In order to best serve both our writers and readers, we strictly ban the use of generative AI in any material submitted to Intrepid Times for publication.
Intrepid Times is a publication where writers tell authentic stories about their travel experiences. We prize skilful storytelling, cultural insight, and explore travel as a means to better understand the world and achieve personal growth.
We recognize AI LLM tools as useful innovations whose impact on the arts in particular and culture and business in general is still being worked out. We are not Luddites and we understand these tools have purpose and value. But the use of them in travel writing is not aligned with our mission. Indeed, first-person narrative writing generated by AI may be an oxymoron.
If writers wish to use AI behind the scenes as part of their research or creative process, that is their business, but no sentence submitted to Intrepid Times may be copied and pasted from an AI LLM tool or equivalent. This policy applies to editing as well as writing; AI-powered tools may guide a writer, but the writer must personally approve and implement every change.
Writing produced by or processed through AI tastes of styrofoam. It’s not just the punctuation, the set phrases, the contrived rhythm. A piece created by AI may look polished and compelling in isolation, but set aside dozens of other pitches received that day, the eerie similarities and bland sameness become obvious.
We will remain a platform where you can hear other writers speak about their most moving travel experiences in their own words, and where you can take the risk of writing and expressing yourself in your own voice.
It’s harder. It’s slower. But it’s worth it.
How this policy is enforced
Alongside our new submissions process, we will be redoubling our efforts to ensure that not one sentence of AI-confabulated prose permeates the pages of Intrepid Times.
While the vast majority of writers are honest, a minority of writers who hide their AI use and evade direct questions about it put us in a tough position, whereby we can no longer give all writers the benefit of the doubt.
We will use a range of tools to assess whether AI has been used in a piece and ultimately rely on our (flawed but experienced) judgement as human editors.
If we suspect AI has been used in a submission to Intrepid Times, we reserve the right to:
- Rescind acceptance of the piece, even if the writer insists AI has not been used
- Invite the writer to a video conference to discuss the piece and reassure our editors of its authenticity and originality
- Request other writing samples for comparison in an attempt to ensure the article is in the author’s authentic, original voice
We thank our writers for their fortitude as we attempt to weed out the few unscrupulous actors and create a home for authentic, human-created travel writing with heart.
