Medium, This Is What ChatGPT Has to Say About You
A brutally honest review about Medium from Artificial Intelligence and my response to it
We all either praised or criticized Medium at some point in our presence here on the platform.
However, in the age of Artificial Intelligence, I asked ChatGPT to briefly describe Medium and be extremely critical of it.
I know I prompted it a bit too much, but I wanted a brutally honest review.
If we usually don’t hold back on our feedback, why should A.I. do it?
Anyway, this was the answer:
Let’s face it: we all love to hate Medium and all the pain points ChatGPT presents are nothing but openly known complaints already shared by the community, at some point.
And if I’m to be completely honest, it’s hard to disagree with what artificial intelligence has to say.
Regardless, allow me to defend you on this one, Medium.
Lack of Transparency
Although Medium works more like a social media platform, where one needs to like and comment to keep engagement on a high level, the emphasis is on the merit of the content itself, rather than the author’s personal brand or promotional strategies.
Sure Medium doesn’t seem to disclose the specifics of the algorithm, however, through its complete and intuitive analytics writers can evaluate their content’s performance and ensure the merit above mentioned.
Additionally, the platform has a thriving community of writers who share tips and insights on maximizing their exposure on the platform.
Overall, while there may be room for improvement in terms of transparency, Medium’s focus on promoting quality content and fostering a diverse and inclusive online community is definitely a positive aspect of the platform.
Biased Curation System
Medium’s editorial team is dedicated to promoting content that is well-written, informative, and thought-provoking. — This is what I believe.
This might also feel like an issue due to all the Twitter dilemmas that the Internet has witnessed since Elon’s takeover. People might believe that Medium’s curation follows a more politically correct path, but the truth is that Medium is a platform where politics don’t reign supreme.
For instance, my curated articles are guides, reviews, and personal experiences.
They are devoid of strong opinions. But even if they were more opinion based, I would still be able to publish. Even though I might not reach curation with them, I most surely wouldn’t be censored by Medium.
Therefore, one can say that Medium’s curation is either lazy or extremely selective, but certainly not biased.
Questionable Monetization Model
Even though I’m not fully onboard with how Medium runs its Monetization Model, I just can’t agree with ChatGPT's claims.
Sure claps are important for writers since it helps measure the quality and success of their content. However, the Partner Program takes into account other metrics beyond just the number of claps, such as reading time and engagement from paying members.
This means that Medium rewards monetarily writers who produce thoughtful, substantive content that keeps readers engaged and subscribed to the platform.
Given this, ChatGPT couldn’t be further from the truth since Medium rewards those who prioritize quality over quantity and not those who can write catchy yet empty titles.
Non-customizable Interface
While it is true that Medium’s interface is not highly customizable, it can be argued that this actually benefits writers by allowing their content to stand out based on its quality, rather than relying on flashy design elements.
Writers can create a consistent writing style, choose specific topics to focus on, and engage with their audience through comments and responses, in order to establish themselves and their work as distinctive and recognizable
Additionally, Medium allows writers to add a bio and profile picture, which can help readers to remember and recognize them, and also link their personal website or social media accounts, providing additional opportunities for branding and self-promotion.
In summary, while Medium’s interface may not be highly customizable, it actually helps to level the playing field and ensure that the focus remains on quality content.
Even though we like to diminish Medium from time to time — to the point that AI compiles a list of bad statements about it — we have a lot to appreciate it for.
