AI-generated replies

GingerTim

eskbanker said:

user1977 said:

I've noticed quite a few forum members simply running a question through their generative AI machine of choice and copying and pasting the result (sometimes openly stating where the answer came from, sometimes not, but still fairly obvious - this being an example). Some are obviously post-building spammers but others aren't.

I think the forum ought to have some form of stance on this, as the answers aren't necessarily being sense-checked by the human who is posting it (I appreciate many human-generated answers aren't helpful or accurate either!). Worried we may end up with a bunch of chatbots arguing with each other!

Any thoughts?

I agree that they grate, especially where unattributed, but how would AI-generated responses be identified?  Currently the process for identifying misleading or unhelpful posts is completely dependent on other members spotting the flaws and reporting rule breaches, and I'm struggling to think how the process for AI responses could be any different, and arguably there shouldn't even be any need for it to be different, i.e. a post should be judged on its accuracy or helpfulness regardless of source.

Another indicator is that one user who has been posting AI dross managed to post three massive posts in the space of four minutes!

Aretnap

GingerTim said:

eskbanker said:

user1977 said:

I've noticed quite a few forum members simply running a question through their generative AI machine of choice and copying and pasting the result (sometimes openly stating where the answer came from, sometimes not, but still fairly obvious - this being an example). Some are obviously post-building spammers but others aren't.

I think the forum ought to have some form of stance on this, as the answers aren't necessarily being sense-checked by the human who is posting it (I appreciate many human-generated answers aren't helpful or accurate either!). Worried we may end up with a bunch of chatbots arguing with each other!

Any thoughts?

I agree that they grate, especially where unattributed, but how would AI-generated responses be identified?  Currently the process for identifying misleading or unhelpful posts is completely dependent on other members spotting the flaws and reporting rule breaches, and I'm struggling to think how the process for AI responses could be any different, and arguably there shouldn't even be any need for it to be different, i.e. a post should be judged on its accuracy or helpfulness regardless of source.

Another indicator is that one user who has been posting AI dross managed to post three massive posts in the space of four minutes!

Which incidentally illustrates why "just say why the AI generated nonsense is wrong" or "let each post stand on its own merits" aren't really adequate responses. Brandolini's Law applies - it takes more energy to refute garbage than it does to create it, and so the internet is full of unrefuted garbage. AI will exacerbate the problem by making it an order of magnitude easier to create garbage, but no easier to refute it.

PHK

Really, 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/profile/3179972/FlaatusGoat

Is posting lengthy, inaccurate and irrelevant posts in various forums. All with the same cutesy American home - spun tone. 

They are definitely generated by AI and it's concerning that MSE is allowing this to happen. 

MSE needs to get a grip of AI nonsense before it ruins the forums. 

GingerTim

Aretnap said:

GingerTim said:

eskbanker said:

user1977 said:

I've noticed quite a few forum members simply running a question through their generative AI machine of choice and copying and pasting the result (sometimes openly stating where the answer came from, sometimes not, but still fairly obvious - this being an example). Some are obviously post-building spammers but others aren't.

I think the forum ought to have some form of stance on this, as the answers aren't necessarily being sense-checked by the human who is posting it (I appreciate many human-generated answers aren't helpful or accurate either!). Worried we may end up with a bunch of chatbots arguing with each other!

Any thoughts?

I agree that they grate, especially where unattributed, but how would AI-generated responses be identified?  Currently the process for identifying misleading or unhelpful posts is completely dependent on other members spotting the flaws and reporting rule breaches, and I'm struggling to think how the process for AI responses could be any different, and arguably there shouldn't even be any need for it to be different, i.e. a post should be judged on its accuracy or helpfulness regardless of source.

Another indicator is that one user who has been posting AI dross managed to post three massive posts in the space of four minutes!

Which incidentally illustrates why "just say why the AI generated nonsense is wrong" or "let each post stand on its own merits" aren't really adequate responses. Brandolini's Law applies - it takes more energy to refute garbage than it does to create it, and so the internet is full of unrefuted garbage. AI will exacerbate the problem by making it an order of magnitude easier to create garbage, but no easier to refute it.

Faintly amused that this person has just claimed that they reject the charge of posting AI generated stuff, and that they 'thoroughly research' ... with an obviously AI-generated post. The MSE forums are going to become useless if it permits this stuff.

PHK

Brie said:

sorry for the sidetracking .....

I quite agree that wrong answers are not a good thing and I've been corrected a couple of times by those who know better - for which I'm grateful.  

But for AI replies - how can you spot that's what they are?  As opposed to someone just typing a bit about what they think they know??  I don't know what is from AI in the example shown in the original post.

Perhaps you can answer, why is MSE not taking action to protect the forums? It shouldn't be up to users to educate MSE on the pitfalls  of AI. 

booneruk

It shouldn't be too difficult for a forum to be modified to scan all posts against an AI checker and injecting "SUSPECTED AI" or something into the posts appropriately. Or just automatically delete 100% AI detections straight off the bat.

It is a shame this is happening. What do people hope to achieve by copying and pasting the long winded robotic guff excreted from ChatGPT et al straight into a forum?

Pollycat

PHK said:

Brie said:

sorry for the sidetracking .....

I quite agree that wrong answers are not a good thing and I've been corrected a couple of times by those who know better - for which I'm grateful.  

But for AI replies - how can you spot that's what they are?  As opposed to someone just typing a bit about what they think they know??  I don't know what is from AI in the example shown in the original post.

Perhaps you can answer, why is MSE not taking action to protect the forums? It shouldn't be up to users to educate MSE on the pitfalls  of AI. 

Hopefully, one of the MSE mods will be along after the weekend to comment on this thread. 
I'm another who is concerned about AI generated responses that may be incorrect.

Brie

Pollycat said:

PHK said:

Brie said:

sorry for the sidetracking .....

I quite agree that wrong answers are not a good thing and I've been corrected a couple of times by those who know better - for which I'm grateful.  

But for AI replies - how can you spot that's what they are?  As opposed to someone just typing a bit about what they think they know??  I don't know what is from AI in the example shown in the original post.

Perhaps you can answer, why is MSE not taking action to protect the forums? It shouldn't be up to users to educate MSE on the pitfalls  of AI. 

Hopefully, one of the MSE mods will be along after the weekend to comment on this thread. 
I'm another who is concerned about AI generated responses that may be incorrect.

All good points.  I did try to report what appeared to be an AI post and it does seem to have been removed.  The problem there can be that before removal happens other posters may reference the post which then makes their comments confusing once the AI one is removed.  (as in "see the wrong AI info above")

I'll raise this on the ambassadors' board to ensure it's looked into further.

noitsnotme

Here’s a new user and more AI generated rubbish - https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6577187/what-should-you-do-if-you-don-t-know-how-to-start-your-business-plan

It’s going to become a big problem very fast if they don’t do something to control it.

Grumpy_chap

noitsnotme said:

Here’s a new user and more AI generated rubbish - https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6577187/what-should-you-do-if-you-don-t-know-how-to-start-your-business-plan

It’s going to become a big problem very fast if they don’t do something to control it.

Posts of that nature can best be resolved using the spam feature