Background:
Creating the included banner with AI was an interesting experience. I asked it to create a banner for my Buy Me A Coffee page with no further information except for what it already knows about my mission. It did so with a placeholder “person” (perhaps she never existed; I didn’t ask), so I uploaded two photos of myself: I was wearing sunglasses in the photo with the outfit you see in the banner, and a second photo wearing the glasses you see above.
AI combined the two photos and presented me with an untouched version I only liked until I saw a retouched version. (This exercise enlightened me, as I immediately understood why AI filters are a problem for young girls and women in particular. I rarely use filters on social media, but I wanted to use the heavily edited AI version of my face. Though the included version is gently retouched, it is not the AI version I am referencing; the clearly human flaws serve as proof of the matter.)
The above has nothing to do with my mission, but I felt compelled to share, as I seek to be transparent.
Opting for speed, I asked AI to draft my 2026: Start Here post, the content on my Home page, and my Contact Me page. Those drafts were subsequently edited and approved by me before publication, but once I start publishing the content I love (such as my weekly updates), rest assured that I am excited to write and publish them the old-fashioned way- on my own.
As a writer who values transparency, I thought it humorous to ask AI to draft the following AI Transparency Statement.
Here’s what it wrote:
I believe in being transparent about how I use artificial intelligence (AI) in my work.
I may use AI tools to assist with research, summarize lengthy documents, brainstorm ideas, generate images or graphics, improve workflows, and support marketing and administrative tasks.
However, all articles and opinion pieces published under my name are written, edited, and fact-checked by me. AI does not write or publish my journalism, analysis, or advocacy content.
I review source materials, verify information, and remain responsible for the accuracy, context, and opinions expressed in my work.
AI is a tool that helps me work more efficiently. It does not replace my judgment, experience, or editorial decision-making.
— Amber Green