Posted on 10/04/2025 7:22:12 AM PDT by CIB-173RDABN
In today’s fast-paced world, the process of writing for publication—whether essays, articles, or books—has evolved. One of the most common questions I receive is whether I “used AI” to write a particular piece. The simple answer is yes, but that requires context. AI is not a replacement for human thought or creativity; it is a tool, much like a research library or an editorial team.
When I write, the ideas and structure are mine. I may compose a first draft, then use AI to edit, clean up language, and refine flow. I can also ask AI to fact-check, suggest structure, or summarize complex research in seconds—a process that would otherwise take hours. After AI’s assistance, I review the content, adjust it, and add my own voice and perspective. The result is a finished essay that is both mine and enhanced by AI’s capabilities.
This process is no different in principle from traditional publishing. Consider the journey of a book or article: an author writes a draft, an editor reviews it, suggests improvements, and another editor ensures the final version is ready for publication. AI effectively acts as a personal editorial team, available instantly, without the need for a staff of humans.
Using AI also addresses challenges that modern search engines present. Today, using Google or similar platforms for research can be frustrating: ads crowd search results, bias in ranking can push one viewpoint over others, and personal data is constantly harvested. AI allows me to conduct comprehensive research without those distractions and compile relevant information efficiently while maintaining privacy.
Some critics argue that AI diminishes originality, but in reality, the tool amplifies human creativity rather than replacing it. The core ideas, reasoning, and final narrative come from the human author. AI does the heavy lifting of organizing, editing, and fact-checking, enabling the author to focus on thought, analysis, and expression—the essence of writing.
In conclusion, AI-assisted writing is not a shortcut—it is an evolution of the writing and editorial process. It mirrors the traditional roles of research assistants and editors, adapted to the digital age. Authors using AI remain the creative force behind their work; the finished product is theirs, enhanced by technology, and prepared for the realities of modern publication and research. AI is not a replacement for thought—it is a tool to bring ideas to their best possible form.
There are indisputable facts: The county a city is in is a good example the AI often gets wrong
There are opinions we all agree on: Hitler was a NAZI.
There are opinions presented as fact on which there is disagreement: Charlie Kirk was a NAZI.
Opposition to DEI is racism.
This last example illustrates the most common error. AI
accepts SPLC as authoritative and thus fact. This occurs in far more than politics. Ask AI questions about which computer language or database or OS is best and the result is opinion, not fact. The same with comparing cars or sport teams.
Google AI mode: write a one page story beginning with: it was a dark and stormy night
It was a dark and stormy night. The wind rattled the loose pane of glass in the attic window, a persistent, hollow sound that had become the unofficial metronome of the old house. Inside, by the dying embers of the fireplace, a young woman named Ellen sat, clutching a tattered book. Rain lashed against the windows like a desperate entity seeking entry, and every crack of thunder sent a jolt of anxiety through her. The isolation she had so craved since inheriting her reclusive great-aunt’s home had curdled into a palpable dread.
A floorboard creaked in the hall above. Ellen’s heart pounded a frantic rhythm against her ribs. She told herself it was just the house settling, the wind playing tricks. But this old house had never been one for simple tricks. It had a way of whispering in the dark, of turning shadows into fleeting shapes. Her great-aunt, a woman of peculiar habits and even more peculiar stories, had always claimed the house was a keeper of secrets, not merely a dwelling.
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