Shelby

Shelby Meyer

Article #0094
Written January 2, 2026
Updated -
Category [AI SERIES]

AI Is Helpful — But It Needs Guidance

AI is a powerful tool that can help you write faster and organize ideas. But AI doesn’t think like a human. It doesn’t know what you mean unless you tell it clearly. That’s why many AI-generated articles online are rushed or full of repeated and weak information.

Search engines like Google can notice poor content, and this can hurt how well your writing shows up online. Teachers, editors, and bosses can spot it too — and they won’t be impressed.

The Common Mistake

One big mistake people make is giving the AI an overly simple prompt like:
Prompt:
Write an article about [topic].

That prompt is way too broad and just not specific enough. It almost always produces AI slop. The same is true for AI images and AI video. If your prompt is weak, the result will be weak. You'll need to put considerably more effort into your work.

Better Prompts Make Better Writing

To get good results, you need to guide the AI clearly. A good start is to build an outline or even partially write the article yourself. This gives the AI a path to follow instead of letting the AI guess at what you want. It won’t read your mind.

Start a new chat. With your first prompt, tell the AI as much as possible. Add or subtract from this list to fit your particular situation.

  • Who the audience is (who will read it)
  • The reading level you want
  • The tone (fun, serious, friendly, business-like, etc.)
  • The format you want (plain text, HTML, web page, etc.)
  • To include sources or references
  • Include key point 1, key point 2, etc...

If you are writing for a website, also ask for a good title, page description, and keywords for search engines.

Submit your request and the result will be your first draft. Then, read it carefully!

Ask for Helpful Additions

If your article feels too short, you can ask AI to add facts from across the web. It may bring up points you didn’t think of or forgot. Just be sure to check these additions — AI can still be wrong sometimes.

Check and Improve

Always proofread the article after each change AI isn’t perfect. It can mix facts, reorder ideas, or leave out important details. Before it goes live or into print, check everything again:

  • Are the ideas in the right order?
  • Are the facts correct?
  • Look for duplication (common)
  • Does it say what you want it to say?

Publishing something with mistakes can make you look unprepared or careless. If you see problems, you can ask the AI to revise specific parts or you can fix them yourself. Don’t be afraid to make as many revisions manually or with AI as needed to get a great article.

Practice Makes Better Content

Many writers find their AI-assisted work improves over time. With practice, articles become clearer, more complete, and more interesting. Yes, it takes effort — but the final result is far better than letting AI write everything on its own.