25 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
25 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

An AI Ethics Question

by Mark Singletary
23 replies
Let's say that you have a problem and you find a product, such as an ebook or membership site, that seems to be just what you need. After you purchase the product, you discover that it is entirely generated by AI by checking it with various AI detection tools.

1. Would you feel ripped off? Would you ask for a refund no matter if it was $7, $97, or $297 or learn all you can from your purchase to fix your problem?

2. What if the "author" was a professional such as a lawyer, doctor, or accountant? Would the use of AI make the professional less believable or ethical in your eyes?

Thanks for any opinions.

Mark
#ethics #question
Avatar of Unregistered
  • Profile picture of the author Monetize
    Originally Posted by Mark Singletary View Post

    Let's say that you have a problem and you find a product, such as an ebook or membership site, that seems to be just what you need. After you purchase the product, you discover that it is entirely generated by AI by checking it with various AI detection tools.

    1. Would you feel ripped off? Would you ask for a refund no matter if it was $7, $97, or $297 or learn all you can from your purchase to fix your problem?

    2. What if the "author" was a professional such as a lawyer, doctor, or accountant? Would the use of AI make the professional less believable or ethical in your eyes?

    Thanks for any opinions.

    Mark

    I prefer a well-researched product so AI wouldn't bother me.

    I would not request a refund.

    Professionals do not necessarily know everything nor are
    they current on their entire realm, so using AI is fine.

    I would prefer my lawyer tell me he's going to research with
    AI rather than provide the wrong info because he does not
    know current laws and precedents regarding a legal matter.
    Signature
    Monetization Skool
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11851557].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
    What if the "author" was a professional such as a lawyer, doctor, or accountant? Would the use of AI make the professional less believable or ethical in your eyes?
    If the author were a professional writer, then yes - it absolutely would blow any credibility. Not so much with a lawyer or doctor.

    However, I think any book or product that's been created with AI should disclose that fact before the purchase procedure is complete.

    Other than that, if the info was what I wanted, I'd probably feel a little irritated that I didn't look it up myself beforehand.
    Signature

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11851565].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Princess Balestra
      Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

      If the author were a professional writer, then yes - it absolutely would blow any credibility. Not so much with a lawyer or doctor.

      However, I think any book or product that's been created with AI should disclose that fact before the purchase procedure is complete.

      Other than that, if the info was what I wanted, I'd probably feel a little irritated that I didn't look it up myself beforehand.
      Disclosure vs "They Hose Ya"?

      Lemme git back to ya when ima past the Benedict Cumbahbatch vs Matt Damon dreeyim I had this mornin'.

      "You hotsy 'bout my unfaked pecs?" blurted Damon.

      Then Bene said: "Why not suck on my illusory Horn of Perfect Shotto?"

      Deal always, I guess, is to COME CLEAN.

      On which note, facksimilies gaht noplace in noneamy seecrit vestbyools.

      "Yeah, but you use THE INTERNET, you heretic bitch!"

      Till'n it soots Moi to do othahwise, I guess. What's yr non-bitch alternative?

      (Bene calls Damon.)

      (Damon calls Bene)

      (Colossal synchronicity rendahs botha their calls BLITZED.)

      So, ima reflectin' now all yogickly quixotic ...

      communin' with the very toes lead alla my steps ...

      an' admittin' to muhself Whale Bongo Nirvana ain't zackly chillout.

      Actschlly I should shoot sum fkr in the fayisse for hookin' up to WBN bcs 10% discount on BULLDOG MITTENS.

      "Feed 'em true. They won't bite YOU."

      Ha. Instant access to nuthin' I nevah wantid!

      Sumtimes a gal is curious, yanno.

      Hey, but that is Chrissmuss sortid for a relative I don't speshly like whose joy gonna chime with my vamp sensibilities.

      "I hate yr frickin' dahg, but yr dahg DOWINT."

      Eithah that, or I will sell 'em to nowan gaht livestock gone Dysentry Nutzoid.

      *** AI is typing now ... ***
      Signature

      Lightin' fuses is for blowin' stuff togethah.

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11851569].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author EllietheMarketer
        Originally Posted by Princess Balestra View Post

        Disclosure vs "They Hose Ya"?

        Lemme git back to ya when ima past the Benedict Cumbahbatch vs Matt Damon dreeyim I had this mornin'.

        "You hotsy 'bout my unfaked pecs?" blurted Damon.

        Then Bene said: "Why not suck on my illusory Horn of Perfect Shotto?"

        Deal always, I guess, is to COME CLEAN.

        On which note, facksimilies gaht noplace in noneamy seecrit vestbyools.

        "Yeah, but you use THE INTERNET, you heretic bitch!"

        Till'n it soots Moi to do othahwise, I guess. What's yr non-bitch alternative?

        (Bene calls Damon.)

        (Damon calls Bene)

        (Colossal synchronicity rendahs botha their calls BLITZED.)

        So, ima reflectin' now all yogickly quixotic ...

        communin' with the very toes lead alla my steps ...

        an' admittin' to muhself Whale Bongo Nirvana ain't zackly chillout.

        Actschlly I should shoot sum fkr in the fayisse for hookin' up to WBN bcs 10% discount on BULLDOG MITTENS.

        "Feed 'em true. They won't bite YOU."

        Ha. Instant access to nuthin' I nevah wantid!

        Sumtimes a gal is curious, yanno.

        Hey, but that is Chrissmuss sortid for a relative I don't speshly like whose joy gonna chime with my vamp sensibilities.

        "I hate yr frickin' dahg, but yr dahg DOWINT."

        Eithah that, or I will sell 'em to nowan gaht livestock gone Dysentry Nutzoid.

        *** AI Automation is typing now ... ***
        Did anyone else read this and get confused to what is going on?
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11855708].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
          Originally Posted by EllietheMarketer View Post

          Did anyone else read this and get confused to what is going on?
          Princess has her own dictionary going. But just for giggles, I asked CoPilot to translate.

          Here's a clear, naturalâ€'English translation of the passage you highlighted -- keeping the tone, but removing the heavy dialect and surreal slang so you can actually *understand what the speaker is saying*.
          (All interpretations are grounded in the text from the page)

          ---

          ## **Plainâ€'English Translation**

          It looks like Claude just admitted something.
          And now everything's going crazy.
          Why?
          Because audiences don't respond to things that are too plain or unfussy.
          They're particular about meeting up.
          Particular about being seen.
          Particular about all the emotional "juice" that comes from real human presence in the chaos.

          So what exactly do *you* have going on?
          Are you finally... diminished? (Or: "Are you finally admitting you're not up to this?")

          I guess there's some lowâ€'level momentum leaking out of all this chaos now.
          Meanwhile: IMPLEMENTATION! Even though they don't understand it!

          Is this still a dialogue?
          Or just two speeches shouting past each other into the void?

          ---

          ## **What the passage *means***
          This writer (Princess Balestra) uses a deliberately chaotic, stylized dialect. Underneath the theatrics, the message is basically:

          - Claude (the AI) confessed something.
          - People don't want bland, frictionless interactions -- they want human messiness, presence, drama.
          - The speaker is accusing someone of losing their edge ("Are you finally diminished?").
          - They feel like the conversation has stopped being a real exchange and has become two monologues missing each other.
          - They're frustrated that "implementation" is happening even though "they" (audiences, creators, or AI systems) don't understand what's going on.

          It's commentary on AI, authenticity, and communication breakdown -- wrapped in surreal slang.
          I'm not sure AI's translation is much better than the original. Calling her writing style "chaotic" wins post of the day.
          Mark
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11855755].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author GordonJ
    In my lottery report, I fully acknowledge that AI was used, especially for the math. The rest is experience talking. So, disclosure is important, maybe let the person know this along with a note that a little AI help is good, just let customers know it was used. A simple one little sentence in his promotion would alleviate any future concerns.

    GordonJ
    Originally Posted by Mark Singletary View Post

    Let's say that you have a problem and you find a product, such as an ebook or membership site, that seems to be just what you need. After you purchase the product, you discover that it is entirely generated by AI by checking it with various AI detection tools.

    1. Would you feel ripped off? Would you ask for a refund no matter if it was $7, $97, or $297 or learn all you can from your purchase to fix your problem?

    2. What if the "author" was a professional such as a lawyer, doctor, or accountant? Would the use of AI make the professional less believable or ethical in your eyes?

    Thanks for any opinions.

    Mark
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11851566].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author alchemyaffiliatepro
    I am okay with AI written content. if a person has AI content, it's standard for Google, etc., I think the AI content can be useful and if you have AI content and it gives you info you needed then that's a good thing.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11851579].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author DWolfe
      Originally Posted by alchemyaffiliatepro View Post

      I am okay with AI written content. if a person has AI content, it's standard for Google, etc., I think the AI content can be useful and if you have AI content and it gives you info you needed then that's a good thing.
      Would you buy an ebook that was written 100% in AI from a supposed Internet Marketer, who has never sold anything?
      Signature

      Will 2026 be a banner year? - https://newsletter.rallyrd.com/subscribe

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11851636].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
        Originally Posted by DWolfe View Post

        Would you buy an ebook that was written 100% in AI from a supposed Internet Marketer, who has never sold anything?
        Based on ads I'm getting, I'm sure that is happening a lot. But is AI much different than PLR which has been shared by people without experience for many years?

        I was taking a university course, from an accredited, real school. There was a notice that some of the course material had been generated by AI but that it was fully vetted before sharing with students. Some students were upset because they were forbidden from using generative AI (anything outside summarizing, explaining, etc. to learn). The penalty was a 0 grade on the assignment and possibly on the course depending on the circumstances. I think I had a little bit of a problem at first about the materials being based on AI but then when I got into it, I saw that it was at least as good as a real textbook.

        Mark
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11851695].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
          Originally Posted by Mark Singletary View Post

          I was taking a university course, from an accredited, real school. There was a notice that some of the course material had been generated by AI but that it was fully vetted before sharing with students. Some students were upset because they were forbidden from using generative AI (anything outside summarizing, explaining, etc. to learn). The penalty was a 0 grade on the assignment and possibly on the course depending on the circumstances.
          There's a world of difference between using AI for course creation and using it as a student. Learning is an active process. The real benefits of producing an essay, for example, lie in the background work, research and thinking that go into it. That's where any actual learning takes place.

          As AI-created content becomes ever harder to detect, educators and employers will have to come up with alternative methods of assessing the ability of students.
          Signature

          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11851701].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Princess Balestra
    Gotta figure insta-expertise an' insta-delivery is now insta-vailabyool for nowan wantsta 'propulse on out, like sum star shittin' galaxies'.

    "I sought only to collaborate with the inevitable," said Soozee.

    & then she met Ruth, an' Nico, an' sum stoopid dahg ...

    an' they ****ed off to Wisconsin to tend to bats.

    Could be now Toy Story 5 gittin' bad press Pixar will pick up the story.

    Tempted to say, "we live in hope" -- but what would be the pointa THAT, less'n free nachos?
    Signature

    Lightin' fuses is for blowin' stuff togethah.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11851775].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Marx Vergel Melencio
    Originally Posted by Mark Singletary View Post

    1. Would you feel ripped off? Would you ask for a refund no matter if it was $7, $97, or $297 or learn all you can from your purchase to fix your problem?
    No. I won't feel ripped off just by knowing it's AI generated. The only time I'll feel ripped off is if there's an unreasonable balance between my expectations based on what's advertised and my actual experience using the product, i.e. If what was promised in the sales page were poorly executed, poorly delivered, then I'd feel pissed ...

    That's because I'm fully aware of the time, thinking energy, iterative patience and expensive resources that it takes to strategically combine human creativity and algorithmic approaches to produce a force multiplier pipeline, a labor-saving workflow, and an undiscovered technique.

    Originally Posted by Mark Singletary View Post

    2. What if the "author" was a professional such as a lawyer, doctor, or accountant? Would the use of AI make the professional less believable or ethical in your eyes?
    No. Not less believable. Not less ethical. Unless I find out they lied by saying they didn't use AI even if they really did, then just knowing they use AI in their work won't affect my judgement on their work ethics and principles.

    In fact, I prefer licensed professionals who know how to use AI to the mutual benefit of their clients and practice/business. Embodied and digital AI won't replace humans. But humans who expertly use AI will replace humans who don't.
    Signature
    • Lead Clinical AI Strategist @ Theoria Medical (MI, U.S.)
    • Chief Machine Learning Engineer @ ARIA Research (Sydney, AU)
    • Lead GenAI SEO Campaign Engineer @ Kiteworks, Inc. (SF, U.S.)
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11851813].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author johnnyyy
    I am interested in this field.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11852049].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Princess Balestra
    Jus' whenya figyoore life is HOPELISS ...

    always a randaahm sayvyoore appeahs!

    So ima inmuh clowsist store, shahpin' for 'sensuals.

    & Ima askin' the checkout poison: cain't find yr Force Multiplier Pipeline areah for pee drainin' outta the vurry Caaahsmaaahs.

    "Yeah," she says, "you can kinda meander here and never get noplace till you pay up -- and even then, who's to say you ain't gonna be 100% disappointed?"

    So ... we exchange hairdo tips, smile awkwardly as our noofound bonhomie gives way to sum THIS CHICKEN DINNER AIN'T NO CHICKEN DINNER LIKE I EVER SAW YOU F*** M*** C*** guy gatecrashes our proto-wannawanna, an' the baybeh nexta 'This Chicken' guy ... husleep in her strollah till'n this moment ... cries, "I wanna go home!"

    Tellya, life's glories can be so exhilaratin'/teadyurse.
    Signature

    Lightin' fuses is for blowin' stuff togethah.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11852251].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author sahida akter
    Banned
    It all comes down to transparency. Using AI as an assistant is fine, but passing off raw AI content as expert knowledge without disclosure is unethical. If the information solves my problem, I might keep it, but I'd lose trust in that creator.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11853682].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Affiliate2Day
    It depends on the price to be honest. If that's objectively too high for AI created product - I will feel ripped off. Otherwise I won't mind cause even AI products has its cost. And yeah I think transparancy about whether it's made with AI or not matters. If it keeps in secrecy and then turns out to be an AI made it will just damage trust to the product owner.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11854167].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author MasonRamm
    The use of AI wouldn't bother me as long the creator, author or vendor discloses they have used AI.
    Signature

    Get ACCESS To VIP Collection Of Make Money & Traffic Generation Courses, Secrets & Bonuses - Click Here!

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11854211].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author mark22
    I will judge it by the quality, accuracy, and originality not just because AI was used. It should solve my problem that is what matters as priority.
    For professionals like lawyers or doctors, the expert must verify everything and take responsibility for the final work.
    Undisclosed AI use isn't necessarily unethical, but misleading buyers about authorship or expertise is. Another important thing is the efforts vs cost. The cost should be reasonable depending upon the usage of AI.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11854249].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author HarshaShastry
    This is a fair question. As someone who sells ebooks myself, I think honesty on the sales page matters more than the tool used to write it. Readers care about the value they get, not how the content was made.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11855314].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Princess Balestra
    Seems Claude jus' fessed up.

    An' now the planit gowin' wappo.

    Bcs what?

    Turns out audiences ain't about to be grabbed by the unfussy.

    They pertickuler 'bout meetup.

    Pertickuler 'bout seeya.

    Pertickuler 'bout all jooses flowin' from flesh in the maelstrom.

    An' you gaht WHAT gowin' on, zackly? You Ainally Dummnentid?

    Gotta figure there is a low level flow now outta alla this schwango.

    Meantimes IMPLEMENTATION! DESPITE THEY DON'T GET IT!

    This a dialog anymore?

    Or duelling oratories lost in the void?
    Signature

    Lightin' fuses is for blowin' stuff togethah.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11855605].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author DanielmNovak
    I think the actual thing that matters is the value you will get. If the ebook or anything else you purchase provides the value that you buy it for, then it doesn't matter that it is ai written.

    If it is a trash written by AI then you should complain about it.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11855754].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Kosmalll
    For me, the issue isn't really whether the content was made by AI, but whether I got what I actually paid for. If the product is genuinely useful, I don't really care who wrote it. But if someone is selling an "expert" guide that's basically raw AI-generated text with no fact-checking, then yeah, that feels a bit misleading. Especially when it comes to doctors or lawyers - I'd definitely expect a human professional to review it.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11855768].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author naijapunterpro
    When you finally reach the purchase page, you must carefully read the product description yourself; that has nothing to do with AI.

    You must be responsible for your own actions.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11855783].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author gsshssh Dudh
    The use of AI itself would not make me request a refund. The real issue is whether the seller added expertise, checked the facts and delivered what was promised. If generic AI output is marketed as personal professional experience, that feels misleading. A short disclosure about how AI was used would solve much of the trust problem.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11855820].message }}
Avatar of Unregistered

Trending Topics