Artificial intelligence has been in the news a lot lately with social media-grabbing headlines about how systems like ChatGPT can replace humans.
And while I do know of journalists who use it to generate emails — and even headlines — please rest assured that Plastics News has no intention of doing that. And even if we did, I certainly hope our readers would recognize the difference between what our experienced journalists turn out and the mishmash that can result from AI.
Here, for instance, are samples of what happened when Erin Sloan, our audience engagement editor, did a test just to see what headlines AI would create from our March 22 coverage of President Joe Biden's administration and its intent to vastly increase the use of bio-based plastics in the U.S.
And while there were some reasonable options — "Biden administration aims to replace 90% of fossil-fuel plastic with bio-based alternatives" — their "outlandish" examples were, well, outlandish. Consider these alternatives:
• Biden administration to eliminate plastic use entirely and replace with eco-friendly bubble wrap.
• White House unveils plan to turn ocean plastic into robot warriors.
• US aims to create bio-based plastics that can time travel and save the dinosaurs.
So … I'm feeling pretty good about my job security.