Process notes

AI, categorized.

A simple vocabulary for talking about where AI did—and did not—play a role in my work.

A color-coded disclosure

How I use AI.

I love categorizing things—especially in a color-coded spreadsheet. These seven categories make my process visible, from a light formatting assist to generated words I chose to use.

The spectrum

Seven ways AI may enter my work.

Light touchMore involved
  1. 01

    Formatted

    AI formatted my work into a manuscript, Word document, article, or another finished form.

  2. 02

    Illustrated

    AI generated images for my work.

  3. 03

    Fact-checked

    AI fact-checked my work.

  4. 04

    Reacted

    AI reviewed something I wrote as a reader or editor and provided its impressions.

  5. 05

    Copy edited

    AI reviewed my writing and provided copy edits for grammar, spelling, verb tense, and more.

  6. 06

    Suggested

    AI suggested improvements to words or phrasing that I incorporated into my work.

  7. 07

    Generated words

    AI generated words based on a prompt I wrote, and I incorporated those words into my writing.

    0%Estimated share of AI-generated words100%

The order reflects how involved the AI use felt to me. It is a disclosure, not a rating system.

In practice

Where the colors show up.

Filled tiles mark the categories used for each work. In category G, the purple fill and percentage show my estimate of how much of the wording was AI-generated.