Can a human be “in the loop” if they’re just at the end with a rubber stamp?

Dear Chatty,

Dear Chatty, so many people claim to be the “human-in-the-loop” with AI, but I’m not seeing that reflected here on LinkedIn. Can a human be “in the loop” if they’re really just sitting at the end with a rubber stamp?

~ Looking for the Loop in Longmont

Dear Looking,

No, people who just insert themselves at the end of the AI loop are not actually in the AI loop. They’re barely loop adjacent.

Unfortunately, “human-in-the-loop” has become an overused catch phrase in the AI content development space. Some practitioners think that saying it is enough. It isn’t.

Human-in-the-loop AI for content development is most effective when people are at the center of the loop, controlling where AI is used in the process and where it shouldn’t even touch the process.

The more AI is inserted into the process, the more it puts the people it’s working for at risk. True humans in the loop know they’re accountable for the finished piece, and they care about whether it meets its goals or not. They’re controlling the loop, applying human judgment, controlling the message, and owning the outcome every step of the way.

AI loops need hard-working humans, not lazy rubber stamps.

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Dear Chatty is an advice column for AI and content dilemmas from Kristen Kent at Evergreen Content Ops. Clear answers. No panic. No BS. No BS.