AI RIPPED AWAY OUR HUMANITY. MAYBE YOU DID, TOO.
AI is trained on human writing – writing from people all over the world who incorporate their own linguistic and narrative traditions and many for whom English is not their first language. This has caused AI to write in a specific way; a way that we have now decided is non-human despite being trained on distinctly human writing.
These days whenever people find a text that seems even just slightly different from how they or their peers might write, or has a more traditional or classical style, the writer is confronted not just by the accusation but often the determination that it must be AI.
Often, it isn't. Humans still write. Millions of people put great care in their words.
What these accusations do is harming writers and everyone who creates written text (i.e. all of us). Anyone can be targeted but it especially applies to those belonging to minorities and those who write in another than their first language. It's yet another way to drill out diverse perspectives.
Keep in mind that when you write something online the world can see it. Your accusation may make others think twice and harm the person who made the post and/or produced the writing.
It's a thorny issue because no one wants to see AI writing and when it's used it deserves to be called out; even more so on a platform like Mastodon where people hopefully have the grace to forgive a spelling or grammar error and where we recognise we are a global community with many backgrounds.
The situation has led many people to deliberately dumb down their writing or adding errors just to come across as human. It's utter madness this has become a necessity for some.
If you think you've encountered AI but cannot be 100% certain do not jump to conclusions. Make the effort to check other posts or writing of that person. Often that will tell you what's going on.
Either way, I'd advice to err on the side of caution.
As a writer I want to ask people to be more vigilant. Be more mindful yourself if needed but also remind others who make these accusations even if there's no factual basis.
It's hard to tell just how disheartening it is to put great care in your words, apply your skillset (great or poor) to put your thoughts into words, share them and then have your humanity ripped away from you. Especially when you write something personal and vulnerable, when it took you a beat to find the courage to make it public. Especially when you're not a part of the majority and people have been doing this to you your entire life.
We are human. We need to preserve and defend our own humanity, and the humanity of those around us on- and offline.