Ask HN: Should "I asked $AI, and it said" replies be forbidden in HN guidelines?

Article summary

The article discusses the increasing presence of comments on Hacker News that start with 'I asked $AI, and it said', where users share responses from large language models (LLMs) without adding their own thoughts. The author questions whether such comments should be allowed on the platform and suggests updating the guidelines to address this issue. The discussion revolves around the value and drawbacks of these types of comments. Some users find them unhelpful and prefer human-generated content, while others see potential benefits, such as facilitating participation from non-native English speakers.

Main themes

• AI-generated content
• Hacker News guidelines
• Human conversation
• Language barriers
• Comment quality
• Translation tools

What commenters say

• Comments that simply quote AI responses without adding human insight are considered unhelpful and a waste of space by some users.
• The use of AI-generated content can be seen as a form of laziness, rather than a genuine attempt to contribute to the conversation.
• Allowing AI-generated comments can facilitate participation from non-native English speakers, but may also lead to a lack of accountability for the accuracy of the information shared.
• Some users believe that banning AI-generated comments would be impractical and that the community can effectively downvote unhelpful comments without the need for new guidelines.
• Others argue that AI-generated comments can be misleading, as they may present convincing but incorrect information, and that users should be discouraged from sharing them.
• There is a distinction between using AI for translation purposes, which can be helpful, and using AI to generate original content, which is seen as less valuable.
• The use of AI translation tools can be beneficial for non-native speakers, but may also lead to a loss of nuance and cultural context in online discussions.
• Some users prefer to read and respond to comments from non-native speakers, even if they contain errors, as it allows for a more personal and human connection.