AI is changing how we write everything from simple documents to web pages. AI has many benefits, but it should be used responsibly because it doesn't always follow plain language best practices.

Responsible use of AI

Think of AI as something that helps your writing, not something that replaces it. It's still important to use your judgement and skills. AI can make false statements so always verify facts with real sources. The Autism Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) points out another weakness of AI: it focuses on what words to write, not why they are written. For example, when AI creates alt text, it often gives only a basic visual description. It may miss the details your audience actually needs. This happens in regular writing too. Always check that the AI's content communicates the ideas you want to share.

Responsible writing helps the audience

As IBM explains Generative AI: it generates text similarly to predictive text you may have used when writing messages on your phone. AI models generate text because they've been trained on large datasets of text from the internet and other sources. But the large text datasets that AI learns from have patterns and habits that influence what it writes, which can make the output unclear or overly complicated. If you simply copy and paste what AI generates, people will likely notice that lack of effort. Much of what AI generates can also violate plain language principles:

• Making a paragraph from a sentence: AI tends to unnecessarily expand on a simple idea. But plain language guidelines recommend short and sweet statements. Good writing isn't like an assignment you were given in high school with a target word count. Shorter and concise writing saves your audience time, reduces confusion, and makes information more accessible.
• Improper punctuation: AI often inserts em dashes, en dashes, or hyphens where they don't fit. Writers do use dashes, but AI sometimes adds them in places where clearer punctuation would work better. Always check AI‑generated text to make sure the punctuation matches plain language guidelines and supports clear reading.

Keep plain language guidelines in mind when you edit AI‑generated text. Rewrite the content in your own words so it sounds professional and is easier for your audience to understand. This can also give your writing a more natural, individual voice.