Thank you all for your thoughtful comments on the SBO and AI thread. I started the thread to get a sense of how the community felt about members using AI to generate their responses to questions raised in the forums.
Thirty-five years ago, when I moderated my first forum on America Online, I found it fascinating that AOL members were forming friendships and groups, a new style of community was forming as members sought human connections online. That desire for a human connection was clearly evident today in the SBO and AI discussion. Members want to hear from other members about their experiences with whatever issue is at hand.
The AI content question must be addressed in the context of this desire for authentic human connections. Does posting AI generated content detract from the human element inherent in the forums? The sentiment was clear, it does. Posting AI generated content without attribution is deceitful. Deceit never enhances a human relationship. And let’s call it what it is, plagiarism. It is presenting information as your own when it is has been copied and pasted from another source. Plagiarism is never acceptable.
Posting AI generated content with a citation was not met with resounding support primarily because it does not reflect the member’s unique experience. It can leave the impression the poster has more experience and knowledge than he has, especially when AI returns information that is incorrect or misleading. AI content often gives the illusion of being authoritative, even when it is not. This reflects poorly on the poster.
The SBO staff does not review posts for accuracy, misinformation, or disinformation. We simply do not have the resources nor do we want to assume the responsibility for content posted by members. The SBO community has a long history of correcting misinformation, whether intentionally presented or not, in a respectful and civil manner. We expect the community to treat AI generated content in the same manner, even knowing that posting AI content without attribution is done deliberately.
To sum the community’s expectations in just a few words, don’t be a jerk and don’t post AI generated content without proper attribution.
Thank you for continuing to make SBO a great community of sailors.
Thirty-five years ago, when I moderated my first forum on America Online, I found it fascinating that AOL members were forming friendships and groups, a new style of community was forming as members sought human connections online. That desire for a human connection was clearly evident today in the SBO and AI discussion. Members want to hear from other members about their experiences with whatever issue is at hand.
The AI content question must be addressed in the context of this desire for authentic human connections. Does posting AI generated content detract from the human element inherent in the forums? The sentiment was clear, it does. Posting AI generated content without attribution is deceitful. Deceit never enhances a human relationship. And let’s call it what it is, plagiarism. It is presenting information as your own when it is has been copied and pasted from another source. Plagiarism is never acceptable.
Posting AI generated content with a citation was not met with resounding support primarily because it does not reflect the member’s unique experience. It can leave the impression the poster has more experience and knowledge than he has, especially when AI returns information that is incorrect or misleading. AI content often gives the illusion of being authoritative, even when it is not. This reflects poorly on the poster.
The SBO staff does not review posts for accuracy, misinformation, or disinformation. We simply do not have the resources nor do we want to assume the responsibility for content posted by members. The SBO community has a long history of correcting misinformation, whether intentionally presented or not, in a respectful and civil manner. We expect the community to treat AI generated content in the same manner, even knowing that posting AI content without attribution is done deliberately.
To sum the community’s expectations in just a few words, don’t be a jerk and don’t post AI generated content without proper attribution.
Thank you for continuing to make SBO a great community of sailors.
