AI and me

As you know, I have been upskilling myself through an intense four-week course at GrowthX. I am learning growth strategies to scale a company and assist a startup with its growth. 

[For those who are new to my blog, here is the context: I am currently participating in an intensive four-week course at GrowthX, where I am focused on developing growth strategies to help scale companies and support startups in their growth journey. This program is designed to equip me with the skills and knowledge necessary to drive business expansion and foster innovation in emerging ventures.]

Two Saturdays ago, I submitted my onboarding assignment and received peer-reviewed feedback from a team member. He expressed that he felt the assignment was written by AI. He claimed that he ran it over an AI tester, and it showed 80% AI written. The comment left me feeling disheartened.  

My inner voice at that moment: Why did he even use AI in the first place to evaluate my assignment? I don’t understand how an AI tester can actually determine if a piece of writing is authored by AI or by a human. I often use en dashes and em dashes in my writing, and even when I used to edit manuscripts, because they are created to be used at necessity.

I had used an AI tool to fix grammar and make my points more concise. The core idea is mine, and I don’t think that using AI as a tool to improve your existing write-up or compression is a mistake.

Since this tool is available and free to use, I believe it’s not a bad or wrong thing to utilize it. In fact, it would be a missed opportunity not to take advantage of such resources.

As a writer who has been consistently honing my craft for the past three to four years, I have witnessed the evolution of technology in the writing space. For instance, Grammarly, which initially lacked AI capabilities, sparked fears among editors about job security. However, it became clear that editors were still essential for structuring thoughts and providing nuanced insights.

Many believed that Grammarly would replace editors, but it never did. Instead, it served as a tool that helped writers produce drafts with fewer spelling and grammatical errors. It remains just that a tool.

Today, we have AI that claims to generate original content based on vast amounts of data available on the web. AI has become an integral part of nearly every application; almost everyone in the digital world uses it, or their applications are powered by AI, or at the very least, their data contributes to AI systems.

I was working as a development editor during the rise of the AI revolution, particularly with tools like ChatGPT becoming commonplace. The fear was real, seeing and experiencing its capabilities. It has surprised me and amazed me with the speed at which it can produce something, even if its mediocre piece. Its revolutionary and its already there.

This shift has transformed the landscape of writing and editing, making it essential for writers and editors alike to adapt and embrace these advancements.

I strongly am AI positive, and it should be used by writers, editors and other content producers to enhance the content game. 

I still use AI to compose my thought and perform a first-hand analysis. It has though me so much, about structuring, priming with hooks and even bring some first principal thoughts on writing. 

My process of writing is quite simple; I open either my blogger post editor or a notepad on my laptop and start to write. If the write up requires some sort of research, I google them, at times I use ChatGPT to find references on topics.

Once the idea is formed, I jot down my thoughts and make a clear structure on the editor. At times I even add links and references. Not all posts are completed quickly. Some take time. I have about 5 to 6 draft write ups currently on my Post tabs, which are incomplete.

Some topics remain so close like this one which I try to complete ideation, research, writing my draft, fixing errors, syntax and structure, and finalise the draft in 30 mins. You may read my other blog [How I write in 30 mins?] to know more.

This process of writing varies based on the topics and requirements. 

It’s clear that embracing AI has not only enhanced my craft but also opened up new avenues for creativity and expression. 

While some may fear that technology could overshadow the human touch, I believe that when used thoughtfully, AI can serve as a powerful tool that complements our unique voices rather than replaces them. By integrating these advancements into my writing process, I’ve been able to streamline my workflow, refine my ideas, and ultimately produce content that resonates with my audience. 

As we continue to navigate this technological revolution, I believe that the heart of writing is in our ability to connect, inspire, and share our stories—something that no machine can replicate.