Using AI: Disclose It or Don’t Use It

This one might ruffle some feathers, but I’m OK with that. I think we NEED to disclose the usage of AI in creative work more. It’s less about signaling that you cheated in some way — on the contrary, I don’t think using AI is de-facto cheating. It’s about honesty, integrity, and transparency.

So my policy is simple: if you use AI to write, record, or produce something, it should be disclosed in the same way affiliate links or paid promotion has to be disclosed.

And today, I explore why I feel so strongly about that.

Top Takeaways

• Establish Clear Guidelines for AI Disclosure: I tell my readers how and when I use AI. If it contributes more than 5% of an article’s total word count, I write it at the bottom of the piece.
• AI Produces Mediocrity: As Jason Snell said**,** AI tends to average out content, making most of it mediocre at best. If you want to stand out, you can’t just rely on AI.
• Human Connection is Irreplaceable: In a world where AI threatens to erode personal connection, it’s up to us to keep our content human.

Show Notes

• My AI Manifesto: We Must Disclose the Use of AI
• My AI Disclosures Page
• Send Feedback