Artificial Intelligence for Outdoor Writers
Julia Goodfellow-Smith ( machine ) learns a thing or two about AI
I n the last few months , a buzz has been developing around arti�icial intelligence ( AI ) - including a discussion on the OWPG Forum
GPT3 , a natural language generation tool developed by OpenAI , has been trained on 45 terabytes of data . This is equivalent to 3-4 times the amount of reading a human can do in their lifetime and has led to AI-authored writing that is indistinguishable from human-authored writing for most readers ( Clark et al . 2021 ).
Does this development pose an existential threat to outdoor writers ?
Whether we like it or not , GPT3 and other AI ‘ foundation models ’ are forming the basis of many tools now available to generate copy . I think they provide an exciting opportunity to develop and improve our writing services . If we try to �ight AI , we will lose – it is better to learn to work with it and become AI-assisted writers .
How can outdoor writers use artificial intelligence ?
Here are �ive ways I think we can use AI in our writing businesses :
1
As a creative prompt . For example , I asked Hyperwrite to ‘ write me a description of what it ’ s like to see a �lock of gold�inches ’. The response included phrases I could imagine adapting : ‘ they look almost like sparks of light as they �lit from branch to branch ’ and ‘ when they take off in a �lock , it ’ s like a shower of gold ’. Of course , you wouldn ’ t just use the descriptions provided verbatim – we still want to write in our own voice , and AI does get things wrong , too . The same prompt suggested that they �ly in formation , something I have certainly never seen .
2
To optimise websites for search engines . AI Writer ’ s SEO Editor asks you to choose a keyword . It then generates a list of other words that will boost your search engine ranking for the selected keyword . It scores your writing , claiming that if you reach 100 , you have a 73 % chance of outranking any other website on that keyword . Our skill as writers is to maintain the integrity of the writing while using more of those words .
3
To write blurbs or sales copy . I told Ryter the title of my book , Live Your Bucket List , and inputted my existing blurb . Its suggestions for sales copy included : ‘ Ready to embark on an extraordinary journey ? Live Your Bucket List is the perfect guide to help you take charge of your life and start living your dreams today !’ And ‘ Unlock the potential inside you - get started with Live Your Bucket List today !’ If , like me , you ’ re self-published but not very good at writing sales copy , a tool like this could be handy . Nevertheless , you will need to edit the output to keep the best bits and remove the nonsense . In this case , the sales copy also included ‘ written by a certi�ied life coach ’, which is incorrect .
4
To translate . AI is making translation more viable by producing the �irst draft and thus reducing cost .
5
To narrate . Tools such as Podcastle can generate audio from text , and you can train them with your own voice . They could be useful for producing audiobooks at a lower cost .
4 outdoor focus / spring 2023