Authors, It’s Time to Create a Personal AI Policy

Why every author needs clear guidelines for using AI tools

Photo by Giu Vicente on Unsplash

I saw a social media post recently that started with:
“Your voice is the only asset you were born with.”

And I thought, YES. Preach! I was ready to like, share, maybe even print it out and tape it to my wall because I agree! Our voice is our unique gift. A collection of words and tones and attitudes we pick up in our unique life journey. How we write, how we speak, says so much to who we are.

I clicked to see the whole post, and then I realized it was 1000% written by AI. The whole post!! The tone, the formatting, the emoji placement. It was that unmistakable “AI-as-is” feel we’re all starting to recognize. No edits. No personal touch. No signs of human effort.

I was so confused. If you’re talking about voice as a precious asset, then shouldn’t your post reflect your voice?

I heard a new term recently on NPR called “the great blanding of America.” AI slop, in other words. Social media is filled with AI posts. Someone has convinced authors to build their platforms blindly using AI. I truly get the charm. Building a platform is hard work and takes years. Who would not want a shortcut? But using AI for relationship building is the wrong use of AI.

That’s when I realized: We all need our own personal AI policies. Based on our work, our values, our intuition, and the relationships we want to build. Can AI write your social media posts, absolutely!! Should it?? That depends on you.

Create Your Own AI Policy

You don’t have to post it. You don’t even have to write it down. But I recommend thinking it through. Here are a few questions to get you started:

• Where do you feel comfortable using AI in your writing life?

• Where do you draw the line?

• Are there formats, platforms, or relationships that feel wrong to outsource to a bot?

• Do you review and revise AI output to match your tone, or do you post it as-is?

I believe authors who reflect on these questions now will be better positioned to build lasting, human-centered brands in the future. Because in a world full of automated content, a real voice stands out. Even more so when it’s yours.

What I Won’t Outsource

LinkedIn is one of my important social channels.

That’s one of my private AI rules:
No AI-generated content on LinkedIn. Period. Not even a first draft. Because when I post there, it’s usually something personal or reflective. Something that connects to my work or my voice as a human being. I want it to feel real. And I want it to be real.

When AI Does Help Me

Now, I’m not anti-AI. Far from it. I love it. I use it often and openly. It’s made me faster, more curious, and even more creative.

But I also have a mental checklist I run through before I use it:

• Who is this for?
  If it’s a client, a reader, or a close collaborator, slow down. I try to write it myself first. I’ve made the same mistakes others have. Using AI as is and finding the mistake too late, but no more.

• What’s the purpose?
  If it’s about efficiency, like summarizing notes, drafting an outline, or handling admin work, writing headlines, AI is great. I’d be crazy not to use it. But if it’s about expressing emotion, building trust, or representing my brand, I want to say it in my own words.

Your Voice Is Your Brand

Especially for authors, your voice is your brand. That doesn’t mean you have to write every word from scratch. But it does mean staying mindful of how you show up.

If your goal is to build trust, sell books, and grow a loyal audience, then you’ll want to make sure people hear you in your work. And that requires intention.

© 2026 Fauzia Burke. All rights reserved.