AI is everywhere. It writes emails, drafts blog posts, summarises meetings, and suggests the next word before you’ve even thought of it. That’s fine. Tools are tools. We’ve always had them, and AI is just another one in the box.
But here’s the thing: when you lean on it too heavily, it shows.
Take the local magazine put out by Coleraine BID. It’s printed, distributed around town, and meant to showcase what’s happening here. But much of it reads like it was dropped straight out of ChatGPT with no second thought. Americanised spelling sneaks in. Phrases feel mechanical. Whole paragraphs carry that unmistakable AI glaze.
That’s not an AI problem. That’s a people problem.
Using AI isn’t the issue. Not editing is. Run a spell check. Adjust the tone. Swap “color” for “colour” if you’re writing for a UK audience. Make it sound like a human, not a helpdesk manual. Five minutes of care is the difference between a piece that connects and a piece that falls flat.
AI is fine. Lazy isn’t.