A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
OK. If you're reading an entry on Wikipedia, how do you know if it was written by a person or artificial intelligence? The site's volunteer editors have been trying to answer that question since the rise of AI-powered chatbots.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Ilyas Lebleu is a volunteer Wikipedia editor in France.
ILYAS LEBLEU: We started to notice a lot of articles which were written in a style that didn't match the style we usually saw on Wikipedia.
MARTIN: Wikipedia is supposed to read like an encyclopedia without opinions or promotional language. So in 2023, Lebleu and other volunteers started WikiProject AI Cleanup.
MARTÍNEZ: While poring over new submissions for anything AI generated, they found errors, fake sources and people in places that were made up. But as AI advanced, the signs became more subtle, which is why Lebleu and other editors now look for less obvious tells, such as cliches.
LEBLEU: Some signs like rich cultural heritage or enduring legacy - this kind of stuff - plays a significant role. These are really key words that we see a lot of.
MARTIN: AI chatbots also use passive voice such as, A Martínez has been described as the best host of MORNING EDITION...
MARTÍNEZ: (Laughter) Lies.
MARTIN: ...Opinion there...
MARTÍNEZ: Lies.
MARTIN: ...And overused phrases, like in summary or furthermore, in awkward ways.
MARTÍNEZ: Now, there is a Wikipedia page dedicated to these tells called Signs of AI Writing. The site's editors call it a feel guide in helping detect undisclosed AI-generated content. Lebleu says AI writing isn't bad. It just needs more scrutiny.
LEBLEU: When readers come to Wikipedia, they expect something that was written by volunteers, that was checked by volunteers. They don't expect something that was written by an AI, otherwise they'd just go to ChatGPT directly and ask questions there.
MARTIN: In summary, what you just heard was not written by AI. It was just A and me. And it really is us, for what it's worth.
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