No Fakers Allowed

Hi {{first_name|friend}},

A few weeks ago, we were sent a clearly AI-generated essay about perimenopausal rage, something we’ve explored in the past. We typically ignore AI-written article submissions, but this felt particularly upsetting and offensive for some reason. Maybe it was our perimenopausal rage acting up, but: How can people comfortably pass off AI-generated writing as their own?

There’s a quote attributed to the French author (and accused plagiarist) Alexandre Dumas that goes something like, “The man of genius does not steal, he conquers, and what he conquers, he annexes to his empire.” How better to explain AI “writing,” which is not yours but instead an extruded text product created by the theft of others’ work?

Once you recognize the cadence of AI writing and its other hallmarks (a lot of words for something that could be explained in two or three sentences; certain adjectives, like “quietly”), you see it everywhere. Particularly in content targeting women in mid-life. Because AI writing is sycophantic, these Meno-Slop articles and videos are reassuring, unchallenging, simple. Online, that works; it gets comments and engagement.

But maybe we’re hitting a tipping point. Even the bros at Substack are fed up, and they love AI. (Seriously, don’t ever accuse them of not loving AI.) Last week they announced that they’ll now offer tools for users to see if text is AI-generated. Will other platforms follow suit?

Bye,
Your friends at Gloria

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TO WATCH Inspired by a true story, the indie film Horsegirls is about a young woman with autism who builds confidence through competitive hobbyhorse dancing. Gretchen Mol plays her cancer-stricken mother. It’s out in limited release; you can see dates and theaters here.

TO SHOP Summer isn't over, and our favorite swimwear brand Left on Friday just dropped a few new pieces we want. We love their new tankini for bigger busts, this swim shirt for chic sun protection, and everything from the Clare V. collab. Shop it all here. #partner

TO LISTEN There are two new Neil Young cover albums in the works, and we like what we’re hearing so far (“After the Gold Rush” and “Helpless”). The first volume of covers came out last year.

TO KNOW A lot of big streaming networks, like Netflix, have started uploading YouTube content. This is a good rundown of the current state of affairs, and how to block certain programs if you’d rather not have your kids watching that.

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