As I’ve used artificial intelligence (AI) more and more in my blog writing process, I’ve asked “At what point am I no longer the creator?”
I don’t think it’s ethical for me to represent a computer’s work as my own, but I do want to take advantage of AI to do research, check my grammar and spelling, and help my writing to be clear and concise.
This is a real issue in education, where students are using AI to do virtually all of their research and writing. They are turning in papers and assignments that have been created wholly by AI, thus bypassing the creative process. This has led some schools to impose a “no AI” policy.
I think for creative professionals, it’s not really a question of “everything or nothing” when it comes to AI use. It’s a question more of determining a proper degree of use — how can we benefit and improve our creative process by using AI, but not turn our creative process over to AI?
I Value the Process of Creation
It’s important for me to be actively involved in the steps of my creative process. Otherwise, it’s not my creative process.
I value the discipline of the creative process in writing blog posts. I want to become better at each of the elements, and the only way to do that is to do the work. My process is composed of many parts —
• Coming up with an idea to write about.
• Developing my thoughts about a topic.
• Organizing my thoughts in a comprehensive mind map.
• Writing the 1st draft of the post.
• Revising, revising, and more revising.
• Publishing my thoughts to the world
When I write something, I want people to read my ideas and feelings, not just what a computer thinks. It’s important to me because writing is a way to express who I am.
Am I the Creator if I use AI in the Process of Creating my Writing? It depends …
For me whether I am still the creator depends upon how I use the AI
- If I ask AI to create a blog post about a topic and publish what it produces (with perhaps minor revisions), I don’t consider it my creation. I’ve bypassed the creative process just as if I’d paid someone else to produce copy for me to put my name on.
- On the other hand, I feel I’m still the creator if I use AI to supplement and improve my creative work, not replace it.
How I Use AI While Still Considering Myself the Creator
The key for me is to use AI in a way that improves my writing but does not replace my creative input.
1. Asking AI to Write an Article as a Form of Research
Asking AI to write an article about a specific topic can be an effective form of research. It provides a similar function to using a web browser to conduct a search using keywords.
I don’t ask AI to write the article because I intend to copy and publish it. Rather, I do this to orient myself to a new topic, or check to ensure I didn’t leave anything important out.
You don’t want to depend on any of the “facts” that AI cites. It’s been well documented that AI tools will provide false information and has even been known to provide article citations that don’t exist. So use this approach with a great deal of caution.
2. Headline Suggestions
After I create an article, I’ll ask AI for headline suggestions. When I begin my writing process, I create a new “blog post idea” template in Craft, and use the topic as the heading. However, topic headings often make boring headlines that don’t spark reader interest.
I’ll ask AI for suggested headlines based on my post. Sometimes I’ll use one of the suggested headlines, but more often I’ll edit one or write a new one based on ideas suggested by the AI.
3. Summaries
I’ll ask AI to summarize my text. I’ve found the summary function to be quite impressive. I’ll use the text to ensure that my main points have been expressed in a way that is clear and concise, and come through as important. If the summary didn’t capture my point, am I doing a poor job communicating? It’s similar to getting feedback on my writing from a colleague but much faster.
Sometimes I’ll use an edited sentence or two from the summary in my conclusion.
4. Outlines
An AI-generated outline of my text can provide a handy way to examine the logical progression in my writing.
With an outline of my writing, it’s easy to see where I might have a logical gap, or decide that I need to reorder my paragraphs for a better logical flow.
5. Asking AI For Suggestions to Improve My Writing
I can feed AI my writing and ask for suggestions on how to improve it. It’s like asking a colleague to review my work and make suggestions.
Often the AI’s suggestions are very helpful. For instance, one time it told me I probably needed to expand my introduction — that I had jumped directly into the topic with almost no context.
The AI was correct and I rewrote my introduction. It improved my article.
6. Asking AI to Rewrite a Sentence or Paragraph that I’m Struggling With
Sometimes I know what I’m trying to say, but can’t seem to find the right words and structure to say it in a way that communicates clearly and succinctly. The thoughts are mine, but I can’t express them well.
When that happens I can ask AI to take my sentence or paragraph and suggest rewrites to make it more clear. It’s my choice whether to accept the suggestion or not, or to edit the AI’s suggestion.
7. Giving the AI an Outline of My Thinking and Asking It to Write a Blog Post Based on My Outline
I produce a comprehensive outline of what I plan to write, then ask AI to create a post based on my outline. This is admittedly a more intrusive use of AI than asking for an outline or summary.
As a part of my usual process, I create a mind map in the MIndNode app. It’s my intention that this outline be comprehensive enough to be able to write my post based on following the outline.
I’ll include quotes (and references) I intend to use in my post. When I write, I have my writing app, Ulysses, open on the left side of my screen and my mind map on the right side of my screen.
I will convert the mind map to an outline, and feed that to AI. I request that it write a blog post based on this outline. In effect, I’m asking the AI to put the narrative meat on the bones, which are the structure and thoughts I have created. The AI is not doing the thinking, just transforming my thinking into prose.
I typically do a lot of editing on what the AI produces to ensure my thoughts are accurately represented, in a style that fits me.
On the one hand, I don’t feel this use of AI constitutes replacing my creative work, it’s just taking my creative thoughts and organization and turning them into an editable form. To me, it’s not that different from when I agree with Grammarly AI’s suggestion that I adopt its rewritten sentence to make it more clear and more concise.
On the other hand, I do wonder how much AI involvement is too much, and I’ don’t use this method very often, and I’ve chosen to use this approach only when I’ve done extensive editing and made it mine.
I understand that not every creative will feel comfortable with this use of AI. That’s OK, we’re all different and will draw different lines between what we consider acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI.
It’s Up to Each of Us to Determine How We Should Properly Utilize AI.
The extent of AI involvement in the creative process varies from person to person. While some may feel comfortable with a high level of AI intervention, others may prefer to maintain a clear distinction between their own creative input and that of a machine.
Ultimately, each individual must weigh the benefits and drawbacks of incorporating AI into their own creative process and determine the level of involvement that aligns with their goals as a creator.
We all want to be the best possible version of ourselves as creators. We must all decide for ourselves what is and is not an appropriate use of AI in our creative process.