We used to wonder if films set in the future would turn out to be prophetic. Now we are going through a time when artificial intelligence it got us thinking if it “swallows” us and where science fiction has now begun to confront itself.

There shouldn’t be anyone who hasn’t been tempted to ask about things lately. ChatGPT to get answers… if not science fiction, then certainly surreal. Of course, this is not just an “innocent” chatbot that can entertain us, but an artificial intelligence capability that even raises ethical questions.

Will AI go so far as to write texts that will even replace entire jobs? And if that happens, should we see it as a reduction in potential jobs, or as an opportunity for more creative absorption of people who use the written word as a tool for their work? How much can we trust… robots? Is it correct to write the text with the help of AI, and if so, does it own the full copyright of this text? And ultimately, is artificial intelligence becoming more of an opportunity or a threat?

The above questions are addressed in a recent news item regarding a sci-fi magazine. Clarksworld. A publication that began in October 2006 as a monthly periodical and has 197 issues to date.

Clarkesworld’s paper and digital pages feature science fiction stories. Fiction readers/writers can also submit their own stories.

The last possibility, of course, put on a break until further notice. As the editor-in-chief of Clarkesworld himself explained, Neil Clark, the reason is nothing else than the fact that in the corresponding applications entering the journal, now the number of texts processed by automated means has become alarming and the journal cannot manage these texts. It is significant, as Clark himself said, only to him February they accepted 700 applications with texts written by people and 500 written and processed by artificial intelligence.

Shows are currently closed. It’s not hard to guess why.

— Clarksworld (@clarkesworld) February 20, 2023

As the magazine’s editor-in-chief explains in a lengthy explanatory Twitter thread, the people causing this issue are people outside of the science fiction and fantasy community, people who just they want to make easy money with ChatGPT.

You might think that Clarkesworld might just use some tool that detects AI generated content and fight the spam that reaches his email. Of course, everything is not so simple. As Neil Clark writes, “External identification tools cost more than magazines can afford and have holes. To accept their use would be tantamount to excluding entire countries.”

If, on the other hand, the publication tried to filter the stories reaching it, for example, granting access only to users who have previously posted content to the magazine; another problem arises again. “This will automatically exclude new authors, which is unacceptable. It is a vital part of our ecosystem and our future,” explains the editor-in-chief.

All this makes the use of artificial intelligence similar to like a lernaean hydra that with each new manifestation, other, often unstable factors arise, for which in most cases we are not yet armed with the “weapons” and reflexes necessary to successfully combat them.

It goes without saying that AI and features such as ChatGPT will continue to worry us more and more, and we will see how they are assimilated in different ways and for different purposes. As everything shows, of course, we are still far from the moment when everything will work like clockwork. Beyond Clarkesworld, an Australian magazine “Grimdark” which also works in science fiction, has temporarily stopped accepting submissions for the same reason.

For the end, of course, we saved the big question and asked ChatGPT to answer it for us:

The answer is:

“Whether it is ethical for a magazine to publish stories written by artificial intelligence is a complex question with no easy answer. It depends on various factors such as the nature of the story, the target audience, and the purpose of the publication.

»On the one hand, AI content can offer many benefits such as speed, efficiency, and value for money. AI can quickly analyze large amounts of data and create stories based on predetermined factors, which can be useful for news outlets and other media that need to release large amounts of content on a daily basis. In addition, AI content can be used to provide personalized content that can enhance the reader’s experience.

»On the other hand, ethical issues need to be taken into account. For example, AI-generated content may lack the human element needed to create interesting and compelling stories. However, the use of AI in content production can raise concerns about copyright and the role of authors in the creative process.

»In general, it may be ethical for a journal to publish AI-written articles as long as their content is accurate, informative, and relevant to its target audience.

“However, news organizations also need to be transparent about the use of AI in content creation and give credit to the creators who have contributed to this process. In addition, they should consider the potential impact of AI content on the job market for writers and other media industry professionals.

»It is still important to consider potential biases that may be present in AI content. AI is only as impartial as the data it learns from, and whether that data is biased or incomplete, AI content can also be the same. This can harm individual units or groups, perpetuate stereotypes, or reinforce pre-existing prejudices.

» So, while it may be ethical for a journal to publish articles written by artificial intelligence, the media should carefully weigh the potential pros and cons of using such content. There must still be transparency regarding the use of artificial intelligence and ensuring content is accurate, informative, relevant and unbiased.

“Ultimately, news organizations must prioritize the interests of their audiences, as well as consider the broader social footprint of their actions.”

However, in this case, ChatGPT is not so bad. – and it scares us.