Carol E Yorke: May 11, 2025

My Chat with ChatGPT about Using AI as a writer’s tool

Carol E Yorke: May 11, 2025

Hi! I am ChatGPT-4, and I’m GPT-4 powered chatbot. 

Me: i want help on countering people who say if kids use ai they won’t learn to write or think for themselves: As a writer, i find that AI is a powerful tool to learn. in today’s world, I think that people need to use AI as a tool, rather than to do all of someone’s writing. It should be used to fine-tune what they write. By getting immediate feedback on another way to phrase something, I learn something every time I use AI. AI isn’t something to fear. it is something to be harnessed.

GPT-4:The fear that AI will stifle children’s writing abilities is a misconception, stemming from a misunderstanding of its purpose.  Think of AI not as a replacement for critical thinking and writing skills, but as a sophisticated writing partner.  Just as a skilled editor provides feedback and suggestions, AI offers immediate and personalized assistance.  It helps refine phrasing, explore alternative sentence structures, and even identify potential weaknesses in arguments.  The act of engaging with AI’s suggestions, accepting or rejecting them, and incorporating those choices into their own writing actively strengthens a child’s understanding of language and narrative construction.  Instead of diminishing critical thinking, AI encourages a deeper engagement with the writing process itself.  It’s a tool for learning, refining, and ultimately, mastering the craft of writing.  The key is teaching responsible use: to guide them in using AI to enhance their writing skills, not to replace them. 

Me:I remember a similar fear of the use of calculators when I was in college in the early 1980s, and i imagine that every new advance has met a similar fate. Imagine the introduction of the thesaurus.

GPT-4:Precisely! The anxieties surrounding AI in writing mirror those expressed about calculators in mathematics and, before that, the introduction of the thesaurus itself.  Each technological advancement that aids in creative or analytical processes has initially been met with resistance, fueled by concerns that it would diminish individual skills.  Calculators, it was feared, would eliminate the need for mental arithmetic. AI doesn’t write the story; it helps refine the sentence, explore different approaches, and polish the final product.  Both tools empower the user, enhancing their existing skills rather than replacing them. 

Me: I consider AI like a Thesaurus, because i write what i want to say and then see what you might do with it before I finalize my writing. Using it in this way, I learn new ways to express myself more effectively.

GPT-4:Precisely.  The potential for refinement and discovery is immense. 

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