Like many writers, I have read much, in recent weeks, about AI vs. Human-generated writing. Before I say anything else, my main conclusion is that AI-generated material might work for technical writing. But, in the world where I live, fiction and creative nonfiction writing, I do not see AI becoming a go-to way to accomplish a project.
In
my years teaching high school kids, it was easy to tell when someone got too
much help. AI stands out like that. I have not read thousands or
hundreds of pages written with an AI program. But, I have read several dozen
pages, mainly in the form of short historical articles.
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Comparison
- Here is a short historical story about Wyoming legend Jacques La Ramee. The
writing prompt I used was – Write a story about why Jacques La Ramee was famous in Wyoming.
My,
written in less than 10-minute report.
Mine
- Jacques La Ramee is more of an enigma than a real person to most Wyoming
people. Fort Laramie is only a few miles from where we live. The Laramie River,
Laramie Range, and Laramie Peak are all nearby. I retired from my teaching job
in 2012 at Laramie High School in the city of Laramie. Interestingly, Laramie
is in Albany County, not Laramie County, which borders Albany and is the home to
Cheyenne, our state capital.
So
who was this man that so much was named after? He was a French-Canadian
mountain man and trapper born in Montreal in the early 1780s who lived, worked,
and died in Wyoming. His travels, adventures, and life have been passed on, primarily
through oral history, and may be as much fiction as fact.
La Ramee was undoubtedly well acquainted with
eastern Wyoming, where so much is named after him. He may have also traveled
west through South Pass, where he could have been the first or certainly one of the first
non-native people to enter the Yellowstone area. He led
a life that was likely as eventful, surprising, and scary as the legends
portray.
AI-generated report –
after I typed the prompt, it was up in a few seconds.
AI - Jacques La Ramee
was a name that was synonymous with Wyoming. He was famous for being a trapper,
trader, and mountain man in the early 1800s. His exploits in the Rocky
Mountains were legendary, and his adventures were the stuff of folklore.
Jacques was a French Canadian who was born in Montreal in 1784. He arrived in the Rocky Mountains in the
early 1800s and started trading with the Native American tribes in the region.
He quickly became an expert in the ways of the wilderness and was soon known
for his incredible hunting and trapping skills.
Jacques was not just
a trapper and trader; he was also an adventurer. He explored the Rocky
Mountains extensively and was the first white man to cross the Continental
Divide by way of South Pass. He was also one of the first white men to see
Yellowstone National Park, which he described as "the place where the hot
water came out of the earth."
Jacques was known
for his toughness and resilience. He survived numerous attacks by hostile
Native American tribes and even survived a grizzly bear attack that left him
badly injured. Despite these setbacks, he continued to explore the Rocky
Mountains and trade with the Native American tribes. Jacques La Ramee's legacy
lives on in Wyoming. He is remembered as a legendary figure in the history of
the American West and a true pioneer of the Rocky Mountains. His name is
synonymous with adventure, exploration, and the spirit of the American frontier.
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My Thoughts – AI sounds more like
a Wikipedia article, factual but not fulfilling to read. The article also seems to have mixed in some information from other mountain men. Unfortunately, this one sounds like
most history textbooks. Textbooks are probably more responsible
for kids not liking history than anything else. On the other hand, although
written quickly and without research or editing, mine has some personal touches
that make it a bit more interesting, at least to me.
What do you think?
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Today's Photos – All from places named Laramie
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