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AI-generated stories rated better quality than human-written ones, study finds

Researcher says simpler writing by AI is easier to read and digest, but this does not mean human authors are obsolete

AI-generated stories rated better quality than human-written ones, study finds

TL;DR

  • Adult participants rated AI-generated short stories as more absorbing and of higher quality than human-written stories.
  • Participants gave higher ratings to stories they believed were written by humans, indicating a preference for perceived human authorship.
  • The ability to distinguish between human and AI-written stories was poor, with accuracy rates close to or below chance in experiments.
  • Greater expertise with AI systems was linked to more accurate guessing of story authorship.
  • The preference for human-labelled stories may stem from a desire for authenticity, but AI stories were perceived as easier to read.
  • Concerns exist that AI is an existential threat, built on vast amounts of stolen writing and with significant environmental impact.