so with the whole hank green ai thing happening (this is not a bashing or forgiving post. do not clown on this post.) it made me wary about Complexly using AI - I love PBS Eons, so I was worried. I read their AI policy (link), and was still concerned with some of the wording, such as below
where it leaves open the gap for *some* AI script to be had, so long as it isn't most or all. i really recommend reading it yourself, it's not very long, and it has more small things that are concerning.
anyway, i decided to write them about it, using this (link) page, and share my concerns about it. here's what i wrote:
"Hi, I want to start this by saying I have read your AI policy. I am contacting you because I still have concerns regarding AI usage by Complexly.
This is an education platform. An environmentalist one. We know that AI both creates and hallucinates facts, and that it is terrible for the environment. You claim to only use it for preliminary, and things mostly or all created from AI are not allowed. But where do you draw that line?
A fact that seems true so it isn't checked that then slips through. Some, but not most, of a script is AI. Someone researching a topic suggested by AI, not realizing the idea has inherent bias towards or against a group and ends up making something with offensive tones, because they didn't look it up themselves.
It seems unhelpful at best, and actively damaging at worst, for Complexly to use AI in any capacity. It is directly in opposition to the environmentalist message. It opens a huge chance for misinformation.
It has, unfortunately, called into question the reliability of anything created by Complexly.
Because where is your line? How do you determine how much AI is too much? How can you check everything it does? Are you sure that something hasn't gotten in?
For an organization that relies on having a reputation for fact, for an organization that claims to educate - using AI at all calls reliability into question.
I'm genuinely not sure how much I can trust the information here.
PBS Eons has long been one of my favorite shows, and now I'm not sure I should watch it at all. I don't know if I can trust it.
AI is not some inevitable thing; three years ago y'all were thinking of incredible topics to explore, all without AI to help. It's completely unnecessary, and using it makes Complexly shows and articles less trustworthy.
I really hope you take this into consideration. I am disappointed with the current state of things, but am deeply hopeful that things can change. I want to be able to enjoy and learn again. Thank you."
i encourage everyone who's concerned about this to POLITELY write them using the link to share your concerns. AI usage in education is a very real danger for misinformation, and we don't have to stand for it - we can make our opinion very clear that AI usage makes an education platform untrustworthy.
go forth!
