What is an AI First Draft?

An AI first draft is content generated by an AI tool intended for human review and editing, not direct publication. The AI creates initial structure, fills in content, and provides a starting point that eliminates blank-page paralysis.

This approach treats AI as a drafting tool rather than a finished content producer. The draft gives you something to work with and improve rather than forcing you to start from zero.

Why AI first drafts work

Starting with a blank page is hard. Having a draft - even an imperfect one - makes editing and improvement much easier than creating from scratch. AI first drafts provide structure and content flow you can refine.

Drafting is where AI excels. It can quickly generate coherent text based on prompts. Humans excel at editing - adding specifics, removing errors, and injecting expertise. Playing to each strength produces better results faster.

How to use AI first drafts effectively

Provide detailed prompts. Include structure requirements, keywords, key points to cover, and examples of tone. Better input generates better drafts.

Set appropriate expectations. The draft won't be publication-ready. It will have hallucinations, generic phrasing, and missing specifics. Don't get attached to AI output - if a section doesn't work, delete it and rewrite. The draft is disposable scaffolding, not precious prose.

Generate drafts in batches when possible. Create multiple AI first drafts, then switch to editing mode. This separation often improves both efficiency and quality. Use AI drafts to overcome procrastination - editing feels less daunting than facing a blank page.

Editing AI first drafts for publication

Add specifics by replacing "many companies" with actual numbers or examples. Remove hallucinations by fact-checking every claim. Fix AI patterns by deleting phrases like "delve into." Inject expertise through insights from your experience. Optimize structure by reorganizing if needed.

An AI first draft might be 60-70% of final content after heavy editing. The value isn't in keeping most of the draft - it's in having a foundation to work from. Never publish AI first drafts without editing. Treat human-in-the-loop review as non-negotiable. The draft gets you 70% there quickly; human editing makes it actually helpful content worth publishing.