AI Usage Policy

We're a group that build AI algorithms. We're artisans, not consumers. We value crafts, not slops.

Using AI in your apprenticeship undermines your future. Be kind to your future self. Give them the best chance to succeed.

So, the policy is this:

1. Use AI tools like ChatGPT/Claude/Gemini/etc. as Google Search++. They're super useful to clarify concepts when learning.
2. Don't ever use them for writing. Not even for text polishing. Use Grammarly for grammar check. Polish your writing by doing iterations of reading-rewrite-rereading passes.
3. Use them for coding as autocomplete/helper, not "agentic" vibe-coding.

Vibe-(coding,writing,etc.) has its place, but do not do it for your research & learning. Do it for your side projects, personal websites, automating chores, etc.

warning

Using LLMs to write/code for you is like going to the gym with a forklift or running with an exoskeleton. You will be able to lift a lot more and run faster & longer, but your strength and cardio actually decrease. Use it or lose it.

The public sentiment about AI-vibed works is very bad:

• https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49336573
• https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49371857

For writing especially, if your writing "smells" AI-generated, it will spell doom in both short and long terms. Short term, your paper will highly likely get rejected. Long term, you reduce your chance to succeed in whatever scientific goals you have.

In the era of slops, the best way to differentiate yourself against the masses is to double down on craft.

Appendix

What are the telltales of AI writing?

• https://github.com/theclaymethod/unslop#the-gamut-what-gets-removed
• https://github.com/blader/humanizer#the-35-patterns
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Signs_of_AI_writing