How AI writing tools fail to speak to writers

"Several ads promise help with finding ideas at the start of a writing project. Examples include "Say goodbye to blank-page scaries and jump-start ideas faster", " Start your best draft with this AI lineup", and "Jump-Start Ideas With Grammarly's AI Brainstorming Features". The latter ad shows a brainstorming button that generates high-level essay content for a user-provided topic. I like that it offers possible directions without dictating details."

"As shown in the ad, users are expected to immediately copy an AI-provided idea. This workflow seems unlikely to appeal to people who enjoy exploring many ideas before committing one to the page. Alternative design direction: How might we design for a closer integration of ideation and writing? Of canvas and page? What if the AI's role were to facilitate transitions between these processes, or to provide a substrate for exploration and iteration, rather than simply generating text to copy?"

"Communication: Is AI polish all you need? Another group of ads focuses on writing as communication, such as "Put your best foot forward", "Send the right message", "Get heads nodding on your first email instead of your fifth", and "Communicate clearly, come across as you intend, and strengthen work relationships". Fittingly, these ads feature people rather than interfaces, highlighting the promise that AI will help the user be perceived positively."

Ads for AI writing tools primarily target students and professionals and highlight ideation as a shared use case. Many ideation features generate high-level directions but restrict exploration through cramped chatbox UIs with limited space and no editing or comparison tools. Users are often expected to copy AI-provided ideas immediately, which discourages iterative brainstorming. Alternative design directions propose closer integration between ideation and drafting, linking canvas and page and enabling AI to facilitate transitions, support exploration, and provide substrates for iteration rather than producing one-off copyable text. Other ads emphasize AI's role in polishing communication and shaping perception.

Read at Medium