AI descriptions are truly awful

[aramatic]

While some people may think AI descriptions are useful, to me as a buyer they're a red flag, suggesting that the seller is either lazy or know next to nothing about the item being sold. The cheesy 50s advertising language ("experience the thrill of...", "a must-have item", "buy one today") and the repetition of tired phrases from item to item ("sleek design", "vintage gem") are often at the expense of anything sensible relating to them item—like, for instance, does it actually work? In one bound some sellers have leapt from the uselessly brief "Condition is Used" (duh) to the uselessly inflated blather produced by AI. If you can't describe it yourself, how can you expect me to buy it?

[zero29zero]

ebay's AI pitchman reminds me of a parrot that only knows a limited number of words & phrases and keeps mindlessly squawking them out over & over & over & over again

[inhawaii]

I agree.

Nothin' like a good ole human description. 

[itsjustasprain]

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@inhawaii wrote:

I agree.

Nothin' like a good ole human description. 

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I would say that AI descriptions are simply introducing a new form of 'awful' to add to the other ways that a listing by a bad seller makes it bad.

Once I realize that I am reading an AI description (which I realize maybe 5 words into the first sentence) then I basically ignore whatever its saying and look to the photos to try and judge if the thing is worth buying. The content of the AI description seems to be mainly sucked from the Item Specifics so I will look at the IS entries as well as the photos. But finding an AI description is generally a red flag that the seller cannot be bothered to put any effort into accurately describing his product.

I dont need an essay - especially if its just endless babble.

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

Okay ...

Whats worst in your eyes. You can rank them if you like...

A) Nothing (blank description)

B) Repeated Title

C) AI Description

Let's be honest, someone who writes their own meaningful, carefully crafted, descriptions is unlikely to hand it over to AI very easily. At the "quality" or lack thereof currently found in AI descriptions now, seller will opt to continue writing their own. I think AI descriptions are ALTERNATIVES to blank descriptions or repeated titles....

[deltilogical]

Its not an AI.  They can't even get the search right; they have not rolled out an AI.   We're supposed to get all excited and dizzy because they said "AI".  

[inhawaii]

Have you tasted the IA "flavored" Coke?  Yuck!

[linda7913]

I am for computers helping us do our tasks, but the key word is "helping" not doing things for us that we should be doing ourselves. I will always write my own descriptions, figure out my own creativity, etc. When we embrace AI, do we really know what we're doing? Are we giving up our humanity or humanness (if that's a word?)? Maybe not right now while AI is in its infancy, but how about years later when the machine has "learned?" Right now, we can tell when something is AI written, but there may come a time when we can't tell. Then what?

As I say, I like computers, but I have worked with them since DOS was a thing. Before Windows. So, I see them as an aid, but I am still in command of what they do.

[treasuresfromtanya]

I hate the thought of AI dipping it's fingers into anything or everything.  Photography isn't real, writing isn't real...we are human and if someone cannot write their own descriptions...then they shouldn't be selling something online sight unseen.  I don't know what to believe anymore, nothing is real and this blows!  & it's only going downhill from here.  It's false, it's fake and it will take over.

[dhbookds]

if buyers don't like the description........presumably they won't buy the product........

but have to say.........many descriptions today are one line........"This is a used x and works fine"......  and they ain't fine either.

[ittybitnot]

Whats worst in your eyes.

@ajs_coins_and_alchemy 

At least with the "nothing" or "repeated title"  or even the 'nice item see pics'  (non)description I can employ the back button a lot sooner.  The A1 version simply wastes my time reading the drivel only to find it is a 'nothing' statement  anyway that never addresses size, material, condition (anything that makes it NOT mint), etc.  

On a lighter side, you may want to see Post #13 Here: 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/AI-generated-titles-and-descriptions/td-p/34061076/page/2

Or another all time favorite Post #26 Here: 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Using-AI-For-Description/td-p/34038088/page/3

[lux.ra_14]

Two excerpts from an AI book description I just read:

"Published by Penguin Publishing Group in 1969, this book has a weight of 320.7 ounces and is written in English."

"This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys an entertaining and informative read."

The first is inaccurate, and the second is generic and meaningless. The book was actually published by Viking and weighs a whole lot less than 320.7 ounces (20+ pounds!)

[4pawsup*]

The few sample ai descriptions for the category i sell were great. I enjoy writing my own descriptions for the items i sell but i have to say the history that was added to the few sample descriptions i saw were really good.

There is a place for them if they are used as a tool to add to your own description. I would not use them as the sole description of my items. JMO

[itsjustasprain]

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@ittybitnot wrote:

Or another all time favorite Post #26 Here: 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Using-AI-For-Description/td-p/34038088/page/3

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@shipscript gets my Post of the Year nomination for that one. 😂 Direct link to #26 here:

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Using-AI-For-Description/m-p/34040429#M2291627

[steve_stuff]

We love AI - would never use it - but we love it and hope that ever seller who lists the same things as us would use it.

We love AL just as much as we love the sellers listing the same things as us, who think that 'condition is used' or 'condition is good' or 'see photos' is a description.

Or "Steven King IT book" is a title and no need to check any IS not mandated.

Or the one's who have the original box in the photo but never mentions it in the description or title.

Or the record seller who lists a copy of 'Hey Jude' and doesn't check the IS for single or album.

The sellers who don't use the style/model numbers, like most boot sellers. Do you have any idea how many 'Justin brown cowboy boots size whatever' there are up for sale?

The boot sellers who think cowboy boots have laces.

We love the sellers who answer question like "Can't tell from the photos and not stated in title or text - All different or are there duplicates?" with "All are vintage" [real question/reply]

And the ones who never reply? Love them.

We love all sellers in our categorizes who do things wrong as they make us look so much better.