A Comparative Study of Reading Essays and the Initial Output of Generative AI : Focusing on Ethos and Reflection

Abstract

This study aims to compare and analyze human reading essays and the initial outputs of generative AI from the perspectives of ethos and reflection, in a context where the uniquely human domains of reading and writing are being re-examined due to the development of generative artificial intelligence. To this end, a book club was operated at a local small library, and the reading essays written by participants were compared with essays generated by generative AI (ChatGPT 5.2) after being provided with the same full literary texts. The participants’ responses during the sharing and discussion process were also analyzed. The results showed that the initial outputs of generative AI were strong in terms of logical coherence and structural completeness, but had limitations in embodying uniquely human emotional and existential qualities, such as embodied experiences rooted in real life, incomplete emotions, and the inability to read aloud. In contrast, human reading essays revealed self-identity and ethical attitudes based on lived experience and reflection, thereby forming deep empathy and trust with readers. This study is significant in that it demonstrates that, even in the age of AI, reading essays remain an important educational practice for forming uniquely human reflection and ethos, while also shedding new light on the humanistic value of reading education.