In Defense of AI Writing From a Writer Who Doesn't AI-Write

Against elitism and in favor of the democratization of creative freedom

Author and writer Vauhini Vara published a wonderful essay last week. Entitled Confessions of a Viral AI Writer in reference to an article she co-wrote with GPT-3 in 2021 that became, against all odds, her best work ever, it tells the story of her relationship with AI.

She beautifully describes in some 5,000 words the complex dynamics that inevitably arise between writers and AI writing tools; the few early adopters who want to explore the possibilities they offer face resentment from those who don’t. Those who try, she argues, may find that AI is not as helpful as it’s been portrayed. She guides us through the rollercoaster of emotions she experienced as a writer willing to tap into the promise of AI—and who eventually succeeded at it only to become disappointed, falling out of love in the end.

Earlier this week I recommended you read her essay in full. I do it again today. It’s eloquent and insightful for writers and AI enthusiasts alike (more so for AI enthusiasts who happen to be writers). The primary reason I want you to give it a try, however, is that it accurately reflects what has been my stance, as a writer myself, on the topic.

I’m not so sure anymore. I’m not here to double down on Vara’s view but to put on the contrarian suit to support and advocate for the opposite perspective. I could only dream of matching Vara’s skill with words, so I will instead battle her ideas. I’ll take over from her own reasoning and steer it to support AI writing. (You don’t need to read her piece to follow mine.)

I’m not doing it because I’m altruistic or because I like to play contrarian (I do like it, though). My reason today is simpler than that: I found, hidden in her evocative prose, an argument that made me reconsider my position.

In favor of democratizing creative freedom

At around three-quarters of the way, Vara makes a momentary attempt at doing the contrarian play herself, excited by the prospect that AI could help “democratize creative freedom.” Instead, she finds a (good) reason to disregard the idea and ends on a note we’ve seen from many authors and writers before (me included); AI might not be good for writers or writing.

Vara would eventually move on from that attempt to redirect her thesis but I couldn’t. One sentence, in particular, blew me away and immediately took me to the antipodes of my own beliefs.