How to Proofread and Edit AI-Generated Writing
Rapidly advancing AI writing tools such as ChatGPT have already started to impact the world of content creation. And if you’re considering a career as a freelance proofreader or editor, you’re probably wondering how this could affect your future business.
The truth is that while AI can produce content quickly and efficiently, it’s not perfect and still needs to be reviewed by a skilled professional (you!) before publication. So it’s a good idea to learn how to best approach this type of content and how to work with it. In this post, we’ll give you some tips on:
- How to proofread AI-generated writing
- How to edit AI-generated writing
What Is AI-Generated Writing?
AI-generated writing is any content created by a machine. Users can input a series of prompts or queries into an AI tool such as a chatbot, and it will produce a response based on that information. The precision of the response largely depends on context and user engagement, but it’s possible to generate long-form, detailed outputs on a wide range of topics. Businesses can use this content in a variety of ways, including as marketing copy, blog posts, or product descriptions.
While AI-produced content clearly has its uses, it also has its limitations and needs a human proofreader or editor to perform a comprehensive review. Next, we’ll discuss the specific issues you should look for when proofreading and editing AI content.
How to Proofread AI-Generated Writing
Proofreading is the final step in the editing process before publication. Proofreaders check for grammar mistakes, spelling issues, typos, and other surface-level issues. As a proofreader, there are a number of things you should look out for when working with AI-generated writing:
- Factual accuracy
- Consistency
- Style issues
- Grammatical errors
1. Factual Accuracy
AI content should be thoroughly fact-checked against reliable sources. Since it’s based on details found on the web, it can include factual inaccuracies or misleading information, so proofreaders should verify statistics and other claims.
2. Consistency
When proofreading AI-generated writing, be sure to check for consistency issues, such as variations in date formats, spellings, and hyphen usage.
3. Style Issues
Your client may have their own preferences for things like punctuation, dialect, and capitalization. AI-generated content may not necessarily reflect these specific guidelines, so you’ll need to carefully check it against any relevant style guides.
4. Grammatical Errors
AI content could contain a variety of errors, such as incorrect phrasing or unsuitable word choice, so be sure to use your proofreading skills to catch any lingering errors in the text.
How to Edit AI-Generated Writing
In addition to a comprehensive proofread, AI-generated writing usually requires editing. The editing process is more in-depth than proofreading and addresses high-level issues, such as the structure and content of a text. When editing AI content, check for:
- Legal compliance
- Tone of voice
- Structural issues
- Awkward transitions
1. Legal Compliance
AI can’t “think” for itself or understand legal standards and regulations, meaning its content could contain libelous information or copyright infringement. If you come across material that could result in legal issues for your client, it’s best to flag it for their review.
2. Tone of Voice
Since AI-generated content is produced by a machine, its overall tone sounds somewhat unnatural and robotic. It’s essential to edit it to reflect your client’s desired voice, whether that’s funny, dramatic, suspenseful, or something else. You may also need to edit AI-generated marketing materials to evoke an emotional response in readers or persuade them to take a certain action.
3. Structural Issues
AI-generated content may need a thorough structural or developmental edit, such as formatting and paragraph reorganization. You should also vary the sentence structure and length to avoid monotony and add emphasis where necessary.
4. Awkward Transitions
AI-generated writing tends to jump abruptly from one topic to the next, so as an editor, you should make sure the content flows logically and add transitional phrases where necessary.
Knowadays Courses
Although the popularity of AI-generated writing tools is growing, businesses will always need skilled proofreaders and editors to get content ready for publication. If you’re interested in pursuing a freelance proofreading or editing career, consider one of our courses. They’ll help prepare you for the changing landscape of content creation and ensure you have the skills to provide clients with an invaluable service far beyond the capabilities of AI. Sign up for a free trial and see for yourself today!
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