Candlelight Awards || OPEN

The AI Situation (Awards Hosts PLEASE Read)

I'm sorry for yet another chapter that isn't results, though this is extremely important and impacts you.

If you are not aware, one user in the K-pop community was recently exposed for using AI to write their stories, and this user submitted their work in various contests, mine included.

I will not name names as that is not the point of this chapter. The point is, this situation got a crap ton of attention because this happened in a popular contest with a popular account in the K-pop community, so people took notice. Left and right, contests have been posting new guidelines and cracking down on AI. I've seen literally 5+ contests making announcements and changing their guidelines.

So, where does that leave this contest, and why did I ask award hosts to read this chapter?

Let's answer that.

I work in AI. I have worked in it for over a year, so I have a slight advantage over most contest hosts in that regard. It's in my rules that AI content is not allowed, and if I discover you using AI, I will ask you about it. I personally have been on the receiving end of false AI accusations. Not on Wattpad—in my career. I will not automatically disqualify you and will instead ask you to provide proof that your work was written by you. If you fail to provide proof, you will be disqualified and blacklisted. If you admit you used AI, I will disqualify you but will not publicly blacklist you, but you will not be allowed back in any of my contests until you can provide solid proof your work isn't AI-written.

In this day and age, please always have a way to prove your work was written by you. For example, write on Google Docs, Quotev, Word, etc.—any site that has history so you can see all the changes down to deleting a comma. This isn't for contests anymore, this is for your own safety. If I didn't have proof I didn't use AI to write for the client that accused me of AI, there is a strong chance my career would have sank. I was just getting into the professional writing world at that time, so an AI accusation would have caused damage strong enough that I would have to sue the client for libel. That's how serious it was—I almost went to court over it.

Yes, it sucks we need to have proof, but it never hurts to have, and you might thank yourself for having it.

So, to summarize the answer to the first question:

- This contest already has anti-AI rules, but to clarify them, you will not automatically be disqualified if I suspect you of AI. You will be given a chance to provide proof your work is not AI-written.

- If you submitted AI-written work, please let me know now. You will not be publicly blacklisted as I would appreciate your honesty. Don't get me wrong, I would still be upset because you submitted work not written by you, thus taking chances away from other people; however, I would appreciate you for taking accountability. Please do not submit AI-written work. It's unfair, and it takes chances away from people genuinely working hard on their writing.

If you do not want to say this publicly, feel free to email me or reach out to me on Twitter. My Twitter is Jiminbiasnim, and my email is kookieisaking@gmail.com.

Now, the second question: why did I ask hosts to read this?

Hosts, you are making a grave mistake. Many of you are making a "percentage threshold" for AI-generated work, like if your work is more than 60% "AI-generated," you're booted from the contest. As an experienced AI worker, please listen to me.

That is a terrible idea.

The majority of people I talk to about this don't know what AI detectors actually do and think the percentages mean "Oh, 50% AI-generated? That means AI wrote at least 50% of this." That is not what it means.