It was inevitable. It was only a matter of time. Of course, the argument can certainly be made that we’re well behind the curve. But—full disclosure—as of this issue, this magazine is publishing a few Atlanta Briefs that were edited by humans but were originally written by ChatGPT. 

If there’s one value that this editorial staff embraces and enshrines, it’s integrity. To us, integrity is the foundation for everything—starting with readers’ trust. We have adopted and continue to adhere to the perspective and ethics of traditional journalism, which, to borrow a phrase, comes down to “fair and balanced.” While we’re at a point in time when society is beginning to grapple with the ethics of using artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, one thing is clear to me: when we use it to help us write an article, we must let you, our readers, know. Transparency, after all, is a significant factor in developing and maintaining integrity. 

Thus, from this point forward, please know that we will be using ChatGPT to help us write many, if not most, of our Atlanta Briefs. 

Our news briefs, of course, are a logical place to start because they’re short—250 words maximum—and they’re usually derived from a single source. Also, perhaps most importantly, they do not require creativity in their writing. We’ve determined that the AI tool can’t write headlines; there’s no point in asking it to anymore. Briefs are quick and to the point, while good feature stories are written well enough to draw readers in—and that requires creativity. One should never say “never,” but I can’t imagine ChatGPT writing any opening paragraphs of feature stories for us. 

Our next step will be to see how ChatGPT performs in writing simple feature stories—except for the opening and closing paragraphs. Because we’re a small business with limited resources, one thing that we haven’t been able to do is publish more Community Spotlights, features that highlight unique Atlanta businesses and nonprofits. Spotlights are pretty straightforward, although they can be more complex than Atlanta Briefs because we are committed to seeking out at least three human sources with whom we conduct personal interviews. I assume that ChatGPT will be successful in this endeavor, in which case article bylines will include the phrase “with assistance from ChatGPT.”

That said, another consideration is where we publish: in print and/or online. It costs us a great deal more to do the former than the latter. So, while I imagine we will be able to produce more Community Spotlights, we will likely choose to publish many, if not most, of them online only. 

Beyond briefs and simple features, I can see ChatGPT helping us think through writing projects that involve three or more stories. I don’t have enough experience with ChatGPT to guess whether it will be able to help us write portions of such articles. Generally, special sections and series are much more complex than Community Spotlights, and those who write them have to integrate information from multiple sources and weave multiple threads together. Perhaps that’s too much to ask of ChatGPT. 

Perhaps the biggest concern for anyone using ChatGPT is the quality of its sources. In fact, ChatGPT does an excellent job of stating the issue: “AI models, including ChatGPT, are trained on vast datasets that may contain inaccuracies. They generate responses based on patterns in data rather than factual accuracy or deep understanding. This can lead to the dissemination of misinformation if not properly checked. Ensuring that the AI-generated content is accurate and reliable is paramount, especially in news reporting where factual correctness is crucial.”

Thus, I can say unequivocally that we’ll never rely on unidentified sources used by ChatGPT. Indeed, we supplied the AI with all the information it would need for the news briefs, and we’ll certainly maintain that practice with Community Spotlights. 

So, maybe I take back what I said about “never” above. As far as this magazine is concerned, ChatGPT will never write this letter, nor will it write columns for Walking Each Other Home, although I will have to insert a clause into writers’ contracts about them not using it to write their pieces! 

In conclusion, this publication has embarked on using AI in the form of ChatGPT to help us research and write articles. As with all emerging phenomena, there are many unanswered questions, and it is our intent to address them if they intersect with issues of editorial integrity. Do you have concerns? How do you feel about it? Write a letter to the editor and let us know what you think! (Send to [email protected]). However, keep in mind that we might have to ask you to pledge that an AI tool didn’t write it for you. ❧

---

 Publisher of Natural Awakenings Atlanta since 2017, Paul Chen’s professional background includes strategic planning, marketing management and qualitative research. He practices Mahayana Buddhism and kriya yoga. Contact him at [email protected].