AI is shifting and shaping so quickly that it has been difficult to keep up with its draws—and its drawbacks. I often hear editors, authors, and illustrators mourn the increased use of anything AI, but I have a slightly more optimistic view. I could be wrong, but I truly believe there will always be a huge market for humanity in the arts, and editing is just that—an art. But where do we draw the line when it comes to AI editing vs. human editing? When is it appropriate for authors, editors, or anyone, for that matter, to use AI, and when is it not? This is a fascinating and timely conversation that everyone should consider as AI use skyrockets in our day-to-day lives. 

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AI Editing vs. Human Editing: What Role Should AI Play?

I encounter many client concerns about AI use, both their own and ours. It forces us to ask: “What role can AI play in our writing lives? What role should AI play in our writing lives?” That is still a difficult question to answer fully, but one that has allowed us to dive deep into the usability—and ethics—of AI use in writing and editing.

Where AI Succeeds

When considering AI editing vs. human editing, AI shines in certain ways. Many of us grew up with Word spellcheck, but the grammar and punctuation capabilities of programs such as Grammarly, ProWritingAid, or PerfectIt are far superior. I have my spellcheck permanently turned off in Word—it isn’t useful anymore. On top of that, AI can take the hassle and headaches out of menial, mundane tasks, like drafting a simple outline for a webpage or helping to hone SEO. There are many things I can’t remember doing without AI, but writing, editing, or designing aren’t among them. We keep it human and artistically ethical here. 

Where AI Falls Short

I have read many—MANY—AI-written picture books, novels, marketing copy, and even essays over the past few years. They are not good. Creative AI writing is still very detectable and lacks the depth required for a good read. I truly don’t know how far AI will go in the creative world—or how far we will allow it to go—but as of now, it doesn’t stand up to human writing. 

Editing with only AI is the same. The results are hollow and robotic. This superficiality might work fine for web copy, but when it comes to creative or academic writing, it falls short. Much of the nuance, subtext, and subtleties—in other words, the humanity—of writing are lost in AI translation. The tone is flat, and the experience is unsatisfying. 

After reading a piece that has only had an AI editor, you might find yourself saying, “That…was…fine?” It might be okay, but when considering AI editing vs. human editing, a book edited solely with AI will lack the emotional depth we as readers crave. And don’t even get me started on how aggressively Grammarly will try to get you to overcorrect a passage—it is relentless. I love Grammarly, but its strict adherence to stuffy grammar can be uninspiring and boring. Stet already.

AI Editing vs. Human Editing: The Differences

The primary difference between human editing and AI editing lies in the overall goals. AI does its level best to make the passage squeaky clean, focusing heavily on pattern recognition, while human editing focuses deeply on judgment, hidden context, and the human experience. “AI can clean up a sentence, but it can’t understand why it matters,” ChatGPT said when I asked it to give me a quote on AI and editing. (Full disclosure: I did, in fact, use ChatGPT for this part of the blog. I promised I would give it attribution.) “It’s strong at pattern recognition and surface-level clarity, but it falls short when it comes to voice, nuance, and the deeper intent behind your writing. That’s where human editing still matters most.” 

To me, that’s the artistry in writing and editing, and I don’t believe the market for that will ever disappear. Humans love other humans, and we love the stuff other humans produce.

This fascinating Substack piece by Sarah Chauncey, “Why Writers Still Need Human Editors,” goes into even more depth with ChatGPT, discussing the importance of human editors. Check it out. It’s an interesting, quick read.

Our AI-Use Policy

How We Use AI at Pursuit Press

Concerning AI editing vs. human editing, our full AI policy can be found HERE and in the individualized Blueprint returned with each document delivery. However, to sum it up quickly, we don’t use AI any more than basic grammar, punctuation, and spelling support, or to help direct us to resources that might answer some of the randomly obscure questions that arise during an edit. So rest assured, your manuscript, essay, letter, or website copy will be edited with thoughtful, human eyes.

Concerns With AI Detection

The business of AI detection is simply not keeping up with the rapid evolution of AI. In fact, we haven’t used a detector that consistently produced accurate results, or even intermittently, so we no longer use them. Again, not to disparage Grammarly because I use it literally every day, but Grammarly’s AI detector is the worst. Just ignore it until they can improve that component of their software.

With that in mind, I have heard myths about Turnitin’s exceptional AI-detection capabilities, but because it is only available to educational institutions, these are only rumors and cannot be tested. However, keep in mind that most teachers, professors, and admissions officers likely use Turnitin, so it is in every student’s best interest to avoid AI whenever possible.

Editing and AI: Final Thoughts

As AI becomes part of our everyday lives, I find no shame in navigating how to use it responsibly, ethically, and efficiently. When it comes to AI editing vs. human editing and AI writing vs. human writing, I hope to see stricter copyright laws in place soon, along with regulations that address the convergence of art and AI. Until then, most of the rules regarding AI are self-imposed, and we at Pursuit Press intend to self-impose them. We take the integrity of our editorial process seriously, and we hope you will trust us with that process.

Reader-Ready Writing Starts Here

Here at Pursuit Press, we make editing, design, and self-publishing feel clear and doable. We work alongside writers to provide thoughtful feedback, clean edits, and practical guidance—so you always know your next step and end with a reader-ready final draft. While we specialize in fiction, select nonfiction, and academic work, we’re happy to support a wide range of manuscripts and documents. Ready to explore services? Visit our Services page for more information, or check out our Service Request Form if you are ready to take the plunge.

Reader-ready writing starts here.