IBS Speaks: Bloggers React to ChatGPT

Since its release to the public, Chat GPT has taken the internet by storm. ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot developed by OpenAI and released last November 2022. Since then, it has acquired both positive and negative feedback from the online community – and the Iloilo Bloggers Society also joins in the conversation.

Here, bloggers Kathy Villalon of Iloilo Updates, Sheila Mae Gomez of She Mae Gomez, and Geramar ‘Beshy’ Sazon of Hello Mga Beshies bare their thoughts on the new technology.

Is ChatGPT a tool or a threat?

Geramar: “For me, I don’t consider it as a threat but as a tool that can help a beginner in writing like me.”

Sheila: “Whatever is not in moderation is scary. ChatGPT in general is part of technology. It’s like our phones, our computers, and electric-powered appliances that help us in a way to manage day-to-day errands quicker. To have it around is quite handy but I hope we won’t end up in a life where robots control us. It should be the other way around.”

Kathy: “ChatGPT is a great “work consultant”. For example, I manage the social media platforms of certain brands. ChatGPT’s tone features are a big help for me in generating material that sounds like the brand’s identity and not my personality.”

Kathy also shares her encounters with the AI program.

“One time, I asked ChatGPT for some tips on website design and it helped me write code so it’s a great learning tool as well. The whole process of SEO (search engine optimization) which takes a long time is shortened with the use of ChatGPT. Before it would take me two to three hours of keyword research to write content. Now, ChatGPT can generate titles, subtitles, meta tags, and content in the shortest time possible,” she begins.

“But there’s one thing I observed. It’s not perfect in the sense that it lacks personalization and sometimes it generates the wrong data. ChatGPT’s results don’t sound human and there is a chance of plagiarism. So, it’s best not to rely on its results 100% and do some editing,” she adds.

Is it encouraging laziness and inauthenticity?

Sheila: “To me, it encourages creativity and genuineness. In a world full of robots, you must be that human who has a content heart. AI-generated content is faster and easier to create, in a few seconds you already have a ready-made article to post and share. That, if you are in a hurry to impress people who don’t read beyond letters. AI-generated content sounds monotonous, generic, and safe. They are like templated paragraphs. While human-generated content feels like talking to a friend. When you started to scan the letters of an article, it was like you are taken inside the world of the author – it is rich in personal experiences, reviews, little rants and raves, learnings, instructions, and tips. You can read the flaws the emotions, the ups, the downs, the rollercoaster ride. Something that you can relate to.”

Geramar: “Maybe for some. For me, I see it as a tool to help me learn. It may affect our authenticity if we allow it to. As a content creator, it can be a tool to develop skills, and I admit I need help when it comes to writing.”

Kathy: “I believe laziness and inauthenticity stem from factors outside of AI and usually start from childhood. Authenticity or the lack of it is often a choice an individual makes regardless of what tool one uses. People who grew up confident about their authenticity would probably use ChatGPT yet tweak the results according to their personality.”

Kathy adds, “Rather than encouraging laziness, I’d like to think of ChatGPT as a tool that helps you work smarter at the least possible time so that you can achieve a better work-life balance.”

Will it affect the writing skills of future generations?

Sheila: “I believe it has already affected the present generation. No new gigs are coming in content-related tasks. Academes are in the loop in creating bot-generated software. Jobs are no longer hiring content creators but mostly people who can make the article “sound human” and evade the bot-detection algorithm of search engines. But I hope the future generation would still attend their English classes on grammar, speech, and writing. So that even if power is out or the internet is problematic, you are still confident that you can arrive at creating good content.”

Geramar: “I discovered ChatGPT just recently. Yes, it may affect but, for me, it can be a learning tool for everybody.

Kathy: “There are some cases when students use ChatGPT to write essays and submit them as their own. Such is cheating and stems from a person’s values rather than AI. Thankfully, teachers have a way of knowing. But, ChatGPT will definitely improve the writing skills of future generations if used responsibly and as a learning tool.”

Key takeaways from the AI tool

Sheila: “With the advent of content creation through AI, I hope we will not lift our descriptions straight from ChatGPT without editing a word. While it is not illegal per se, let us bear in mind that real people follow us, real people read our content, and real people visit our blog and our page. They deserve no less than real-human generated content unless your numbers are bots. Stay human, friends!”

Sheila has also written a lengthy analysis of artificial technology and its impact on today’s society. Read it here: Opinion: What is my take on ChatGPT?

Geramar: “With the technology rapidly arising, this is a sign for us to embrace changes. We have the ability and let us not forget the purpose of this technology [ChatGPT]. Let’s focus on our core to create content with authenticity and let this only be our guide.

Visit Kathy’s blog ‘Iloilo Updates’ at www.iloiloupdates.home.blog, Sheila’s blog at www.shemaegomez.com, and Geramar’s at www.geramar.wordpress.com. IBS Speaks is a section on the IBS Digital website collating member insights, thoughts, and opinions about a particular topic. See more IBS Speaks articles here.