{"id":23744,"date":"2023-03-30T00:54:49","date_gmt":"2023-03-30T07:54:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/?p=23744"},"modified":"2024-01-25T02:14:39","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T10:14:39","slug":"ai-vs-human-quotes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/ai-vs-human-quotes\/","title":{"rendered":"Most People Can\u2019t Tell the Difference Between a Famous Writer Quote and an AI-Generated One – Can You?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Back in 1950, Alan Turing introduced the idea of a machine designed to \u201cthink\u201d like a human. This imitation game was merely philosophical, but it quickly became a plausible concept as technology progressed. Fast forward to 2023, and artificial intelligence (AI) is slowly replacing workers in manufacturing, delivery, and even in the arts. And most people can\u2019t tell the difference between a computer and a real person<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We decided to study this trend and test how challenging it would be to recognize AI-generated literature. <\/strong>Our AI vs human written survey included 10 quotes: 5 of them were directly from literary works of famous authors and 5 generated by Chat GPT. We then asked around 380 people if they can tell whether an AI or a human wrote each one \u2014 and the results were astonishing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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How Many People Could Identify AI?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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Most respondents could not identify a single AI-generated quote.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The survey showed that around 51% of people couldn\u2019t identify an AI generated literary quote<\/strong>. This is surprising as it shows we\u2019ve reached a point where machines can impersonate famous writers, mimic their writing style, and even reuse familiar characters.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mary Shelly\u2019s \u201cFrankenstein\u201d proved the most difficult to identify.<\/strong> While AI generated the quotes in the survey, it imitated the original writing style so well almost 70% of respondents thought it was a human creation.<\/strong> Ironically, this could mean most of us wouldn\u2019t notice if a machine wrote a story about an inanimate object coming to life. It would definitely add another turn of the screw to the horror aspect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI also created convincing replicas of quotes from Margaret Atwood, Frank Herbert, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ayn Rand. <\/strong>Over 55% of respondents believed we took these questions directly from famous books, handing computers another point in the AI vs writer battle.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fact that AI was able to discuss well-known characters from these stories<\/strong> and even use similar language and styles to these authors is probably a huge influence. It\u2019s surprising how much these computers already know\u2026 without actually knowing<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our lack of familiarity with certain writing styles<\/strong> may offer another explanation. The rise of big-screen adaptations introduced popular characters to a wider audience, unacquainted with books. This could illustrate why some respondents recognized a common quote but struggled to determine who wrote it<\/strong>. It was particularly visible with The Hunger Games<\/em>, where 52.1% of respondents wrongly assumed we quoted Suzanne Collins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vampire-werewolf Drama Is Still Tricky<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

However, our results show AI isn\u2019t entirely up to scratch when generating vampire-werewolf drama<\/strong> and some dystopian stories. Survey respondents had minimal problems identifying Stephanie Mayers and George Orwell. Only 30-35% of people thought AI was behind famous fragments from <\/strong>Twilight<\/em><\/strong> <\/strong>and 1984<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This could stem from the fact an average reader engages with these styles more<\/strong> often than others. George Orwell is still a best-selling dystopian author, while Stephanie Mayer continues to dominate vampire literature. People are likely more familiar with the former authors\u2019 writing styles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior technology experience didn\u2019t seem to matter as results were similar across the whole board of respondents, ages 18 to 65 and beyond<\/strong>. This is unusual as technology usage differs significantly between generations. You\u2019d expect younger generations, who are usually more familiar with technology, to be more skilled at identifying AI-generated content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research shows 55% of young people and teenagers utilize voice-activated AI<\/strong>, compared to 41% of older adults. Although not as widespread just yet, 15% of Gen Z and Millennials interact with virtual reality and augmented reality on a daily basis. Yet, AI tricked them just as much as it did Baby Boomers, who are likely to be familiar with books.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Key
The Frankenstein quote fooled the most people\u2026 coincidence?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Can You Tell the Difference Between AI and a Famous Writer?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Whether you think you can beat AI or are just curious about why it\u2019s so challenging to identify artificial quotes, we have a small fraction of our quiz for you. All you need to do is decide whether the two quotes below come from a popular literary franchise<\/strong> or were generated by an AI trying to mimic specific writing styles.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Drogon moved quicker than a striking cobra. Flame roared from his mouth, orange and scarlet and black, searing the meat before it began to fall. As his sharp black teeth snapped shut around it, Rhaegal\u2019s head darted close, as if to steal the prize from his brother\u2019s jaws, but Drogon swallowed and screamed, and the smaller green dragon could only hiss in frustration.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Ready?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you guessed \u2018famous writer\u2019, you\u2019d be correct. The above is an excerpt from <\/strong>A Storm of Swords<\/em><\/strong>. George R. R. Martin is a master of creating slow-paced mysteries filled with detailed worlds and characters. Yet, the survey shows an almost 50-50 split in answers<\/strong>. This might be down to unfamiliarity with the text itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

George R. R. Martin is best known for <\/strong>Game of Thrones<\/em><\/strong>, yet Statista research shows only 50% of the series\u2019s fans actually read the books. The other half is unfamiliar with Martin\u2019s writing style, making it easier for AI to sound like the author.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a tricky question, so don\u2019t worry if you didn\u2019t get it right. The second quote might fit your reading preferences more.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the heart of Gilead lies a stillness, untouched by the turmoil of war, save for the distant echoes that flicker on the television screen. The edges of this land are constantly in flux, shaped by the clash of arms, yet here, in the center, all is serene. The Republic of Gilead, as Aunt Lydia whispers, is boundless, it\u2019s tendrils reaching deep within us all.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Ready?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gilead is a well-known world created for The Handmaid\u2019s Tale<\/em> by Margaret Atwood, but the original author didn\u2019t write the quote above. In fact, AI takes full responsibility for this quote. This might have been tricky to determine as the algorithm did a pretty good job of evoking a similar atmosphere of oppression. Such attention to detail convinced 62% of survey respondents it was Margaret Atwood <\/strong>\u2014 despite a grammatical error at the end!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is AI Going to be the End of Storytelling?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Cons of AI and Storytelling<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It probably won\u2019t end literature altogether, but AI is bound to change how storytelling works<\/strong>. Computers can already generate literary copies and new stories at your will, and they do it well. However, you still have to provide a relevant prompt, such as \u201cMake up a fragment of Game of Thrones<\/em> written by George R. R. Martin.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This comes from AI learning patterns. Though it can analyze literary language and storytelling patterns to create a narrative, it doesn\u2019t yet create on its own<\/strong> and its learning is restricted to what already exists on the internet. This means AI needs a human<\/strong> (or another algorithm) to provide it with meaningful and unique ideas. It\u2019s like using a calculator. Though it can work out difficult equations, you still need input.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those who tried AI-generated stories have more or less the same opinion: it\u2019s not yet as engaging as a regular story. Machines often miss the general character arch and storytelling rhythm<\/strong>, which keeps readers hooked. Since AI can only pull from existing databases, it also reuses language, plots, and characters<\/strong> from other popular books. This may be fun to read at first, but may become repetitive at a certain point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pros of AI and Storytelling<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It would be naive to ignore AI\u2019s role in improving the future of writing. Storytelling is time-consuming for most humans, even with years of experience. Computers could speed up the process and take care of the technical aspect of writing<\/strong>, giving authors more time to brainstorm new ideas, tropes, and conflicts.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you wrote an entire story already, putting it through AI could help nitpick all stylistic and grammatical errors<\/strong> in less than a minute. Even better, some AI programs also highlight areas of improvement with editorial notes and suggestions!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of existing pieces, computers could easily translate, adapt, and summarize papers<\/strong> depending on the need. Got a complicated and long research paper about cardiovascular diseases to reference in your article? No problem. Run it through AI and you\u2019ll receive an engaging quote explaining the issue in plain English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is based on AI as we know it today, but it doesn\u2019t account for future updates. Microsoft is already investing over $10 billion dollars into OpenAI, pushing competitors like Google to follow a similar route. With GPT-4 out, AI is already performing better than at the beginning of the year \u2014 and this is only the beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing we know for sure is that you don\u2019t have much to fear as a reader. Stories will keep coming one way or another,<\/strong> and you may not realize if AI ever replaced or enhanced your favorite authors. As a writer, though, keep a cautious eye on technology developments: you might soon have a new computer assistant.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Imitation Game Has Begun<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our survey proves AI has a high success rate at replicating specific author\u2019s style<\/strong>, and that most people already can\u2019t tell the difference between human and AI-generated content. While some writers were easier to imitate than others, it shows an interesting trend in machine learning and suggests there\u2019s a big change in the future of storytelling.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though it\u2019s unlikely AI will completely replace human writers<\/strong>, we may see existing and new authors work alongside algorithms very soon.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although representative, it\u2019s important to remember our results are based on a small sample of individuals and that numbers might differ when responses number in the thousands. When will machine learning ever reach the point of human intelligence? Hard to say, but current evidence indicates we\u2019re well on our way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n