My AI Usage Policy
I’ve been writing professionally for a long time. Long before AI hit the scene as the “solution” for seemingly everything.
I call BS on that belief. Especially on the claim that it can replace a great writer. It cannot.
I do not use AI to generate any of my content.
Not to write first drafts. Not to hone my original copy. Zip. Zilch. Nada.
I also don’t use tools like Hemingway or Grammarly at all. Frankly, they just aren’t as good as a great writer, notwithstanding their aspirational names.
When you get copy from me, you can rest assured it is 100% original from my mind to the page.
I’m not a luddite, though. I believe most tech tools, even AI in its still-nascent stage, have potential value.
Where I May Use AI
- Research starting point. I occasionally leverage Gemini or Claude to surface basic information about a topic. However, I triple-check any “facts” it gives me, because…you know…hallucinations.
- Technical topics. I write a lot about highly-technical and complex subjects. If I don’t fully understand a new concept, I will sometimes ask Gemini or Claude to clarify a point. Just like with my research, though, I triple-check anything either tool spits out. See hallucinations, above.
Where I Never Use AI
- Writing. I pride myself on my writing skills. I’ve honed my craft over decades of practice. To turn over that responsibility to an LLM with no soul is not something I will ever do. Every single piece of content you get from me is 100% my own. That includes headlines, sub-heads, body copy, etc.
- Spelling and grammar. I use a mix of Google Docs and Microsoft Word, depending on client preference, to capture my ideas and words. Both platforms have built in spellchecking tools. I rely on those to catch spelling errors as I write. But that’s it.
- Editing. I don’t use any tool to rewrite any of my text at any time. I carefully review everything I write with my own two eyes to check for grammar, syntax, and general awesomeness. If my copy sucks on the first (or second) pass, I keep refining it until it shines. You get 100% original copy powered exclusively by me, every time.
Final Thoughts on AI
As a writer, I take my craft seriously. I also guard my creative output fiercely.
Much of my work is on behalf of clients, and they own the final product. What they do with it is up to them. I trust them to use my words for good.
For everything else I write, including work published with my byline, I do not consent to any of my work being used to train any form of AI, LLM, or machine learning device.
Just file that last sentence under “things I never imagined having to say.”