At DesignWhine, we use AI — and we’re not shy about it. (to all the em dash spotters out there, you’re welcome)
We’re a tiny, independent team with big ambitions, writing about AI and tech through a design lens. Expecting us to ignore a tool that speeds up repetitive, low-value work would be like asking a chef to chop onions by hand when a food processor exists. We’d be silly not to use it.
But here’s the thing: we use AI responsibly, and we want you to know exactly how.
Why We Use AI
Running an independent publication means wearing many hats — reporting, editing, publishing, design, promotion — often all in the same day along with a day job.
AI helps us:
- Save time on repetitive, mechanical tasks
- Free up bandwidth for deeper reporting, analysis, and storytelling
- Keep pace with the speed of the tech world without burning out
In short, AI is our productivity boost, not our editorial brain.
How We Use AI
- Idea generation & brainstorming – headlines, angles, interview questions, list structures
- First-draft assistance – drafting outlines or initial text blocks to overcome the blank page problem
- Summarizing & synthesizing – turning research into concise summaries for faster review
- Formatting & cleanup – grammar, readability passes, SEO-friendly structure suggestions
How We Don’t Use AI
- We don’t publish AI content blindly – Every single article is reviewed, edited, fact-checked, and shaped by human editors.
- We don’t let AI decide what’s important – Our editorial priorities come from our human team, our values, and our understanding of design’s role in tech.
- We don’t outsource our voice – AI can’t replicate our lived experience, design sensibility, or perspective. That’s ours alone.
Every AI-assisted draft we produce goes through the same rigorous process as anything else we publish. Editorial review isn’t just a quick skim — it’s a full pass for factual accuracy, clarity, and narrative flow. Sources are checked against reputable, verifiable references; claims are confirmed or corrected; and citations are either rewritten for precision or replaced entirely if they don’t meet our standards.
Beyond the technical checks, each piece is refined to match DW’s distinct editorial voice — sharp where it needs to be, nuanced where the subject demands it. And for sensitive or complex topics, we skip AI altogether, crafting the work entirely by hand so that interpretation, framing, and depth come directly from human experience and judgment, not an algorithm.
AI is a tool — like a camera, a keyboard, or a spreadsheet. It helps us work smarter, but it doesn’t decide what we say or who we are. Our independence comes from our people, not our software.
Not using AI when it can help us deliver more meaningful work would be unfair to ourselves and to our readers. The goal is simple: use every tool available to spend less time on drudgery, and more time telling stories worth everyone’s time.