How I Use AI and Still Write 100% Human
My process from first draft to final version — with AI as a tool, not a voice.
Okay, I admit it — I use AI to help me write.
If that bothers you, I understand if you choose to leave now.
But if you stay, I’ll explain exactly how I use it to improve the reading experience of my articles — while fully preserving my authentic voice.
So much so, it often doesn’t feel like AI at all.
And here’s the best part:
Even platforms that ban AI-generated content don’t seem to notice — because I don’t use AI to generate, but to refine.
So far, 15 of my articles have been boosted on Medium using this method.
How I use AI (and why):
Although I speak English well, as a non-native speaker I realized that my writing often lags behind native English writers.
I sometimes struggle to express myself as naturally and fluidly as I’d like. That’s why I’ve developed my own writing process with AI:
I write the first draft — usually in Croatian, sometimes in English, sometimes a mix — depending on what flows easiest at the moment.
AI helps polish it — I ask it to smooth out grammar and style while keeping the essence of my voice intact. This still happens in Croatian.
I review and edit — I go through the revised version, make my own adjustments, and ask the AI if anything else can be improved.
I double-check facts — if I ask for data or references, I always verify them myself, since AI can be inaccurate.
Once the Croatian version is finalized, I ask it to translate it into simple English.
I refine the English version — AI sometimes softens the tone or shifts the meaning. It rarely takes a stance, and that can dilute the "punch" of my original thoughts. I make sure my true voice is fully preserved.
I also discuss the title and subtitle with it.
The final version you read is always true to my voice — just more polished.
Think of it like this: AI is my editor and conversation partner.
It helps with flow and structure — but never replaces my thinking.
What I don’t use AI for:
I never ask it to write an article for me.
I never ask it for ideas that aren't mine — I only work with the ones I’ve already come up with.
I don’t let it continue writing beyond where I stopped, because I don’t want its tone or logic influencing my own thinking and expression.
This journey is mine.
AI is just a flashlight — not the path.
Final check: “How human is this?”
Before publishing, I run each piece through an AI detector.
The results? My articles consistently score 90–100% “human,” meaning:
Even with assistance, the voice, vision, and depth are unmistakably mine.
Final thoughts:
AI is a fantastic assistant — in writing, and in many other things. Recently, I even wrote an article about how I use AI as a therapist. If you're curious, you can read it HERE.
I never thought it would actually make me a better writer, but it definitely has.
Still, even if it were entirely ethical to let AI write full articles for me, I wouldn’t do it — because those articles just wouldn’t be as good.
AI helps me translate, reshape, and refine — making it a helpful co-pilot.
But I still carry a heavy load: sometimes I spend up to 20 hours writing and editing a single piece.
Even with the help of AI — which I used for this text, too.
And yet, despite that — this very piece scored 0% AI on the detector.
Because this text is — human.
Thank you for reading this story.
A cup, though emptied, holds the infinite potential to be filled again—and you can fill it up, if you please. Thank you for your support. 💛
About the Author: I am a passionate photographer and a philosopher of both photography and life, a TEDx speaker, a Master of Molecular Biology, and a product manager. I curate two newsletters: Lens of Perception, where I explore the intersections of photography, travel, and philosophy, and Thoughtful Corner, where I share ideas, reflections, and insights for curious minds. Thank you for taking the time to enjoy my work.
Hi Davor, I'm a photographer and a writer, so I'll probably not use AI for writing but then again, I'm just old-fashioned that way. However, if I were NOT focused on writing as part of my daily creative life, I would absolutely leverage it as a tool, as you are doing. There's nothing wrong with it in this way. I think in any area the problem becomes when others are inauthentic about the intention and result. It's great that you are bringing up the topic!
A very thoughtful approach that's good to read. I get fed up with people who seem to argue that if AI can't do everything, it shouldn't be allowed to do anything. It's a fantastic tool for research and I admit that I do take ideas from it- but I always make them my own. It would be disastrous if the only people to use it are those who do so for nefarious purposes.