Myth #13: There is no such thing as AI-free content

As I start to create this Myth #13 blog, I looked back to April 2017 where I posted an article on LinkedIN and Medium titled, “Might education be responsible for the tsunami of alternative facts and fake news?” It outlined how education standards changed from library reading and notetaking standards to google search copy & paste. Now in 2024, with the plethora of AI apps, I am beginning to wonder if there is AI-free content? If there is, how do we acknowledge/promote it?

In Feb 2024 I started to teach a new Business Writing course. I created a scenario where my students are a ‘VA” for a beauty influencer. In order to compose a composite profile for this fictitious influencer, I had to do what I love best — research into something I know little about. In the midst of this research I came across an intriguing website that lists all companies that produce ‘cruelty-free’ (non animal tested) cosmetics.

The site goes into great detail (based on research) about which products are vegan (Vigan sticker), which ate PETA certified (PETA sticker) and points out which brands are owned by a conglomerate that is not cruelty free, OR who are cruel;ty free but also see in China where animal testing is required. IF the massive cosmetics industry can distinguish how cosmetics are created, should we (educators/academics/ learning organizations) come…