A new study has found that short stories generated by ChatGPT were rated as more absorbing, engaging and higher quality than those written by human authors, raising questions about AI's growing capabilities in creative writing. The research, published in the journal Judgment and Decision Making, suggests people struggle to distinguish AI-written fiction from human-written work, though the study's authors stress this does not mean human authors have become redundant.

Researchers from Villanova University asked 1,682 adults to read one of six short stories, half written by humans and half by ChatGPT on matching themes, sometimes misleading participants about the true author. AI stories were rated more highly overall, though stories labelled as human-written received a ratings boost regardless of true authorship. In follow-up tests with 905 adults asked to identify which of two stories was AI-generated, accuracy was around 40-52%, no better than chance, though people with more AI expertise fared better. Lead researcher Dr Deena Skolnick Weisberg said AI's simpler style makes it easier to read, but argued there remains a distinct value in human creative expression.