Episode 28: How Are AI-Generated Texts Created? Understanding the Mechanism and Potential of Text Generation Technology

AI-generated writing is closer than you think

Have you ever been surprised to hear someone say, “This text was actually written by AI”? It’s possible that the news article you read recently, a product review, or even a reply in a chat wasn’t written by a person at all. These kinds of automatically created texts are made using a technology called “text generation.”

Once considered something out of science fiction, this technology has quietly become part of our everyday lives. Without realizing it, we’re already seeing it in action all around us.

How does AI create natural-sounding sentences?

In simple terms, text generation means “a computer writing sentences like a human.” But it’s not just about stringing words together. The sentences need to follow grammar rules, make sense, and sometimes even express emotion—just like something written by a person.

This ability is made possible by technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. In particular, what’s gaining attention lately is something called a “large language model” (LLM). This type of AI reads through huge amounts of text data and learns patterns and connections between words so that it can generate new sentences by predicting what should come next.

For example, if you type “Since it’s raining today,” the AI might continue with something like “I decided to stay home and watch a movie.” It can do this because it has learned from many similar examples in the past.

Behind the scenes are techniques like “Transformer” models and “self-attention mechanisms.” These may sound technical, but simply put, they help the AI understand the context before and after each word so it can choose the most appropriate one. In other words, the AI isn’t just randomly putting words together—it’s trying to create sentences that fit naturally into the situation.

Growing use cases—and emerging challenges

Text generation technology is already being used in many different fields. For instance, companies are using it for customer service chatbots to help deal with staff shortages. There are also AIs that write novels or poems, expanding into creative areas. More recently, it’s even being applied in fields that require deep expertise—like programming or legal documents.

But this technology also brings some issues. Sometimes the text generated by AI includes information that isn’t true. This kind of error is known as a “hallucination.” And because AI can produce writing that feels very human-like, questions arise about who should be responsible for its content—raising ethical concerns.

So while it’s convenient, we can’t just rely on it blindly. We need to think carefully about how to ensure accuracy and trustworthiness when using these tools.

How should we move forward with this technology?

Even so, there’s no denying the great potential of this technology. Tasks like creating documents or replying to emails—which usually take time—might be done in just seconds with AI assistance. More importantly, when humans and AI support each other’s strengths, we may discover entirely new ways of working or expressing ourselves.

Language has always been something uniquely human. Now that machines can participate in this process too, we must ask ourselves: when should we use them? How much should we let them do?

Text generation could be the starting point for exploring those questions. Rather than just seeing it as convenient or impressive, we’re entering an era where thoughtful use of its power will be essential.

In our next article, we’ll explore another fascinating development: image generation—where machines can turn words into pictures. Let’s dive into how this surprising process works together next time. Stay tuned!