The AI-Elephant in the Room:

Yes, I Used AI to Write This Blog Post (But Not How You Think)

Let’s just get this out of the way: AI helped me write this post. Now, before you clutch your pearls or close the tab in horror, hear me out. We’re living in a time when the question, “Did you use AI?” is creeping into everything—books, blogs, bios, social posts, even grocery lists (don’t judge me). And if you’re an indie author or small publisher like me, you’ve probably already seen this question popping up on platforms like Amazon KDP:

“Did you use AI-generated content in your manuscript?” But what does that actually mean? How much AI is too much? And where’s the line between “AI-generated” and “AI-assisted”?

Grab a peanut and settle in, because it’s time to talk about the AI-elephant in the room.

What KDP Actually Wants to Know

KDP now requires authors to disclose whether they’ve used AI to generate content in their books. But here’s the thing—they’re not asking if you asked ChatGPT to fix your spelling. They want to know if any substantial part of your final, published text was created by AI and left mostly unchanged.

To break it down:

• AI-Generated = AI wrote it, and you published it pretty much as-is

• AI-Assisted = You brainstormed, outlined, or edited with AI help

• 100% Human = You stayed up until 2 a.m. writing, and I respect your hustle and I do that also.

Do you think you fall into that lovely middle category: AI-assisted.Which brings me to the fun part…

Before & After: Human vs. AI (The Elephant Edition 🐘)

Let’s take a totally unrelated example just to prove a point—say, how to care for an elephant. Because why not? Watch how a dry, robotic draft becomes something actually worth reading with a human touch:

AI-Generated Paragraph (Original):

“Elephants require proper care and a suitable environment. They need access to clean water, regular feeding, and medical checkups to ensure their health.”

Humanized Rewrite (Mine):

“Caring for an elephant isn’t for the faint of heart—or the short on snacks. These gentle giants need gallons of clean water, a buffet of greenery, and the occasional vet visit that requires a forklift and a whole lot of patience.”

AI-Generated Tip List:

• Feed the elephant regularly

• Provide clean water

• Ensure regular veterinary care

• Keep the habitat clean

• Provide enrichment

Humanized Tip List:

• Keep the snacks coming. If your elephant starts eyeing your ficus, you’re too late.

• Fill up that trough—an elephant drinks more water than your teenager showers with.

• Schedule vet visits that involve more muscle and sedatives than you’d expect.

• Clean up the “land mines”—you’ll need a shovel and emotional support.

• Keep them stimulated. Bored elephants = destruction. Enrichment saves fences (and your sanity).

My Actual KDP Explanation (Elephant-Friendly Edition)

If I were turning this elephant care content into an eBook for KDP, here’s how I’d explain my use of AI:

Did you use AI-generated content in this book?

Answer: Yes, with full human revision and creative input. I used AI as a brainstorming partner to draft generic explanations and outline basic care steps. But those early drafts were dry, dull, and entirely un-elephant-worthy. I revised every section to reflect my tone, humor, and storytelling style. Below you’ll find side-by-side examples—because let’s be honest, no robot knows how to clean up elephant poop with flair quite like I do. (This is where you can insert additional examples, especially related to your book or blog topics!)

Moral of the Story?

The AI May Write It, But You Make It Worth Reading

You get to decide when to ride the elephant or not, and allow it to help you through the deepest forests.

The goal isn’t to hide your AI use—it’s to show that you’re still the creative force behind the keyboard. That voice? That tone? That ridiculous mental image of a vet visit involving a forklift? Pure human gold.✨So you get suggestions with AI, but you rewrite with your soul.

On a side note:

• 100% of the time, I write the content of my own books.

• When it comes to information dumps, that is a “different story.” I will confess that 90% of the material is completely mine and 10% is AI-assisted.

What About You?

• Have you experimented with AI writing tools?

• Do you feel like you’re cheating—or just evolving with the times?

Drop a comment below, or tag me in your funniest “before and after” AI moments. Let’s normalize using AI as only a tool and make sure we are not losing our voice in the process and subscribe for more AI Author Content that I'm rolling out soon!

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