How to Keep Your Authenticity While Writing With AI

Have you ever noticed how people react when something goes wrong?

A few years ago, I was interviewed live on Finnish radio about a theatre play I was acting in. Finnish is my mother’s language, but not one I speak perfectly.

Halfway through the interview, I completely lost my train of thought. The words just disappeared. And because it was live, there was nowhere to hide. The silence was brutal — and I felt my face burn with embarrassment.

Desperate to move on, I started blending Swedish with Finnish. It felt like a failure, knowing most of the audience were Finnish speakers.

Weeks later, I spoke to the host again. To my surprise, she told me this interview had more listeners than any other show on the channel that year.

When I asked why, she smiled and said: “I think many listeners could relate to not speaking perfect Finnish.”

She was right. Relatability is powerful. But I also believe there was another ingredient at play: risk.

Ai & Authenticity?

In this article, I want to discuss how we can keep our authenticity. While writing with AI. So that it becomes a tool that expands your creative voice and intuition.

Wired for authenticity

Humans are wired to notice authenticity. When something real happens — an interview goes off-script, an actor forgets a line, someone blurts out something awkward — the room shifts. People become hyper-alert.

As writers and creatives, these “imperfections” are gold. They connect us to our audience in ways that polished, flawless delivery never can.

And in an age where AI can make everything smooth and perfect, we need to protect those rough edges. If we want to keep our work authentic.

So the question becomes: How do we keep our writing authentic while using AI?

Why Authenticity Matters More Than Ever

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”

Oscar Wilde’s famous line is even more true today, when AI gives everyone access to polished, competent writing.

Because here’s the thing: readers don’t just connect with information — they connect with people.

This is true in almost every form of writing: novels, plays, screenplays, even blog posts. The only real exceptions are technical manuals or purely factual reports, where personality isn’t the point. But when it comes to storytelling in any form, authenticity is what makes your words land.

On this blog, for example, my most popular articles are the ones where I share something personal and relevant from my own life and creative journey. Not private confessions — but specific, contextual details that matter to the message.

Authenticity is what turns useful content into something memorable.

The Risk of Losing Your Voice

The internet went crazy when MIT released a study called Your Brain on ChatGPT, which suggested that AI use might make people less capable thinkers. The study may have been simplified in the headlines, but the point is worth considering: AI changes how we think and create.

The danger lies in what happens over time.

AI tools give us that rush of productivity — the dopamine hit of having created something “finished.” But if you consistently process your words and your voice through AI, your creative muscles weaken. Slowly, your quirks, rhythms, and unique word choices are polished away. What’s left may sound fine — but not like you.

AI is trained on patterns. It repeats what has already been done. Your voice, however, has never existed before. That’s what makes it valuable.

Some common pitfalls:

• Generic tone: AI swaps your words for “correct” ones.

• Over-reliance: Letting AI finish your half-formed ideas or decide which ones are worth keeping.

• Echo chamber effect: AI learns your preferences and feeds them back, making you repeat yourself and reinforce your own biases.

This is why you must stay active in shaping the output — otherwise, your voice risks fading without you noticing.

How to Use AI Without Losing Yourself

The key is to remember: you are the director, AI is the assistant.

Think of it like running a company. You’re the CEO. You set the direction, make the decisions, and define the vision. AI is just an assistant. It can support your work, but it should never take over the role of author.

Used wisely, AI can supercharge your process.

Some practical ways creatives can use AI:

• Voice recording: Speak you idea into the voice recorder of chatGPT. And ask for a draft based on your idea. Using the same language and choice of words as you did.

• Structure: Let AI generate an outline or give feedback on current structure, — but fill it with your own words and examples.

• Research: Ask AI to summarize facts about your topic or theme, then frame them through your own lens.

• Dialogue testing: Write your own dialogue first, then use AI to explore variations and improve flow. Keep what feels true to your characters and lived experience.

• Idea bank: Ask AI for 20 possible story ideas. Then trust your gut to pick the one or two that resonate.

• Language polish: Use AI for spelling and clarity checks, but carefully swap back words that feel more “you.”

• Unblocking: When stuck, let AI create a messy draft — but rewrite it fully in your own tone before publishing.

Think of AI as a sparring partner, not a ghostwriter.

Practical Habits to Stay Authentic

Beyond how you use AI, it’s equally important to nurture your voice daily. Some habits that help:

• Shitty first draft: Always write something raw and unfiltered before turning to AI. Get a firm grip on your idea before you involve AI.

• Journaling: Keep a physical notebook where you can reconnect with your thoughts without algorithms in the way.

• Personal language: Make a list of expressions and images you naturally use, and keep them alive in your writing. Don’t let AI swap them for “correct” words.

• Tell stories only you can tell: Include mistakes, doubts, and experiences that you have experienced.

• Read it out loud: If the words don’t sound like you, rewrite them.

• AI as sparring partner: Use its suggestions as prompts, not as final drafts.

The Future: Authenticity as Your Competitive Edge

The more the internet fills with AI-generated text, the more valuable authentic voices will become. Readers can sense the difference — and crave the real thing.

If you write about what you genuinely care about, through the lens of your own lived experience. You will be irreplaceable.

Combine that authenticity with craft — structure, storytelling, and design — and your words will resonate even more.