Top 3 Ethical and Professional Uses of AI as a Writer on Vocal

One of my favorite expressions that I’ve coined about reading and writing while keeping up with technology relates to the best-selling book of all time: the Bible.

This is not a religious debate, so please hear me out. I use the Bible as an example because it is an ancient book that has been historically well received and respected.

The expression I coined is this:

“Does it not count as reading the Bible because it’s not on papyrus?”

The implication is that it is okay to blend our unique voices and words with modern technology. Bible writers, translators, copyists, publishers, and readers have been doing this for over 3,500 years.

The very first words that became part of the Bible were from God to Moses and were recorded with God’s own hand on Mount Sinai on two clay tablets. Yes, that is correct. TABLETS.

So, if you read the Bible on an iPad, you are technically closer to the original writings. Technology has come full circle.

I think we finally need to take this conversation from the comments section to the main screen:

What is the proper use versus the improper use of AI in the stories we write?

Now, I’m not talking about Vocal’s rules. They seem to allow articles that are completely written by AI, like ChatGPT, so long as we slide the toggle admitting that’s the case.

However, the feedback among writers is that it’s obvious when a story is written completely by AI. We can tell because many of us do use AI with our writing. Don’t misunderstand me. We use it as a tool to improve our writing, not to replace our voice.

So, I’m going to present my list of what I believe are the Top 3 ethical and professional uses of AI. I’ve compiled this list from conversations with other writers whom I respect very much. They each have a personal voice displayed through their unique writing styles.

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Top 3 Ethical and Professional Uses of AI as a Writer on Vocal

1. Use AI the way you would use an editor

Okay, this may be an example of AI taking someone’s job, but honestly, I held back from publishing my books and stories for decades because I sucked at editing and couldn’t afford to hire anyone to do it for me.

My style and voice are sloppy. That’s a core part of my personality. I throw things against the wall to see what sticks. It’s not always polished, but it’s raw, it’s real, and my current vocabulary is often just a crude method of displaying the depths of the thoughts and emotions that rush over me and need to be expelled onto the page.

Personally, I would rather read a story like that than an extremely polished one from an author with a master’s degree in English literature.

For decades, I was self-conscious about my inability to activate the 13 years of English classes that were forced upon me before I even knew I might want to write one day.

So should I be penalized because I didn’t fully pay attention at 8:45 a.m. in ninth-grade English I?

I remembered enough to know that when AI edits my grammar, punctuation, and spelling, it’s usually correct.

“Oh yeah, that’s right. That’s when you use a colon. Thanks for the reminder, ChatGPT!”

“Oh shoot, you’re right. I used the wrong form of their, there, and they’re.”

I actually don’t because I’m a total nerd about that stuff, but you get my point.

And if you’re texting a girl and she notices proper grammar and it gets her excited, congratulations. You’ve found yourself a winner. 😏

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2. Using AI for research

AI is an amazing tool for research. It feels like all of mankind’s history has been fed into this robotic brain, and it spits back facts and details about things you could otherwise only know through firsthand experience.

If you’re writing a fiction story about a place that exists only in your imagination because you’ve never actually been there, AI is an awesome tool for feeding details into that imagination and making it feel real, alive, and believable to readers.

Why ruin a story because you looked something up too late and discovered that lions no longer exist in Asia… even though they once did?

AI isn’t the only tool for facts and research, though.

The people who love hating in your comments are tools for that as well.

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3. Using Ai for Images as headers for your story

We are writers. Not photographers. Not visual artists.

Though I have learned that many of my fellow writers on Vocal are incredibly artistic and talented in areas like painting and music.

Good for them.

My brother could draw. I cannot.

So I use AI to create images for my stories, and I caption them accordingly.

If one of these stories ever becomes a book, I promise to pay an artist for the imagery. Fair enough? Good.

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There is so much more that could be said on this subject. This was just a top-three list for an article that is already too long.

Please put your thoughts in the comments below…

…but don’t be a tool. 😂

Love you all, and I’m rooting for your success!

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Author’s note: I asked ChatGPT to edit my grammar, punctuation, and spelling for this article. It tried to add one sentence to one paragraph which I immediately changed back to the original and then forced it back into its cage.