Short story:
I do not use AI to write. Every word on this site was written by me.
I do use AI for:
- Copy editing my writing and helping me fix my terrible typing.
- Brainstorming about content and site design/functionality.
- Researching supporting studies and data for articles.
- Building an outline for an article. I’ve never been much of an outliner, much more a “shoot from the hip and refine” type writer. AI helps me not miss important thoughts.
- Helping fix technical issues with the site.
- Some aspects of website design. Primarily generating CSS code to make the site appear how I (and hopefully you) want it to look and function.
- Creating images, buttons, menus, and other “website assets.”
- I will not use AI to generate “people” in images. I think it’s creepy.
This is an AI image:
This is not AI. I took this myself.
If I use AI to create an image, you’ll know it.
AI can’t replace me until it learns how to fish!
I’m sure I’ll have more to say about this later.
JT
PS: Yes, the header image on this page was created with AI.
UPDATE: March 19, 2026
Last night, a reader emailed me saying, “I see some of those double dashes in your post. Are you using AI to write the content?”
No, I’m not. Which is exactly why this page was on the site before it launched.
I wrote more about “double dashes” (grammar-nerd note: they are called em dashes) in this LinkedIn post.
And here is a terrific article on em dashes and AI. Thanks, Brian Gardner, for resurfacing this for me!