How to use AI as a science writer

AI can be a useful tool to improve your productivity, creativity and efficiency. But it also has its pitfalls.

Below are a few ways AI can help – and hinder – your work as a science writer.

DO

• Use AI to brainstorm ideas for titles, outlines, hashtags or social media posts.

• Ask it to summarize existing content you already know is reliable and accurate.

• Leverage it to create simple diagrams, illustrations or data visualizations 

DON'T

• Depend on AI to be correct. It will often "hallucinate," generating information that is false and inaccurate.

• Expect it to write well. In my experience, AI tools tend to overuse complicated sentence structures, which undermines good science communication.

• Allow it to replace your own voice as a writer. I believe it is the human aspect of your writing that will connect with the reader.

How do you use AI in your science writing? Do you have any suggestions you'd like to share?