In a landscape increasingly dominated by AI-generated content, one prominent technologist is making a deliberate stand for human authorship. Bertrand Meyer, renowned computer scientist and creator of the Eiffel programming language, has publicly outlined his strict policy for interacting with AI tools like ChatGPT: he leverages them solely as information resources and fact-checkers, explicitly rejecting any AI assistance in the actual writing process.

Meyer details his approach on his blog, emphasizing a core ethical principle: "I explicitly do not want to use any phrasing that you would have suggested, as I would consider it dishonest to pass off as my own any text element, even down to a single sentence or phrase, that has been written by someone else (including a tool)."


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"I use you to obtain information and to check facts. Specifically, to check that a text element I wrote does not contain any factual error. I would never ask you to write such text elements for me..." - Bertrand Meyer

This stance goes beyond personal preference; it touches on fundamental questions of intellectual honesty and professional identity in the age of AI. Meyer uses ChatGPT rigorously as a sophisticated reference engine – confirming his understanding, filling knowledge gaps, and verifying the accuracy of his own drafts. However, the moment the AI transitions from providing *information* to proposing *phrasing*, Meyer disengages. His position resonates deeply within technical communities where precise, original thought and clear attribution are paramount. It highlights an often-overlooked tension:

  1. The Efficiency Temptation: AI tools can rapidly generate coherent summaries, explanations, and drafts, offering significant time savings.
  2. The Authenticity Imperative: Passing off machine-generated text as one's own work undermines the value of genuine expertise, critical thinking, and personal voice – cornerstones of technical credibility.

Meyer’s approach forces a critical question for developers, technical writers, and researchers: Where does "assistance" end and "authorship" begin? While using AI to debug code or research APIs is widely accepted, using it to draft documentation, design rationales, or conference abstracts enters murky ethical territory. Does simply editing an AI draft constitute original work? Meyer’s answer is a resounding 'no' when it comes to prose.

This debate is far from academic. As credentialing bodies, publishers, and employers grapple with AI's role, Meyer’s principled stand serves as a clear marker. It champions the irreplaceable value of the human mind in articulating complex technical concepts and positions, reminding us that true expertise isn't just about possessing information, but about the unique ability to synthesize and express it authentically. The tools are powerful, but the voice must remain our own.