Hand-typed or AI-generated, hollow content online predates ChatGPT

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A viral X post last week claimed that people relying on AI for replies reveals something troubling about them, but a counter-argument suggests this misreads the real issue. Hollow, low-effort online responses have existed since the forum era, long before AI tools were available, meaning the problem is not new. What AI has changed is the cost of producing such content, not the underlying absence of genuine thought or engagement. The distinction that matters, the author argues, is whether a person is actually thinking and taking a specific, accountable stance, regardless of which tool they use. Outrage over AI-generated replies is itself a form of pattern-matching rather than genuine critical analysis, the piece concludes.

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