't have to run this piece through an AI checker to see if it was written by a person.
Good writing (and I don't even mean "excellent", just vaguely good) has a mother-loving voice. You can tell there's a human being on the other side of that matrix who is spitting nails, or aching with heartbreak, or overflowing with joy.
I'm telling you: AI and Plagiarism. The twin pillars upon which my rage rests.
In short: If you get AI to write for you, you're not a writer, I don't want to be friends with you, and I'm not sorry.
Good day.
About the Creator
L.C. Schäfer
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More stories from L.C. Schäfer and writers in Writers and other communities.
The Kelpie (Part Six)
The story starts here Part five Part Six - My Self When I smashed the kitchen window, a shard of glass stuck in my bandaged hand. It hurt. Red blossomed on the dressing. I was getting quite good at cursing at this point. I hauled my bag out after me, and pelted up the drive and down the road to the beach.
By L.C. SchäferExclusive • 8 months ago
Comments (30)
100% with you here LC. I'm going back down a rabbit-hole of past pieces I missed when I was away, and found this through DK's own manifesto. I actually think your suggestions are excellent- particularly "The ability to report profiles, not just individual pieces". If a profile continually gets flagged, Vocal could then just can it. I'm absolutely with you regarding AI-generated content. It's crap, and to even be using it, regardless of whether it's disclosed or not, defeats the purpose of a writing platform like this. One thing I'd love to see is a restriction on how many stories a profile can publish (or enter) in a day. It's obvious if someone dumps 8 new stories out of nowhere that they haven't written them. Real writing takes time, so if Vocal limited how many you could post (I dunno, 2 a day for + members?), then it would automatically cut down on so much of the spam. Appreciate you not holding back here 👏
Written in true 'IDGAF" LC style' just like I LIKE it Fellow AI Hater! ✊🏾 *I don't give a fuck*
I’ve said this before - if you’re into creative writing, why are you using AI?! I don’t think they should be on this platform at all. Great article.
I agree wholeheartedly with this. Especially the statement of, “if you get AI to write for you, you’re not a writer.” You’re so right, it’s like having a writing partner who does most of the work and putting only your name on it. Just like you said, I too, hate that I “sit next to them” here. Like people who use AI to spit something out get compared to me when I actually sit down and work on a piece. As if we did the same thing. However, I have been spending less time here in general, working on other things, but also really trying to get work in other places where AI is restricted from being. But you’re right in everything you said here, you did an excellent job with this. I wish it wasn’t disclosed too, and rather just completely gone.
Omg, I can't believe this one slipped by me, it was lucky I saw you made the leaderboard. Congrats on that btw! I've reports so many of those "Support Please" comments from that JK person, but they're still out there making the same comments. As if I would support anyone who leaves comments on my work like that! I've said it before and I'll say it again, I want a block function on Vocal. I've had so many accounts subscribe to me in the last couple of days and I most of them look suss and I don't want them seeing my stories.
wowwww
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Yaaaassss!! All of this, this made me laugh with all of your sass but I also love the idea of there being actual consequences for the fake accounts!! Also, congrats on second most discussed story this week!!
I hear you L.C.! Let em' know! AI on Vocal isn't do us any favors!
Yes!!! I love this, L.C. You know I'm absolutely onboard!! You said it so well with "The Intelligence is Artificial But The Stupid is Real"! Thank you for adding to the outcry and raising the volume! This is fantastic!!
I never use AI to write. WHERE'S THE FUN IN THAT? I do use it for the pictures, however, 'cause I ain't no arteest. But I throw this out to you artists out there who decry AI-illustrations the same as AI-content: If you're an artist, I'm a retiree, and I cannot afford to pay for art on a platform where every submission requires an illustration. BUT...if you make one for me, you can use my content on your art-for-sale site to boost its attention. Quid pro pro. Fair enough, right? I'll cite you as the artist and you name me as the author. FYI, I consider my hard work writing as highly as you do your artwork. Funny though, no takers. Not even one. So I'll just keep writing and keep conjuring up AI art unless/until someone takes me up on my offer.
Well-wrought! I am dubious about using AI for anything, but for literature, I consider it THE cardinal sin.
You can clearly tell when someone has used AI and when you run stories through AI checkers, they all flag up. I do not understand why Vocal just doesn't have an AI checker that all stories run through and if it comes back as AI then put the warning on it and disqualify it from any competition entries. I do also agree with the competition entry fee for more than one story, although, Vocal competitions are a lot less popular than they used to be so this may be a nail in the coffin type of scenario.
Very well written, L.C. No, Vocal should never have allowed AI on the site. Now, we have to fight not only AI but also plagiarists.
Well said, LC! The use of AI in writing has become a real issue. I won't use it myself, beyond a spell checker. I don't think people understand the full extent of consequences of using AI... and not just the consequence to the industry, but to the individual as well. An excellent, honest, and comedic piece bringing real problems to the table! Thanks for writing this one! ALSO, I'm with you on the comments. We have a leaderboard for "most supportive commenter" but here we have a bunch of AI users commenting the most illegible things, or some weird scam advertisements. I also didn't know that accounts that publish AI generated content have placed in leaderboards, let alone CHALLENGES! That's absurd... I don't think any AI generated content should be permitted to submit to challenges... At the very least!
Absolutely!!! I just had this person respond on one of my stories and I reported him. He subscribed to me (blah!!) and I wish we could block them like we can with people on Facebook. I use an editing program to help me edit and I don't even like using the programs help to come up with sentence re-wording, lol. These asshats are getting unbearable!
I loveeeeee the fact that you didn't hide his identity and that you made it your cover photo! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 He commented on two of my pieces, "my write Reads please" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I like the fee idea for challenges. I'm totally on board for no AI at all on Vocal and the consequences for whoever uses AI.
Warming up a TV dinner doesn't make you a chef, driving a pick-up doesn't make you a truck driver, plugging in a thumb drive doesn't make you a programmer. Why the hell does having AI write a story for you make you think your a writer. Ineptitude is everywhere.
I freak’n laughed when I read his bio and thought ‘did he not take out the Ai comment’ then you confirmed it. I really am trying to stay calm throughout all this. Stepping away from Vocal worked wonders for me. I have submitted a few pieces and will continue as I have so many unfinished projects and mostly like the group of ‘Real ‘ writers. However I am receiving traction on other sites, Vocal feels like home with guest who promised to stay for Only the weekend but it is now a month. As with DK article and yours even Mike has added his view I agree with most things said or verbalized. It will never be perfect but it can be a whole hell of a lot better. I may add a piece about my take in this. Thank you for writing this. And as for the ‘chill bro’ comment form a certain individual that made me angrier than the spammers. And that is saying something. Cheers
Thank you so much for calling attention to this. As someone who puts a lot of effort into vocal challenges I’ve wondered a bit recently about AI entries, but not enough to actually investigate. I sincerely appreciate the effort you put into this, and I hope this gets the traction it deserves.
😂😂😂 I can feel your rage there... Completely warranted as well. I never understood those AI pieces. I guess they're spamming the site with them for the views and consequent pay, but I don't think they would get views on them because I can literally ask some AI to write something on the same topic, so why would I read theirs? The whole point in reading others work (particularly in the type of topics these AI guys usually use) is to get their personal opinions and feelings on the topic. These AI pieces are just info dumps... Completely pointless. thankfully it is pretty obvious when it's AI written, as you said there is no particular voice to the writing. I don't know if vocal can affectively block AI wiring without affecting their traffic (which I'm sure they have to care about), but I do hope they limit them somehow... And I like the idea of the entry fees for the competitions
Wow, you found the absolutely perfect profile to go off on regarding this. I think each of your suggestions would definitely help weed out the problem before it chokes the entire site.
Totally agree. That's one of the reasons I haven't been on here as much anymore. I hate the fake comments and having to decipher what's genuine. Hope Vocal listens. I hope this makes top story!
HMM! Getting a little authoritarian there, bro. Geeze, wow your anger shines through the whole story. Plagiarism has been around forever. AI has just happened! It is new. I use AI as a tool. A TOOL! The joker you mentioned is a complete faux person and his whole life, if there is one, is rooted in dishonesty and criminal activities. Unfortunately, there will be many of these on different websites. Vocal is not unique. However, to become an authoritarian site as you suggest would actually backfire ion Vocal and people who write from their heart and soul. If this became an authoritarian site, I would download my hard work, publish on my own site. As a person who has just started back to publishing as an old lady I do not want the drama to deal with people pouring over colleagues stories and crutiqueing everyone as a possible criminal of AI and plagiarism. That is extreme,y negative. CHILL BRO!
Hear, hear! I would go so far as to say only V+ accounts should exist. There are some non V+ established creators who I would give an exemption to, but no new ones allowed. Even if Vocal was to take your recommendation wholeheartedly, there's still nothing to stop the malicious accounts from stealing our work and publishing on another platform. It happened to me last week when I found my recent TS plagiarized 3 times - twice on Vocal and once on Medium. I'm so discouraged that I haven't even entered the now active poetry challenge. Why bother if some ass is going to steal what I write?