Uploads from Ontology Explained: Philosophy and AI

Currently Playing: You Shouldn't Let ChatGPT Write Your Emails

Is it morally wrong to send emails that are mostly written by AI? In this episode, I argue that the answer is often yes. Rather than debating whether large language models are "good" or "bad" in general, I focus on a much narrower claim: sending emails that are primarily generated by an LLM is frequently a moral mistake. I develop two arguments: • It can involve a kind of deception by presenting AI-generated words as your own communication. • It can be selfish and anti-relational by offloading the effort of communication while expecting others to engage with the result. Along the way I discuss changing social norms around AI, whether widespread AI use changes the ethics, and why authenticity still matters even in an age of increasingly capable language models. I also explain where I think AI use *is* perfectly appropriate—for editing, brainstorming, improving clarity, generating metadata, standardizing formats, and other cases where it genuinely serves the reader rather than replacing the human author. Do you think AI-written emails are becoming socially acceptable, or are we quietly undermining trust in everyday communication? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Check out the EU Act: https://commission.europa.eu/news-and-media/news/safer-and-more-transparent-ai-2026-08-02_en #AI #Ethics #Philosophy #ChatGPT #ArtificialIntelligence #LLMs #Communication #Technology #MoralPhilosophy