{"id":25567,"date":"2026-08-02T21:59:27","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T16:59:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=25567"},"modified":"2026-08-02T21:59:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T16:59:27","slug":"hank-green-apologizes-for-relying-too-heavily-on-chatgpt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=25567","title":{"rendered":"Hank Green apologizes for relying too heavily on ChatGPT"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mashable.com\/article\/hank-green-tiktok-ban\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\">Hank Green<\/a> has spent nearly two decades answering the internet\u2019s questions, but this time viewers had one for him: Did <a href=\"https:\/\/mashable.com\/category\/chatgpt\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\">ChatGPT<\/a> write that?<\/p>\n<p>Green says it did not, although the controversy has prompted the longtime YouTuber and science communicator to reconsider how much he uses AI in the first place. In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/nerdfighters\/comments\/1vbmoj5\/comment\/p0vzmog\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\" title=\"(opens in a new window)\">lengthy Reddit response<\/a> posted July 31, Green said he plans to make fewer videos and pause two online word games after admitting that his reliance on large language models had become &#8220;not healthy for me or good for the world.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitterEmbed twitter-tweet\"><p>\n    <a class=\"text-gray-600\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/tisthepamseason\/status\/2083031642629669224\" title=\"(Opens in a new tab) (opens in a new window)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n        This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.<br \/>\n    <\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;I\u2019m mortified that I have let so many people down,&#8221; Green wrote. &#8220;I\u2019m going to change things about how I make stuff.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3>How &#8220;I appreciate the pushback&#8221; started the backlash<\/h3>\n<p>The questions began with a recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=C5bwAv9Xdz8\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\" title=\"(opens in a new window)\">55-minute episode<\/a> of Complexly\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLrrb6Kww-RX0Uk1ODpLsnMkzsyLqHsWbw\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\" title=\"(opens in a new window)\"><em>Ask Hank Anything<\/em><\/a>, featuring TikTok creator <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@soupytime?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\" title=\"(opens in a new window)\">Soupytime<\/a>. During a segment recorded separately from their conversation, Green said, \u201cA better way to say it, and I appreciate the pushback, is a word is a human invention.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That &#8220;I appreciate the pushback&#8221; caught viewers\u2019 attention. The phrase is commonly associated with chatbots responding to a correction, and because Green appeared to be speaking alone in that portion of the video, some people speculated that he had accidentally read language generated by ChatGPT.<\/p>\n<p>Green responded in a since-deleted post on X, explaining that he had produced the episode &#8220;under a ton of pressure.&#8221; He confirmed that he used ChatGPT to research the script, but said neither his notes nor the script contained the disputed phrase. According to Green, it was an ad-lib referring to a disagreement with Soupytime earlier in the episode.<\/p>\n<p>The line may have been his, but Green conceded that the broader impression was not coming from nowhere.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I think it\u2019s fair to say I was relying too much on generated notes,&#8221; Green wrote in the deleted post. &#8220;That\u2019s a thing I\u2019ve been doing, and it\u2019s a bad habit at a time when I\u2019ve overcommitted myself.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitterEmbed twitter-tweet\"><p>\n    <a class=\"text-gray-600\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/linguinelabs\/status\/2083638284484563234\" title=\"(Opens in a new tab) (opens in a new window)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n        This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.<br \/>\n    <\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mashable.com\/article\/hank-john-green-crash-course-nonprofit\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\">Complexly<\/a> soon offered its own clarification. In an <a href=\"https:\/\/complexly.org\/ai-response\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\" title=\"(opens in a new window)\">Aug. 1 statement<\/a>, the educational media nonprofit Green founded with his brother, author John Green, confirmed that he used ChatGPT during preliminary research. The organization said he did not use it to write or fact-check the segment.<\/p>\n<p>Under Complexly\u2019s existing AI policy, the organization permits limited use of AI for preliminary research but prohibits AI from writing, editing, or fact-checking videos. It also described Green\u2019s use of ChatGPT as uncommon for him and for Complexly productions.<\/p>\n<p><q><br \/>\n    &#8220;You need to know that my words are mine. I\u2019ve been moving so fast that my own process isn\u2019t actually clear to me.&#8221;<br \/>\n    <\/q><\/p>\n<p>With the video\u2019s production process clarified, Green turned to the larger concern: how deeply AI had worked its way into his routine.<\/p>\n<section x-data=\"window.newsletter({ isDeal: false })\" x-init=\"init()\" aria-label=\"Newsletter Sign-Up\" class=\"relative invisible my-12 mx-auto w-full max-w-3xl md:my-16 ziff-component accent-cut-for-gradient-bg accent-cut-border-for-gradient-bg bg-gradient-fuchsia-secondary p-[2px]\">\n<p>\n            <span class=\"text-gradient-fuchsia-secondary\">Mashable Trend Report<\/span>\n        <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p>In his Reddit response, Green said he has used chatbots to locate academic papers and other resources, rather than generate scripts or opinions.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You are still getting my takes based on what I read, know, and learn,&#8221; he wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Finding those sources faster, however, came with a tradeoff. Green said <a href=\"https:\/\/mashable.com\/tech\/how-people-use-ai-chatbots\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\">relying on ChatGPT<\/a> prevented him from finding his &#8220;own ways into and around a topic,&#8221; even when the chatbot led him to papers he did not know existed.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitterEmbed twitter-tweet\"><p>\n    <a class=\"text-gray-600\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/fisackerly\/status\/2083233130035765260\" title=\"(Opens in a new tab) (opens in a new window)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n        This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.<br \/>\n    <\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>That uncertainty carries particular weight for Green, who helped build educational channels, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/scishow\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\" title=\"(opens in a new window)\">SciShow<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/crashcourse\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\" title=\"(opens in a new window)\">CrashCourse<\/a>, focused on making complex subjects accessible. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You need to know that my words are mine,&#8221; Green wrote. \u201cI\u2019ve been moving so fast that my own process isn\u2019t actually clear to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Green\u2019s response was not a complete rejection of AI. He described himself as &#8220;not a pure AI-hater&#8221; and said people can reasonably disagree about whether or how the technology should be used. He also reiterated his concerns about how AI models are trained, their climate impact, and the speed at which AI companies are consolidating economic power.<\/p>\n<p>The part of his explanation connected to the pressure he felt to keep producing projects as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The level of dopamine I\u2019ve been getting from interacting with LLMs&#8230;with doing more and more and more and more&#8230;is not healthy for me or good for the world,&#8221; he wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Green said his wife, Katherine, and brother John had also raised concerns. Neither &#8220;pulled any punches,&#8221; he wrote, and both believed his behavior had become unhealthy.<\/p>\n<h3>Hank Green plans to make less content<\/h3>\n<p>That realization will change Green\u2019s production schedule. Green says he plans to slow down <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@hankschannel\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\" title=\"(opens in a new window)\">Hankschannel<\/a>, his personal YouTube account with more than 3 million subscribers, which may either pause temporarily, return with additional writing and research support, or simply publish far fewer videos.<\/p>\n<p>Green is also pausing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hankgreen.com\/smush\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\" title=\"(opens in a new window)\">SMUSH<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hankgreen.com\/fourbythree\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\" title=\"(opens in a new window)\">4&#215;3<\/a>, two daily online word games he produces. He currently has a backlog of 4&#215;3 puzzles, but said he will let the game stop updating if those run out, rather than pressuring himself to keep producing them.<\/p>\n<p>With fewer projects competing for his attention, Green said he wants to spend more time making videos where &#8220;the writing was the whole thing.&#8221; There may still be occasional unscripted videos filmed directly to the camera, but the pace will be slower.<\/p>\n<p>Beneath Green\u2019s response, some fans gave him grace, saying Green &#8220;is allowed to slow down&#8221; and that most viewers would prefer fewer videos over greater reliance on AI. But many more questioned Green&#8217;s use of AI in the first place, especially given that Complexly already works with human researchers. <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitterEmbed twitter-tweet\"><p>\n    <a class=\"text-gray-600\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ryancbriggs\/status\/2083288415835922593\" title=\"(Opens in a new tab) (opens in a new window)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n        This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.<br \/>\n    <\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;If the pressure to make a video is too much that you can\u2019t use a human researcher, we don\u2019t need the video,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/nerdfighters\/comments\/1vbmoj5\/comment\/p0umfmi\/?screen_view_count=3&amp;ext-referrer=DIRECT\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\" title=\"(opens in a new window)\">one Reddit commenter<\/a> wrote. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/nerdfighters\/comments\/1vbmoj5\/comment\/p0uksbv\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-ga-click=\"1\" data-ga-label=\"$text\" data-ga-item=\"text-link\" data-ga-module=\"content_body\" title=\"(opens in a new window)\">Another argued<\/a> that AI can create the impression of increased productivity while merely &#8220;pushing the food around on your plate.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitterEmbed twitter-tweet\"><p>\n    <a class=\"text-gray-600\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/__shiticantsay\/status\/2083270974439334082\" title=\"(Opens in a new tab) (opens in a new window)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n        This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.<br \/>\n    <\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Even the user who started the Reddit discussion apologized if the post had contributed to a dogpile. Green replied that he understood and believed the criticism was &#8220;coming from a good place.&#8221;<\/p>\n<section class=\"mx-auto max-w-7xl\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-wrap mt-8 w-full font-sans subtitle-2 editor-content\">\n<p>\n        <span class=\"mr-1.5 font-sans font-bold\">Topics<\/span><br \/>\n                    <a class=\"underline-link hover:no-underline text-secondary-300 mr-1.5\" href=\"https:\/\/mashable.com\/category\/artificial-intelligence\" aria-label=\"Navigate to the Artificial Intelligence tag\" data-ga-click=\"\" data-ga-label=\"$text\">Artificial Intelligence<\/a><br \/>\n                    <a class=\"underline-link hover:no-underline text-secondary-300 \" href=\"https:\/\/mashable.com\/category\/youtube\" aria-label=\"Navigate to the YouTube tag\" data-ga-click=\"\" data-ga-label=\"$text\">YouTube<\/a>\n            <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hank Green has spent nearly two decades answering the internet\u2019s questions, but this time viewers had one for him: Did ChatGPT write that? Green says it did not, although the controversy has prompted the longtime YouTuber and science communicator to reconsider how much he uses AI in the first place. In a lengthy Reddit response&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25568,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/helios-i.mashable.com\/imagery\/articles\/00eEDdt0zGtNJm3JWWzfeL0\/hero-image.fill.size_1200x675.v1785680560.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-real-trending-viral-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25567"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25567\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/25568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}