The author of the work refused the prize
A work created by artificial intelligence (AI) was on the verge of an award in a literary competition in our country. Khristian Papazov told BTA about the fact that his poem, generated through AI, was chosen to be awarded in the national youth poetry competition “Veselin Hanchev”.
According to him, he wanted to carry out an experiment by applying with several works created by artificial intelligence. Papazov explains that after he received a message from the organizers that he was among the awarded artists, he sent a reply in which he told about this experiment and gave up the prize. “I consider it proper to refuse the prize – there is not a single author’s word in the submitted poems,” he points out.
Christian Papazov also notes that he has no aspirations to be a public figure, and his only desire with this experiment is to provoke discussion and change, so that “the creation of man, not that of the machine, is preserved.” “I hope that artists will not allow the machine to replace man and stimulate true art,” he wrote in his letter to the organizers, adding that he would be happy to find a way for such works to be recognized.
“We don’t know how to prove authorship or co-authorship with artificial intelligence.” No one can recognize him at the moment – not us, not that we work in a library and read a lot of poetry, not anyone on the jury. If someone can create an algorithm to distinguish artificial intelligence from pure authorship, we will implement it,” said Slava Draganova – director of Rodina library, co-organizer of the contest.
According to her, the topic of creating literary works from artificial intelligence will be discussed today, within the framework of a creative workshop with the participation of all the authors who sent their poems for the contest and with the jury. Slava Draganova said that Christian Papazov was also invited to Stara Zagora both for the award ceremony on Friday evening and for the creative workshop. He said he was hindered, she noted. She added that she read the poem “Grandfather”, which was on the verge of distinction, and she liked it.
In a letter to the media, the organizers say that the work was sent on behalf of Christian Papazov – 21 years old from the village of Nozharevo, Silistra, who “used invalid personal data – phone number, place of birth and contact address”. The organizers and the jury of the competition withdraw the promotion of the work in question, reads part of the announcement.
Slava Draganova also said that Papazov did not provide information about what artificial intelligence he used to “write” the work. “Artificial intelligence, in my opinion, also allows editing of the text. The text can also be edited by whoever used the artificial intelligence,” she said.
“Undoubtedly, we will make changes to the statute for future years. It turns out that the oldest contest in Bulgaria entered the future the fastest, abruptly entered the future,” said the director of Rodina library. “We have no way to distinguish artificial intelligence from personal authorship in the future. But we will include a text in the regulation that differentiates us from receiving texts created with artificial intelligence,” Draganova pointed out. According to her, everything depends on the good will of the creator. In the next editions, the participants will be required to sign a declaration that they do not use AI in the creation of author’s works, according to the organizers of the competition.
“Rodina” Library and the Municipality of Stara Zagora will also initiate a discussion on the topic with poets, writers, literary critics, teachers and participants in the jury of literary contests, experts in digital marketing and copyright and representatives of the Ministry of Culture, the organizers also write the contest.
A total of 92 young authors participated in the 41st edition of the national youth literary contest “Veselin Hanchev”. The Grand Prize “Golden Egg” and publication of the first collection of poems was awarded to 23-year-old Katerina Vasileva from Sofia for the poem “Landscape”. Second prize received Maria Milanova, 19 years old, from Sofia, for the poem “Without”, who last year also won second prize, and in 2022, she won an incentive. The third place goes to Michael Rukov, 21 years old, from Sofia, for the poem “Collapse”, which pres has received an incentive for the past two years.Friday evening’s ceremony also presented nine incentive awards.
The competition is organized by Stara Zagora Municipality, Rodina Library and Geo Milev House Museum.