It’s been two years since Jon asked his colleagues about whether his institution was planning to put rules in place for governing the use of ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot developed and released by OpenAI in November 2022. He was concerned that it was not only a short-cut but a short-circuit of the creative process. “I don’t consider it a content matter expert,” he said.

He suggested forming a task force to consider the issue and create a policy around its appropriate use in developing and maintaining content.

“We need to establish that any content generated through the use of AI should reflect our institutional values, should be true and accurate to prevent the generation of false information, should be subject to review by human editors, should prevent harm or infringement of intellectual property, etc. Lots of possible pitfalls that we can prevent by being more proactive about it,” he said in September 2023. “As an institution, we have a responsibility for all the content we create, whether it’s generated by AI or not. Therefore, we need to at least have a framework for understanding its appropriate use.”

He is still awaiting a response.

So after three years of rapid development, we rarely miss an opportunity to talk about AI and its impact on our work. AI has evolved from basic conversational models to highly capable multimodal systems that understand and generate text, images, audio, and code. Advances in model architecture, training efficiency, and alignment techniques have enabled more accurate, context-aware, and safer interactions. AI is now integrated across industries, powering tools that assist with decision-making, creativity, and automation, while also sparking discussions about ethics, regulation, and the future of work.

Through our institutional Microsoft licenses, we have access to Copilot, an AI-powered virtual assistant. We consider it a valuable element in our content toolbox, much like a dictionary, thesaurus, or style guide. It can generate content in seconds and produce multiple variations, depending on need. It can reduce the time needed to produce routine or formulaic content. It can easily summarize documents and generate precise word counts. 

However, this efficiency comes with a cost. Because Copilot often provides quick solutions, we sometimes find ourselves relying on its output rather than engaging in the deeper, more imaginative thinking that fuels original ideas. The convenience of automation can blunt the kind investigation and creativity that leads to distinctive content.

Who knows where we’ll be two years from now? As AI tools continue to evolve, they will likely become more integrated into our workflows, further accelerating productivity and reducing the burden of repetitive tasks.

One thing is clear: AI won’t replace the camping experience. This long Labor Day weekend found us enjoying Site 6, adjacent to a creek and a forest trail accessible only by bridge. A substantial rain shower on Saturday morning eventually gave way to sunny skies, cooler temperatures, lower humidity, and gentle breezes. We typically avoid holiday weekends because, well, so many campers are “holiday” campers, meaning they’re not regulars. They come fully ready for weekend activities with watercraft, bounce houses, smokers, grills, boats, etc., establishing a “compound” rather than a campsite.

Not so, this weekend. Despite the “no campsites available” sign at the front gate, there were many open spots (or perhaps we should say “untaken” or “unoccupied” sites). So it turned out to be a fairly quiet weekend overall.

As we continue to debate the possibilities and limitations of AI, it’s worth remembering that technology should be used to augment, not replace, human insight, imagination, and connection. Whether we’re drafting content or collecting scrap wood for a campfire, the most meaningful experiences still come from being present, thinking deeply, and engaging fully. AI may help us work smarter, but it’s these quiet weekends, with campfire conversations and thoughtful reflection, that remind us what it truly means to be original.