Human beings continue to be the “final node” even when AI is used for research/preparation, which I think is particularly relevant in an activity where speaking ability and charisma play a large role in competitive outcomes.
In other words, I think debaters will always be bottlenecked by their ability to articulate the ideas they have, whether or not they are AI-generated.
It seems like this will have a negative effect on debaters whose strengths are research or quick-thinking; good speakers who can effectively and consistently mask AI-usage may be able to compensate for what they lack in other skill categories.
But I think the solution is simple—competitive leagues of any sort who care about avoiding total disempowerment in their activity should outright ban AI usage and rigorously enforce such a ban.
On the other hand, I’m excited about AI-assistance in the judging process; I think determining a fair and systematic judging process/criteria is a fascinating epistemic question that can expose where human biases play a role, and inspire real progress.
Human beings continue to be the “final node” even when AI is used for research/preparation, which I think is particularly relevant in an activity where speaking ability and charisma play a large role in competitive outcomes.
In other words, I think debaters will always be bottlenecked by their ability to articulate the ideas they have, whether or not they are AI-generated.
It seems like this will have a negative effect on debaters whose strengths are research or quick-thinking; good speakers who can effectively and consistently mask AI-usage may be able to compensate for what they lack in other skill categories.
But I think the solution is simple—competitive leagues of any sort who care about avoiding total disempowerment in their activity should outright ban AI usage and rigorously enforce such a ban.
On the other hand, I’m excited about AI-assistance in the judging process; I think determining a fair and systematic judging process/criteria is a fascinating epistemic question that can expose where human biases play a role, and inspire real progress.