My AI is being an A-hole
I’m still wrestling with my AI software, whom the developer has named Jasper, but who acts more like a Brad. If Brad is that know-it-all intern, new to the job but bringing a superiority complex, with under-developed empathy and listening skills. I am learning that AI is a tool. In more ways than one.
In this post, I wrote about my early efforts using the AI software Jasper. In those early days it became clear that the output I got with AI was only as good as the prompts I put in. So I’ve been playing with it more, to see if I can improve what I tell Jasper, so that he can improve the paragraphs he spits out.
I’m trying to be very specific in my prompts and clear in my tone of voice direction. We know that asking Jasper to “Write a blog about…” nets short, shallow, uninspired prose. So I took the time to “engage power mode” which breaks your writing project down into sections, allowing you to input prompts paragraph by paragraph. For practice, I tried writing an “expert” article for the client-of-a-client in the US.
(I don’t typically accept work that involves ghostwriting content, because I don’t like the outsourced-expert approach to content creation. I love working with clients eager to write their own ideas in their own voice; I help them write better, more often. So I thought I’d see if Jasper could help me create good content for an industry I know nothing about. He persisted in being an a-hole.)
He repeats what I say, then takes credit.
Me: In this paragraph, explain how accurate data and current statistics can help law enforcement defend and demonstrate their critical contribution.
Jasper: The vital role of law enforcement officers in today's society cannot be overstated. (A little over the top, dude.) A combination of accurate data and current statistics (my words) are absolutely essential for (a hyperbolic rewrite) law enforcement to have the resources they need to properly maintain public safety and combat criminal activity. The ability to defend and demonstrate their critical contribution (exactly my words!) depends on the availability of up-to-date data and information, so it is more important now than ever for us all (empty filler words) to prioritize the continued recording of such information (who writes like this?). By doing so (🤮), we provide our law enforcement officers with a shield of armor against risk and uncertainty, enabling them to fulfill their duties with confidence and strength.
Sigh. When I asked you to explain how the police make use of crime stats, I was looking for something a little more concrete than 'it gives them more confidence and strength’. Thanks for mansplaining; I’m off to find some actual examples of data applications.
He refuses to do his research.
Jasper is fast, but lazy. He won’t even google.
Me: Find statistics that show crime rates in the USA are going up, while law enforcement agencies in the US are working with smaller budgets.
Jasper: The evidence is clear that crime rates in the US continue to rise, indicating that there may be a disconnect between the level of crime and our resources for law enforcement. Unfortunately, many agencies are working with a smaller budget, making it difficult for them to maintain sufficient personnel to combat current levels of crime.
Not helpful, man. I asked for statistics. Was the “find” prompt unclear? Now I have to go through your hard-working cousin Google, who does a much better job at finding. In fact, according to Google results, it is evident that crime rates in the US are NOT rising. And enforcement budgets have NOT significantly decreased, despite the pandemic and Defund the Police movements. So thanks for setting me up, Brad.
AI lesson 2. Do your research. Jasper writes sentences but you still need Google to get answers (and we all know the shortcomings of googling stuff).
He lacks subtlety; even feels a little judgemental.
One of the selling features of my pal Jasper is how versatile he is. How he’s been “trained to write original, creative content.” You can direct his writing style. My first experiments urging Jasper to write casually and conversationally were okay: contractions - good, but too many question marks, and random colloquial expressions as if to show how “of the people” he was. This time I tried to swing the pendulum further towards the extremes to get clear, distinct writing styles.
Me: Rewrite this paragraph: There is a 12-month delay between when data is released and the timeframe it covers. In 2020, several large cities did not submit data. Compounding this problem is the FBI’s recently changed reporting system, which is more detailed but harder for agencies to compile, and will affect the amount of data the agency releases this year.
Tone: serious, professional, academic
Jasper: In 2020, data was released a full year late with several notable cities failing to submit their information. Those researching the FBI's report were met by an increased difficulty due to its revised system that requires more exact facts and figures; this has led to reduced availability of data from the agency compared in previous years. It is essential for users of these reports to be mindful (woah, back off… we’re doing our best) as they assess its content given such delays and hindrances.
Me: same paragraph. Tone: casual, friendly, empathetic
Jasper: With 2020's data release delay, and fewer cities submitting information due to the more labor-intensive FBI reporting system overhaul (wow that was a mouthful), it might seem like we're missing out on some key crime statistics. The silver lining? We have a better understanding of the full picture than ever before! (wait, what?)
Jasper thinks that slapping an exclamation mark makes you warm and friendly. Well, you’re not fooling me, buddy.
Like getting stuck with a bad intern, I have to micromanage this guy to complete his work.
Playing around with the inputs and voice directions, doubling back on the research, and then editing to make the ~750 word count article sound informed, relevant and human took me 3 hours. That’s about 2 hours less than ghostwriting this kind of content would take me, but I also wasn’t thrilled with the final version. The research was slim, the content lacked insight, and the writing was still too wooden to pass as a strong, branded piece of valuable content the target audience would benefit from reading.
Brad/Jasper is FAST. He can definitely rewrite quickly, presenting you with different (often more awkward) ways of saying exactly what you type in. It’s like working with a Thesaurus 2.0. And we all know what it’s like to read a high school essay that has leaned too heavily on the thesaurus.
Listen… unlike an intern, AI won’t be gone in 3 months.
If Brad’s going to be in my face insisting he can help, then I’m going to figure out how to assign him appropriate tasks. There’s no point ignoring him, and also a danger if we trust him to do too much. I’m now working with ChatGPT too -- a free, deep-learning AI that is more multidisciplinary. (Jasper is designed as a copywriter, writing high-converting sales copy.) You can ask ChatGPT to fix code, explain a concept, suggest birthday gifts for your husband… ChatGPT chats back and forth with you “like” a human, but is still a machine, scouring what’s on the internet, and doesn’t and can’t care about your husband or his reaction to the gifts you bring him.
These resources are designed to “learn” and improve the more we use them. I’m going top keep playing around. I’ll keep you posted. Because it always pays to keep an eye on the intern.