Why are people encouraged to use AI, but penalised for it?

[Whatnow777]

Why do we have AI, we are being asked to all get on board with it, told how great it is...BUT if you are suspected as using it in certain circumstances, you are penalised (e.g. job adverts now saying do not use AI to help write applications/ cover letters). Friends also saying bosses are checking their work isn't written using AI through AI detectors.

I don't get it. I understand you need to show your own skills, but why not also use a tool (skillfully) to help get the best outcome?

What is it for then? AIBU to think this is all rubbish!

Interestingly we had a conversation around this today following three interview presentations that were all pretty much a variation of each other (for a role where AI would be encouraged). It was very obvious that they had all dumped the question into co pilot and spat out very similar results. What we would have actually expected is for them to have created a presentation of their own thinking and then used AI so say something along the lines of, I’m going for an interview for x, please critique or give feedback on the attached presentation.

My company encourages the use of AI for drafting comms, taking meeting actions etc but you have to give it accurate information, check the output and know how to tweak it. We wouldn’t be penalised for using AI to produce comms assuming all of the above was done.

It’s not using it for lazy purposes- ie throwing it in and presenting whatever it spits out. It’s a tool, but you’re not supposed to just decide it replaces your brain and not expect consequences

The best way I've heard it described is as a junior research assistant; it's good, but not great. I don't think it does much to raise the ceiling, but it does raise the floor. It will rarely be exceptional, but it will stop things from being totally shit, as it stands you can still find a skilled person in any field that will do it way better than AI can. So get a first draft from it, but it's rarely appropriate to submit it as your own. Knowing how to use it well is a great skill.

Yes, agree on this. But that wasn't what I was saying.

Well it is, because it won’t be picked up by AI detectors if you use it in they way we’re describing

I wrote some original content, used ai to help pull it all together, then tweaked it to make it sound better. I changed a lot of it, and got a 35% ai reading on the 'ai checker.' Apparently I will be penalised for getting a 35% result?!

Who's encouraging you to use it?

Because AI is a tool. It can be a very powerful tool.
A builder might have a super duper drill (AI), best in the business. But if that builder cant use his tape measure then you probably dont want to hire him.

What was this for

If it is a creative industry then you shouldn't be using AI to pull it all together, that's what you should be doing!

Also, hate to point out the obvious but if AI can do it, what exactly are they paying you for?

I don't understand what you're getting at, being encouraged to use ai (not something that I've experienced) doesnt mean it is appropriate in every situation

What is confusing?

The only people telling you to use AI are (a) the AI companies and (b) the bosses who think they can get you to do more work for less money and without hiring extra works by having you use AI. There are some things that AI does well, but also a lot that it does badly. Being able to judge the difference is an important skill in itself.

Sadly not true. You can put work in that was created years before AI and AI detectors will say it’s mostly AI generated. They’re pretty useless.

The double standard in recruitment RN is beyond ridiculous. We’re not allowed to use AI to write applications but those applications are often sifted and filtered by AIs that don’t do a good job or use any common sense. Job applicants just can’t win at the moment.

absolutely this!

Good post but I'd add c) people who don't understand AI (or LLMs) and think they can do far more than they can.

My workplace. We were all (more than 100 of us) dragged into an online AI awareness training on MS Teams. The instructor was saying how AI is the next big thing and encouraged to use it left, right and centre. Except in our IT policy, the only AI we're allowed to use is MS Copilot.

Our work is very mundane and repetitive. Think: booking a Premier Inn room, but doing it 800 times a month, then following up each booking, processing cancellations, amendments etc. Our workload has nearly trebled but there is no money for extra staff. My gripe is that AI should in theory be able to process some of the repetition but we're not allowed to use the wider tools and I can't see how Copilot can help there. It's more geared towards writing letters and tarting them up which goes back to the OP's original issue with AI detection.

AI is a great tool but it needs 20% human input at the beginning - a well thought out, clear and specific prompt

60% AI

20% human input at the end to re-vise, edit, improve and proof read

I would like to use AI to copy over information from one form to another which would be really helpful

Are you the OP?

@JumpingRabbitI don’t suppose you’re interviewing for NICS DP?

Ignore if not, but I’m quite disheartened by the AI. I have written my presentation and used AI to score it - but I’m hoping I’ve threaded enough of me through it so my panel will know it hasn’t been churned out by software.

Who is asking you to use it?

Ah no sorry 😔 I am sure if you have written it and only used it to score it you will be fine. Good luck!

Are the people who are encouraging you to use AI and the people telling you not to use it the same people? If they are I can understand your confusion but if, as I suspect, they are not, then I don’t see a contradiction.