"Once Upon A Time..."
Come Play 'AINGO' With Me!
AI is here, and in all likelihood it is here to stay. That means here on Vocal, too. AI IS permitted as a tool for Vocal creators, as long as the Policy is followed:
Reading the entire Vocal-generated policy is the best thing to do, but I know that there will always be a few people that want the Cliff's Notes version, so here it is, lifted directly from the linked article above:
"AI-generated content on Vocal should be labeled clearly as such. This labeling should be included at the beginning of the content itself as well as in any accompanying materials, whether it be links to AI-generated content or AI-generated images within the story. All AI-generated content should also be clearly attributed to the AI software that generated it. If you dabble with AI-generated content on Vocal, it is important to also be aware of the potential for copyright infringement."
But Wait! I've NEVER Seen That Done....
Oh, honey, neither have I. But the lack of following the policy doesn't mean that there is no policy. It means that Vocal hasn't found a way to monitor and administer accountability yet. And, that truly IS a big job. Just take a look at the new Latest Stories tab and watch the content load! While this parade of content can be overwhelming, it's also a handy place to practice identifying AI-generated content. And, to make it fun, I've gamified it with AINGO (aka AI Bingo) for stories.
AINGO
To Play:
- A fast round of the game can be played by clicking on the Latest Stories tab and looking for 'Once Upon a Time' as the first sentence. Most, but not all, AI-generated 'fiction' stories start with this., so most players can check that box off complete right away. In the rare instance that you don't quickly find a story to check on the Latest Story tab, check the Fiction home page.
- NOTE- Many actual fairy tales also start that way, so, as with any identifier, this isn't a rock-solid proof of AI, but it IS a great indicator. Of course, if this was a retelling of an actual existing fairy tale, that should also be noted and attributed.
- Read through the content and look for the other identifiers. An innocent (child, young woman, valiant price, etc.) seeks (peace, experience, adventure, treasure). They may find a magic item (keys are popular) or meet a wise person, (wizard, sage, magic dragon) that helps them. Everyone is amazed, the world is a better place now, and their story lives on forever.
- Not shown on the AINGO card are other common elements: a lack of dialogue between the 'characters', vivid description of the village (mountain, cave, forest, town), and a steady 'admiring' narrative. And, inexplicably to me, the name of the location, wise man, princess, or dragon may very well be 'Eldoria'; my guess is that is sounds magical fairy-tale-ish.
- Let me know in the comments if you were able to make a 3-in-a-row AINGO on the first story you read. Then, choose a few more 'Once Upon a Time' stories to test the game.
So- AI is just for Fiction, then?
Ah, no, my dear! The AINGO card above is just for fiction, but there are plenty of AI-generated non-fiction stories. They can be a bit trickier to find, but with practice you can do it. My next post on non-fiction AI content will be linked below once it goes live.
In the meantime, please check out my guide to Making BIG MONEY on Vocal using AI.
I appreciate you reading my non-AI-generated thoughts! While you’re here, please choose one or more of the ways below to interact with me and the other writers on Vocal.
FIVE ways to interact with writers on Vocal:
1. Leave a comment and share your thoughts. What did I miss on the AINGO sheet? Did you get three in a row? Were you able to cover the whole sheet in one story?
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About the Creator
Judey Kalchik
It's my time to find and use my voice.
Poetry, short stories, memories, and a lot of things I think and wish I'd known a long time ago.
You can also find me on Medium
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Comments (13)
Very interesting insights. Have you tested your theory with any authors of either fiction or non-fiction stories? I have been looking for ways to tell the difference myself. There are many AI platforms that have been developed over the last few years to help detect when AI has been used for a writing project, Amazon has this Tech, but even though it has been trained on one of the largest learning models it is still unable to detect AI on a consistent basis. I would like to see someday how people stack up to the programs when looking for AI-generated works. Great story.
Great article. I missed this one before.
Haha, anytime I see "Once upon a time," it is a huge turnoff for me. Thank you for writing this!!
Good stuff!
Not heard of this one before but it reminded me of the old fan fiction and short story generators I saw and the barrel of laughs we pave had with them.
Thank you for the cliff notes AI policy! I’m a little wary of AI but might need to try it!
Fun & informative article, Judey. Not to mention the game. So, "Once upon a time there was a little girl of valiant heart who met a dragon with it's mage in the (lavishly described) forest of Eldoria...."
This is great! I remember fooling around with AI with a friend from college and your observations hit all of the nails on the head. All of the stories that were generated were very much cookie-cutter, ham-fisted imitations of stories with no real creativity, originality, or substance, things even the most elementary human writing has. This article was great.
Yep. Nailed it! Also, I’m gonna be singing “A I N G O” while reading latest stories now lol.
What would be fun is have 3 well known vocal writers a microfiction. Maybe from a list of ten to choose from. Give them characters, setting and plot. Don’t disclose who they are and see who gets it correct.
Very informative and interesting Judey! '(It) is important to also be aware of the potential for copyright infringement.' Since all AI can do is copy from human sources copyright infringement is practically unavoidable, isn't it? I wouldn't want to be in Vocal's shoes policing this policy. (Or teachers or editors for that matter.) As usual, your article provides a full-sized meal for thought!
Excellent Judey! 😎🥰 The first sentence is the most important one in any story or article. Many A.I. poems and story’s lead with an indefinite or indefinite article (Ex. A, An, or The.). Then there’s syntax. A writers written voice is like a fingerprint. A.I. sounds odd when read like when I’m on the phone with I.T. Support from another land. Recently when reading a new writer and suspect A.I. (non-disclosed of course) I comment “Is this A.I.?” The most common response is, “How did you know?” 🤣. I’m not telling them. If you can’t write you can’t proof and edit. We are safe until A.I. copies your or my written voice and clones us. I wonder if there will ever be a way to patent your written style and voice? Me, I’m not worried, but noted authors should be.
Lol! ❤️ Love it! (This could also be a very quick drinking game!) 🤣