Almost Never Use AI to Write Anything Substantive

You will generate less precise, less clear content if you rely on AI for drafting.

Erich Grunewald argues against using AI for substantive writing tasks, including blog posts, research reports, memos, emails, and novels. He believes that the act of writing is intrinsically linked to the thinking process, and delegating it to AI hinders deep thought and idea development. Grunewald also contends that AI-generated text is often vague and contains subtle inaccuracies that are difficult to detect. Furthermore, he considers the use of AI for writing without disclosure as rude and misleading to the audience. While acknowledging AI's utility in transcription, data analysis, information searching, and editing, Grunewald emphasizes that AI's current and near-future capabilities are insufficient for generating original, substantive content, which requires a human's critical thinking and nuanced understanding.

The core argument is that writing is not merely a transcription of thought but an active part of the cognitive process, essential for refining arguments, discovering new ideas, and identifying flaws in one's reasoning. By outsourcing writing to AI, individuals risk bypassing this crucial stage of intellectual development, leading to shallower understanding and less robust output. This perspective challenges the notion of AI as a purely productive tool, instead framing it as a potential impediment to genuine intellectual engagement and knowledge creation.

Furthermore, Grunewald highlights the subtle inaccuracies and vagueness inherent in current AI writing, which can mislead readers and undermine the credibility of the content. The lack of transparency in using AI for substantive writing is also flagged as an ethical concern, suggesting that audiences deserve to know when the "author" is a machine. This raises questions about the future of authorship, intellectual property, and the standards of honesty expected in communication as AI writing tools become more prevalent and sophisticated.