But letting a robot structure your argument, or flatten your style by removing the quirky elements, is dangerous. It’s a streamlined way to flatten the human mind, to homogenize human thought. We know who we are, at least in part, by finding the words — messy, imprecise, unexpected — to tell others, and ourselves, how we see the world. The world which no one else sees in exactly that way. (Margaret Henkl, “I, Human”)
Writing is hard. Writing well is even harder. It requires writing and rewriting, then stepping away and coming back to rewrite yet once more until the right word has been found, the most eloquent sentence has been formed, and the clearest structure has been laid out, only to know that you might rewrite it all again. It’s no wonder that we are tempted by AI tools.
Me, the Editor
Here’s what you need to know: I do not currently use nor plan to use AI tools when editing your work. All suggestions and comments, whether made in your manuscript or my editorial letter, are from me (100% human).
Indeed, everything I write, whether in my private email exchanges with you, on my website, or on social media platforms, is my own writing. I do use a spellchecker and, particularly for longer documents, macros.
As I work with both words and images, I will add that none of the photographs on this website are AI-generated either. They are, unless otherwise noted, my original work (licensing available).
You, the Client
I believe the ethical use of AI is important, particularly but not exclusively so in academia, so I choose not to edit AI-generated work. However, not all ways of using AI tools are equal and I may agree to edit AI-assisted work. Because the line between “AI-generated” and “AI-assisted” can be blurry, I ask that you disclose any use of AI when you contact me with an inquiry.
The relationship between the editor and the client is based on trust and respect. Please rest assured that I will handle all your documents with full confidentiality and will not upload them into any AI training tool. I may, however, run your writing (or part of it) through an AI detector.
Note: As AI technology continues to evolve, I will be updating the policy as needed.
Resources
Read more about AI and authorship in the realm of publication ethics here.
Header Image: Close-up of graffiti – of a human face, drawn by a human artist – in Paris, France. Artist unknown. (© 2015 Marlies Gabriele Prinzl)