AI Use Policy

AI is invading the writing space and I want full transparency for how AI is used here and my view of AI use. That being said, this is my personal policy, a reflection of my opinion, and is not an indirect attack on anybody.

Prose, written by a human, not machine.

My writing is written by me, full-stop. I am against AI generating prose and even direct brainstorming for my writing. Writing is a craft I am trying to improve, and that can't happen if I am not the one doing the writing.

Supplemental AI Use (Allowed)

AI use should be supplemental, not substitutive. That is the basic understanding of my rule. AI use can augment reasoning, but if it replaces reasoning entirely, then I find that problematic.

Editing

I do a first pass edit on all my work. Editing is a skill, so I can't improve it unless I do it. However, I'll use AI to do second passes on editing and beyond. All the LLMs I use have special instructions to point out errors, provide feedback, and make suggestions without providing generative prose. AI does not rewrite anything. It may point out that a sentence is weak or has an error, but won't suggest the specific rewrite or prose.

You would (or should) edit your own work before you pass it to a peer or professor — same with AI. And like a peer or professor, AI can offer an outside perspective you don't have and provide instant feedback. It isn't entirely practical or possible to get a person who is able to provide you timely feedback on your work.

Although, even though AI makes a suggestion, it doesn't mean I follow it. I maintain core deliberation and judgement.

Conversationist

I don't use AI for direct brainstorming, but conversing with AI about ideas is allowable, as long as it is instructed not to generate new ideas. AI as a conversationalist should ask hard questions, push back, and help you further your own thinking, not replace it. A friend would hold a conversation with you about your ideas, not generate them all. AI can be used in the same way.

Substitutive AI Use (Not Allowed)

Generative Prose

Prose is a craft. Writing is thinking on paper, to a degree. You wouldn't want an AI substituting your thinking, so don't let it substitute your writing.

Samples

I've witnessed people have AI generate sample essays or writings for them to get ‘inspiration’ or base their own writing off of. This is just substitution, posing as justification. Reading an AI sample will influence your prose, and likely also influence your thinking on a topic.

Outlining

Outlines help you organize your writing and are influential on the structure of your book, essay, or plot structure. It is a skill to develop, not replace. Sure, use AI to provide feedback on an outline, but don't skip the step.

Vibe Coding

I've relied heavily on Claude Code in the creation of this site. I only have one semester of Computer Science in my noggin, and immediately dropped from that career pathway. Thank God I did! (Sorry Computer Scientists.)

Claude Code wrote placeholder paragraphs that were labeled for me to come back and insert prose of my own. All the visible prose should be my own, but if some AI snuck through, let me know. (Sometimes it replaced my commas with emdashes, sometimes that's just me.)

My AI Tools

I've been trained to use Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini. My personal favorite is Claude, which I use almost exclusively. Claude Code is my little helper.

Am I being hypocritical by using AI to help make websites? I wouldn't be so adamant about using AI for coding if I was a computer scientist, but to showcase my work I have the greatest amount of control or freedom using Claude to build a website than hosting a WordPress site or other web service.

Changes to this policy

I am human. Opinions change, and my opinions may very well be different in the future. I plan to keep this page updated with my current views.

Why include this page on your site?

One of the biggest problems with AI use is people trying to pass it off as their own. Quoting somebody is generally considered a valid thing to do — this is because we are acknowledging one's work as their own and giving proper attribution. The problem arises when we try to pass their work off as our own. The same problem is rampant with AI. People trying to claim AI work as their own. I'd prefer to read content written by a human rather than a predictive algorithm.

I included this page to be transparent about my view on AI use, how I am actively using it, and to encourage others to do the same. I welcome discussion or disagreement. The conversation needs to be continued.