The rising concern over artificial intelligence (AI) took center stage on Friday in Rabat at a panel discussion addressing the relevance of writing in the digital age.
Held under the theme, “is still writing relevant today?”, the panel, held at the 29th International Book Fair in Rabat, brought together names like, Abderrahim El Atri, Abdelkader Chaoui, Driss Ksikes, and Charafeddine Majdouline.
The panel meant to “reconsider the writing process and examine the changing factors that impact it in various ways, especially in societies where the status of writing and the percentage of readership are declining.”
In this regard, Abderrahim El Atri, a Moroccan author, and researcher, told Hespress English that “in the face of the digital revolution and the rise of AI, writing confronts a plethora of challenges and opportunities.”
El Atri raised the concern of authorship and originality in the era of AI. He particularly questioned whether writers, with the increasing use of AI tools, can truly claim their work is entirely their own creation or a blend, where synthesis leans more towards AI.
He argued that “while AI-generated output may be good at compiling text, it lacks the human element that gives writing depth and fosters a sense of connection with readers.”
The Moroccan researcher emphasized that “this human element, the author’s spirit, is precisely what makes it difficult for AI to replicate the connection writers establish with their audience.”
During the panel, El Atri delved into the ethical considerations regarding the use of AI by writers, raising pertinent questions about whether authors remain true writers or become collagers of texts.
“In the AI era, the paradigm shift will transition authors from being writers to synthesizers, doing bricolage,” he explained further, stating that “today we shifted towards cutting, pasting, and quilting.”
On the other hand, Charafdine Majdouline, a Moroccan critic and academic who specializes in Aesthetics, Verbal and Visual Narratives, and Comparative Studies, believes that “AI is essentially based on human texts, and the writer remains instrumental in training the AI to enhance its capabilities.”
Majdouline underscored that “the AI may have advanced capabilities, but it is the writer who innovates, demonstrates creativity, and produces texts.” Therefore, “if human creativity stopped, the role of AI becomes no longer relevant.”
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