If you produce any kind of magazine, newsletter or journal for your organisation, you'll be familiar with seeking contributions from authors specialising in various topics. The usual process is to edit the publication so that it hangs together consistently while retaining each author's distinct style and message. However, some in-house Commissioning Editors I've spoken to have noticed that submissions are increasingly reading 'like AI'.

How to deal with this?

In November, I attended a course called Applying AI: Tools, Ethics and First Practical Steps, run by the Publishing Training Centre, which gave me key insights into how clients can manage author submissions and protect the editorial quality of their publications.

• Firstly, is to get your own AI writing policies in place. Be as clear as you can about exactly what use of AI is acceptable in submissions. For example, you may permit the use of Grammarly to tidy up the grammar, but not allow deeper AI writing such as from ChatGPT or Claude. You may also want to state that authors provide a declaration with their submission, to confirm which digital tools have been used to create the article and to what extent.

• Secondly, don't be afraid to ask your authors if they've used AI. Ultimately, the publication's reputation is at stake, so if you suspect AI was used to write the article, it's likely your readers will too. Some people take offense that you're questioning their writing (and integrity), and AI checker tools often get it wrong, but having a consistent process in place to ensure transparency is essential.

• Finally, ensure human oversight on everything. It's unlikely you'll be able to escape the use of AI in submitted articles, if anything, it will gradually become 'the norm' and can be a benefit in terms of turnaround times, but ensuring the content is given independent review is vital. This will make sure your publication is in your style, your tone and speaks to your readers in an authentic and engaging way.

Want to chat about how I can help bring the life back into your articles?

Book a call in with me at a time to suit you.

Kelly