Using AI for ideas, writing?

I have been looking at the ProudlyHuman de minimis standard and was somewhat surprised that the otherwise purist pro-human stance allows for using AI “to search for facts, summarize ideas, analyze data, generate ideas or outlines, or suggest directions for further development.” Drafting text with AI tools, however, is a clear no. It seems that acceptable AI use is different for writers and social-science researchers.

For a writer, some AI help with ideas or outlines may be acceptable. For a researcher, I would draw the line more narrowly. The core contribution is not just the prose; it is the research question, framing, hypotheses, interpretation and judgement.

If you want AI to help write or polish an abstract, fine in my book. That is a summary of work already done. But use it to suggest the ideas? Not really.

In research, the ideas are the thing. The question, the angle, the theoretical move and the interpretation of evidence are what make the work yours.

I might change my view on this in the future.