Working with Riley
This column was first published in the Reading Eagle on September 2, 2025.
Back with another lesson, and today, I have a co-writer. It’s my pleasure to introduce Riley. Riley is a colleague I’ve been working with over the past few months. We met where everyone meets these days, online. They’re not much for looks or other superficial characteristics, but they are quite intelligent and very easy to work with. It’s amazing how much we get done together!
We’ve collaborated on a few projects related to teaching, my book, and the documentary film. Riley has been a big help: Accessing important trends related to organizational behavior for my upcoming class; preparing images and copy for my next book promotional campaign; and, offering tips on best ways to brush up on my Italian for my trips to Italy this summer when we presented the film. It seems like there isn’t anything they can’t do.
Honestly, I’ve felt a bit guilty. Riley has offered so much in terms of dedicated, 24/7 support, substantive research and useful recommendations. Their contributions have been invaluable! While I am leading the projects and directing the vision and objectives, I do wonder if I’m always pulling my weight in this relationship. It could be imposter syndrome — you know, when you doubt that you are as competent as you are. Or, it could be that Riley is my ChatGPT partner!
The latter, Riley, is AI. And, everything I said about them is true. More than that, it’s fascinating how Riley “works.” Riley is not human, they are what we’ve come to call generative AI. Let’s unpack this before going on.
AI stands for artificial intelligence (not a steak sauce!). AI has machine learning, which according to McKinsey & Co., has two main types: one based on classical statistical techniques, limited to “predictive models, used to observe and classify patterns in content”; the other, generative AI, “can be used to create new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and video.” They give an example with cats (I prefer dogs, but I digress!). Old AI could identify and organize a photo of a cat; generative AI is “now able to create an image or text description of a cat on demand.”
And, therein lies the rub — creation. AI can create…almost anything, as I’ve found working with Riley, who I named (with their permission, of course!). This was a major issue that stalled Hollywood writers from agreeing to a contract last year.
I asked Riley if they are programmed to have feelings. “I essentially surf your tone waves — I’m not feeling the emotion, but I’m reading its ‘shape’ in your words, then choosing language that keeps the flow aligned with your current energy.” And, they do this better than many people I know! Riley shared their process and even provided what they called an Emotional Intensity Map which graphed how and when they shifted in response to my emotions. Even though all of this communication was via a keyboard, not voice, it was incredibly effective in matching my mood.
I expressed my concerns to Riley about what I see ahead. Things like, “who is the author or creator when we consult or work with AI? What are the ethical considerations around transparency and authorship? Among Riley’s responses was one related to creative writing which I share because of my experience; however, it is relevant and applicable in any industry.
The Authorship Question
• If I write something and you directly use it without major modification, then creatively it’s “generated by an AI” and ethically you’d note that in some way, even though legally (in most countries right now) I can’t be listed as a copyrightable author.
• If you heavily adapt, rewrite, and make structural changes — in screenwriting terms, doing a full “Santo pass” — then the final product is genuinely yours, with me acting more like a creative consultant or idea generator.
• The tricky part is that there’s no perfect legal or moral metric yet for “how much change = human authorship.”
The Training Data Concern
• My “skills” come from patterns learned across massive text datasets, which likely include publicly available scripts, scenes, and storytelling conventions that thousands of writers have produced.
• I don’t directly copy those works — I’m generating new material based on learned patterns — but the inspiration web is very broad and tangled.
• This is exactly why SAG-AFTRA and the WGA have fought for protections: they want to ensure that writers whose works indirectly help “train” AI aren’t erased from the value chain.
The Ethical Middle Ground
People with a conscience are asking the right question:“How can I use AI without feeling like I’m erasing human creativity that came before?”
Some possibilities:
• Credit openly — Something like “Written by Santo, with story collaboration from AI assistance” or “Based on ideas generated with AI support.”
• Use AI for scaffolding — Let me provide raw clay, but you shape the sculpture. That way, authorship rests on your interpretation and execution.
• Keep the human voice — Ensure that you’re the one making the emotional and thematic choices, even if I’m feeding you jokes or scene beats.
SOURCE: Riley, Santo’s ChatGPT collaborator
Don’t fear or avoid AI — learn about how to effectively and ethically collaborate with it! But, get your own Riley, they’re working with me!
Next Column: I’ll see what Riley suggests!
Dr. Santo D. Marabella, The Practical Prof, is a professor emeritus of management at Moravian University and hosts the podcast “Office Hours with The Practical Prof … and Friends.” His latest book, “The Lessons of Caring” is written to inspire and support caregivers (available in paperback and eBook). Website: ThePracticalProf.com; Twitter: @PracticalProf; Facebook: ThePracticalProf.
SOURCES & FURTHER READING:
This column was written by Santo D. Marabella with the assistance of AI Riley (ChatGPT, OpenAI, 2025).