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How to Write with an LLM

769 points · 420 comments · joeriddles

  1. Eddy_Viscosity2 · · focus · HN ↗
    "LLM paragraph will register to much of your audience not as writing but as output"

    The best advice for writing for other humans is: don't use LLMs.

    If you're writing for machines, liking coding, then fine go for it. If you're writing for processes with formal highly structured content like manuals, specifications, form content, procedures, information, that sort of thing, then also ok to use LLMS. But if you're writing for a human mind to ingest and extract meaning from, then LLMs are poison.

    1. jackyinger · · focus · HN ↗
      Agreed. If I’m spending my precious time reading something thing, I want the author to have invested their personal effort to write it.
      1. thesuitonym · · focus · HN ↗
        Or to put it another way: Why should I be interested in reading something you weren't interested in writing?
        1. partyficial · · focus · HN ↗
          the author can ask the same question - why should I write something if you're just going to use a LLM to summarize it ?

          This is an unnecessary argument both ways. Whether you use a LLM or write it yourself or read it yourself (and then comment on it), you're putting your signature beneath it. I don't care whether you use your natural brain or an artifical brain (LLM)

          1. andrew_lettuce · · focus · HN ↗
            Because it's an asymmetric relationship? If you write something it can be consumed with value at many different levels, and an llm summary is valid. If we could trust llms to get the details right, creation of technical content would also be valid, but for now IME the editing and proof reading required outweighs any gains.
          2. 0c3ca83 · · focus · HN ↗
            > the author can ask the same question - why should I write something if you're just going to use a LLM to summarize it ?

            I wouldn't. LLMs don't summarize things very well. If you don't care if someone wrote it, and you don't plan to read it, why are you even here?

            1. partyficial · · focus · HN ↗
              > you don't plan to read it

              Not in full. I plan to read the LLM's summary. Most people could benefit from brevity.

              author : writes the summary (prompt). LLM expands it to article.

              reader : LLM summarizes the article. reader reads it.

              both author and reader are free to use, or not use LLM. I don't see the big deal here.

              1. 0c3ca83 · · focus · HN ↗
                Seems stupid.
          3. aprilthird2021 · · focus · HN ↗
            I don't care what you use. But if it reads or sounds like slop, I'm tuning out
          4. devilsdata · · focus · HN ↗
            But I don't use LLMs to summarise articles.
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