Using AI, Part 2#

I thought I would expand a little on how I use AI in practice and how it helps improve my workflow.

Lately, I’ve been using AI as a kind of copy editor for my articles, customer documents, and even internal notes and diary entries. I use it to improve readability, tighten clarity, and help the writing flow better. Of course, I still double-check facts and make sure the final result says what I actually mean.

For me, the real benefit is simple: it lets me focus on getting the information down first, then refine it more quickly afterwards. In that sense, it feels a bit like using a word processor on steroids.

Why do I do this? Put simply, it helps me spend my time where it matters most. Rather than endlessly reworking the same paragraphs by hand, I can concentrate on the purpose of the document and whether it says what it needs to say.

My process usually looks something like this:

  • Write a rough outline or first draft in my text editor, usually Visual Studio Code
  • Use Gemini or Codex to produce a more readable version
  • Check that it still retains my voice and the points I want to make
  • Use the AI to highlight anything I may have missed or not explained well enough
  • Revise the document further
  • Repeat the previous steps until I’m happy with it
  • Publish the article or document and move on to the next task

Could I do all of this without AI? Yes, absolutely.

Could I do it as quickly and as efficiently? Probably not.

That is really where the value is for me. It helps me say what I need to say with the limited time I have available. I also value the time of my customers, readers, and myself. If a sentence reads better after I have run it through AI, I may use that suggestion. If it does not, I will not.

The important point is that I am still in control. I decide what stays, what goes, and what gets published. If the AI produces something inaccurate, misleading, or simply not in my voice, I do not have to accept it.

Will this article itself be run through AI? Yes.

Will I accept every recommendation? No.

That is the point.

AI helps me get ideas out of my head and onto the page quickly. It helps refine them, challenge them, and present them more clearly. But it does not replace my thinking, and it does not make decisions for me.

It is a tool, not an author.

Computers have steadily improved how we store, organise, and process information. Using them to improve how we write is a natural extension of that.

I’m not using AI to generate content from scratch — I’m using it to improve content I’ve already thought through.

I run Protoworks (NI) in Northern Ireland, helping small businesses design prototypes and build custom software. If you have a hardware or software idea you’d like to sketch out, feel free to get in touch.