What you need to know about editing AI content

AI content is everywhere. Scroll LinkedIn for five seconds and you’ll see several posts either written by AI or complaining about AI writing. At least, that’s my LinkedIn feed.

But let’s talk about editing AI content for a minute.

AI isn’t going anywhere, and I think we’re going to see a significant push for AI content editors. They’ll become the predominant editors—and in many cases, the pseudo-writers behind AI-assisted drafts—in our space moving forward.

But I also think a lot of people still assume editing content is as simple as fixing a few typos and swapping out some words here and there.

It’s not.

If you’re a marketing lead thinking AI tools will replace human writers and editors, I’m here to tell you they won’t—and why. And if you’re a writer or editor wondering where your place is in this industry anymore, it’s time to accept that editing AI content is an essential skill that you need to learn, now.

AI content isn’t human content—and it shows

AI writing tools have come a long way, but they’re still just tools; the output is okay, but it lacks the nuance, originality, and depth that human writing brings. If you’ve ever read an article and felt like it was off somehow, chances are it was AI-generated or heavily AI-assisted.

Some things to look out for:

→ Sentence structure: AI tends to default to simple, repetitive, and predictable structures. Every sentence starts the same way. Every paragraph ends with a neat little bow. It’s boring. Get more creative.

→ Filler phrases: Phrases like “in today’s fast-paced world,” “it goes without saying,” or “needless to say” creep into AI writing constantly. You don’t need them. Cut them out.

→ Unnatural transitions: AI likes to force transitions between ideas even when they aren’t needed, making the writing feel clunky. For example, asking the reader a question mid-flow, like “The result? A 4000% drop in bounce rate,” or “What can we learn from this? It’s annoying to the reader.”

→ Weird formatting: Random line breaks, extra spaces, odd indents, too much formatting (too much bold, in particular), and inconsistent bullet styles are telltale AI signs. Clean them up.

→ Title Case: AI loves to Title Case everything. Unless your style guide calls for it, use sentence case. It’s easier on the brain.

→ Try-hard tendencies: AI writing is filled with gimmicks, emojis, and (often mixed) metaphors that feel forced. It over-humanizes its tone to sound ‘relatable’, but it just comes off as awkward—especially in B2B writing.

Traditional line editing doesn’t cut it here. You’re not just polishing words—you’re rewriting to make the content sound like a real human with real expertise wrote it. When editing AI-generated content, your job is to make it work for your brand and audience.

📋 A note about em-dashes, because I love them very much and I feel it is my duty to defend them: Please leave the em-dash alone. It existed long before AI. So has every other written word or piece of punctuation. 

If you’ve always used em-dashes, keep using them. If you’re editing AI content, consider leaving the em-dashes in, if that’s in line with your style guide. Sometimes em-dashes just work—which is exactly what we want our content to do.

The real work of a content editor: rewriting, restructuring, rethinking

Over the years, I’ve realized that most people don’t understand what content editing actually is. I didn’t completely understand it either, until I started doing it myself. There’s a lot that goes into it, but put simply, here’s what it is not:

Content editing is not just about fixing grammar and typos, and smoothing out awkward sentences.

Content often needs to be completely reworked by an editor with structural editing and heavy rewrites. A light copyedit just won’t do. This is why AI content editing requires editors who can strategically rewrite, restructure, and rethink drafts. AI content editing is quickly becoming a required skill in our industry.

Editors, this is where you provide the most value. Your eye for structure and clarity turns AI drafts into publish-ready assets.

Marketing leads, if you’re planning to use AI for content production, you’ll need editors on your team who understand how to do this well. Hire editors with experience rewriting AI outputs, not just proofreading. Brief them on your brand voice, positioning, and goals, because AI alone won’t carry these through.

Especially when editing AI, expect an editor to:

→ Reorder paragraphs for flow: AI doesn’t understand logical progression. It often dumps information in a nonsensical order. Editors will move things around until it actually makes sense and flows like a story, with a cohesive beginning, middle, and end.

→ Rewrite entire sections: AI phrases things awkwardly, uses tired clichés, or produces entire paragraphs that say absolutely nothing (what we love to hate: fluff). Editors rewrite as needed so your content is clear, direct, and useful.

→ Remove filler phrases: As noted, AI loves metaphors and clichés. But they’re usually not adding anything to your content. Editors will spot them, cut them out, and—if context is still needed—replace them with fresh, meaningful language that fits your brand.

📋 A note about metaphors, one of my favorite things to cut: Any writer who’s worked with me knows I’ll usually instinctively cut your metaphor right out of your intro, and no context will be lost. Metaphors are meant to help people understand something—they’re supposed to turn a complex topic into something simple. But that’s not always the case. Probably nine times out of ten, if you take out your metaphors, your writing will be clearer because the metaphor won’t get in the way, forcing the reader to switch contexts in their brain.

But!—consider your audience:

If you’re writing for people who know little to nothing about your topic, a metaphor might help introduce them to a new idea or concept.

If you’re writing for people who already know the basics, just give them the info they came for. Metaphors are generally a waste of time in business writing—especially in B2B SaaS, where most of my experience has been lived.

Voice, nuance, and brand perspective are missing by default

AI can mimic tone, but it rarely captures your true voice or brand nuance. It thinks it sounds relatable when it tries to be ‘human’—but it doesn’t. It sounds forced. Editors notice these subtle misses, and we fix them.

Editing AI content requires infusing perspective, intentionality, and brand positioning so it reads like something you or your company would say. For long-form AI content specifically, editing often includes adding original insights, restructuring sections for narrative flow, and integrating brand POV to avoid sounding generic.

Real snippet examples:

Here are three examples of real AI copy I’ve edited; NDAs don’t allow me to share the original content:

→ B2B SaaS blog post

• AI output: In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, companies must leverage robust data-driven strategies to stay ahead of the competition.

• Edited version: Your competitors are already using data to make decisions. If you’re not, you’re falling behind.

Why it works: Cuts fluff, removes clichés, adds directness and brand perspective (the brand voice is bold and confident).

→ Content marketing agency positioning

• AI output: Content marketing is an effective way to build brand awareness and drive traffic to your website.

• Edited version: When done right, content marketing builds trust with the people who actually want what you’re selling.

Why it works: Removes generic phrasing and adds a strong POV, aligning with a brand voice that prioritizes clarity and real-talk positioning.

→ Project management tech product description

• AI output: Our project management software streamlines processes to improve efficiency and productivity for your team.

• Edited version: Stop wasting hours chasing updates and juggling spreadsheets. [Our software] keeps projects moving, so your team can focus on the work that drives results.

Why it works: Cuts corporate jargon, adds specificity, and makes the value proposition clear, direct, and tied to real user pain points.

Real long-form example:

When I was Managing Editor at Hotjar, we ran a Human vs. AI content writing and editing experiment, out of curiosity. We wanted to see which article would perform better overall; the human version won. You can read about the experiment here.

Hotjar’s human vs. AI content experiment: the article written and edited by two humans (blue) peaked at 71 clicks, and maintained an average of around 34 clicks per day. Source

Fact-checking isn’t optional

One of the biggest risks with AI-generated content is how confidently it presents information, whether it’s true or not. AI tools are designed to sound authoritative and fluent, which makes it easy to miss when they’re just making sh*t up. Publishing unchecked AI content puts your brand credibility at risk. It’s really not a good look.

AI is confident, but it’s often wrong. (We all know someone like this.) It will hallucinate sources, misquote data, and cite outdated or nonexistent references.

Here’s what you need to fact-check in AI-generated drafts:

• Stats and numbers

• Quotes and attributions

• Brand or product details

• Market data or industry terminology

• Hyperlinks and source accuracy

• Dates, years, and timelines

• Everything

Never assume AI content is correct just because it sounds confident. Double-check everything. Don’t let AI gaslight you—we get enough of that from people.

The hidden opportunity: AI as a draft partner, not a writer

AI isn’t here to replace writers or editors. It can’t think critically, form original perspectives, or understand your brand strategy. What it can do is save time in the drafting stage—if you know how to use it.

Treat AI like an intern with decent grammar but no subject expertise. Use AI for:

→ Speed: It can help you draft outlines or expand on ideas quickly.

→ Idea expansion: Prompt it for examples or phrasing variations to spark your own thinking.

→ Raw material: Have it write messy paragraphs that you can rework into strategic, effective content that sounds like your brand.

When paired with strong editorial skills, AI can enhance your workflow, but it’s not a replacement for skilled writers or editors.

AI can write an okay draft, but you still need an editor

Editing AI content is rewriting with purpose. 

Whether you’re exploring an AI content strategy for your marketing team or you’re an editor building new skills, remember: AI can draft, but humans make content worth reading.

If you want your content to stand out, build trust, and say something meaningful, you need an editor who knows how to work with AI drafts and turn them into final pieces worth publishing.

📋 If you need help editing AI content, reach out anytime. I’d love to make your AI drafts sound like you—not the bot.