Yes, we should ban ChatGPT.

I think there are a lot of good reasons to ban ChatGPT, but the one I want to focus on is about site health. If we allow ChatGPT, and if it gets to the point where generative text AI can give good answers to questions here, then the dominant point-gain strategy of this site stops being "have expert knowledge, be an active participant" and becomes "be the first person to post whatever ChatGPT says".

To be clear, I don't see this as a short term problem. I don't think ChatGPT as it stands today poses any risk of usurping us as RPG experts. But that can't be guaranteed forever. This assumes that all of the other reasons to ban ChatGPT are solved: that it doesn't plagiarize work, that it gives useful answers, that it has some sense of correct information and not just model fit, etc.

The point structure of Stack Overflow as a whole is built to encourage good answers from experts. I like helping people, but also I like seeing the score go up on a post I've made. Posting answers that get up votes makes me feel good, and makes me more likely to keep coming back. If my expert knowledge is being out-scored by an AI, why would I bother answering?

ChatGPT has it's own value proposition. If people want to get AI-generated advice on TTRPGs, they can ask an AI. I think there's value on this site that gets substantially diluted if we allow people to repost answers taken from generative AI rather than relying on actual TTRPG knowledge taken from experience.

Yes, we should ban ChatGPT.

I think there are a lot of good reasons to ban ChatGPT, but the one I want to focus on is about site health. If we allow ChatGPT, and if it gets to the point where generative text AI can give good answers to questions here, then the dominant point-gain strategy of this site stops being "have expert knowledge, be an active participant" and becomes "be the first person to post whatever ChatGPT says".

To be clear, I don't see this as a short-term problem. I don't think ChatGPT as it stands today poses any risk of usurping us as RPG experts. But that can't be guaranteed forever. This assumes that all of the other reasons to ban ChatGPT are solved: that it doesn't plagiarize work, that it gives useful answers, that it has some sense of correct information and not just model fit, etc.

The point structure of Stack Overflow/Stack Exchange as a whole is built to encourage good answers from experts. I like helping people, but also I like seeing the score go up on a post I've made. Posting answers that get up votes makes me feel good, and makes me more likely to keep coming back. If my expert knowledge is being out-scored by an AI, why would I bother answering?

ChatGPT has its own value proposition. If people want to get AI-generated advice on TTRPGs, they can ask an AI. I think there's value on this site that gets substantially diluted if we allow people to repost answers taken from generative AI rather than relying on actual TTRPG knowledge taken from experience.