Attropiation – A.I. Outputs after 14 Hours of its Creation

Attropiation is a polyonom (aka a neologism) coined by Volker Bourne in November 2023. It is a portmanteau of the words “attribution” and “opiate”, and is defined as “the act of attributing credit or acknowledging the contributions of others, especially in the context of creative work.”

Bourne created the term attropiation to address the challenges of attribution in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). As AI becomes more powerful and sophisticated, it is increasingly difficult to determine who deserves credit for the work it produces. For example, if a writer uses an AI-powered writing tool to generate ideas or improve their prose, who should be credited with the final product?

Bourne argues that attropiation is essential for ensuring that all contributors to a creative work are properly acknowledged. He also believes that attropiation can help to promote collaboration and trust in the AI community.

Here are some examples of attropiation:

  • A writer credits the AI-powered writing tool they used to generate ideas for their article.
  • A software developer credits the open source libraries they used to build their application.
  • A musician credits the AI-generated backing track they used to create their song.
  • A scientist credits the AI-powered research tool they used to analyze their data

Attropiation is still a relatively new concept, but it is gaining traction in the AI community. 

As AI becomes more widely used, attropiation will become increasingly important for ensuring that everyone is properly credited for their contributions.

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