When I first started thinking about AI in writing tools, I kept running into the same problem: AI systems tend to do one thing well and one thing poorly.
Either they generate great content but leave you confused about what changed, or they give you helpful suggestions but can't actually implement them. It's like having a coach who either rewrites your entire playbook without explaining why, or tells you what to do and walks away.
That's not how I wanted to build Jottings' AI features.
The Problem with One-Size-Fits-All AI
Most AI writing assistants treat every output the same way. You ask for help, and the AI either:
- Replaces your entire post with something "better," leaving you wondering what happened
- Gives you suggestions that sit in a sidebar while you manually incorporate them
But human writing isn't one thing. Sometimes you want the AI to actually write something—to take the blank page and fill it. Other times you want the AI to guide you—to confirm you're on the right track or suggest a better approach.
The distinction matters because it affects how much control you have over your words.
Two Types of AI Output
I decided to split Jottings' AI responses into two clear categories: Generated Content and Snippets.
Generated Content: When the AI Writes
Generated content is the actual text—something you can publish immediately or use as a starting point.
This happens with actions like:
- Generate from Prompt - You describe an idea ("a thought about remote work culture") and the AI drafts a complete jot
- Adjust Tone - You have text that says "I'm frustrated with how meetings dominate my schedule," and the AI rewrites it in a casual voice: "meetings eating my entire calendar, no thoughts just vibes"
- Transform - You've written a rambling paragraph and the AI condenses it or expands it based on what you ask
In each case, you get back new text. You can publish it as-is, edit it, delete it, or keep iterating. The AI isn't suggesting—it's producing.
Snippets: When the AI Guides
Snippets are everything else. They're the small confirmation messages, suggestions, and guidance that help you understand what just happened or what you might do next.
Examples:
- "Made it shorter and punchier" (feedback on what the AI changed)
- "Fixed 3 grammar issues" (what was corrected)
- "Here's your draft" (brief confirmation)
- "Could add a question to prompt reader engagement" (a suggestion, not an edit)
Snippets appear in a chat bubble. They're not meant to be published. They're meant to inform your next decision. Some you'll act on, some you'll ignore.
Why This Distinction Matters
The separation serves a specific purpose: it keeps you in control.
When you see generated content, you know the AI has produced something that might replace your words. You can choose to use it, modify it, or reject it entirely. You're making an active decision.
When you see a snippet, you know it's advice, not a change. You're not locked into anything. The snippet might inspire you to revise, or it might confirm that what you wrote was already good.
This feels important to me. I built Jottings because I wanted a place where you own your words. Where AI is a tool that amplifies your voice, not replaces it. That only works if you understand what the AI is doing at every step.
The Philosophy: Collaboration, Not Replacement
Here's what I think good AI writing assistance looks like:
The AI should be honest about what it's doing. If it's generating content, make that clear. If it's offering guidance, make that clear too. No hidden operations. No assumptions about what you want.
When you ask the AI to "make this more formal," you get back a rewritten version. You can see what changed. You can accept it, tweak it, or undo it with a single click.
When you ask a question like "does this make sense?" the AI responds in a chat bubble with actual feedback, not a rewrite.
This isn't about limiting AI capabilities. It's about being transparent about them. About treating the writer as a collaborator with the AI, not someone being edited by the AI.
When to Use Each Type
Use Generated Content when:
- You're starting from a blank page and need momentum
- You want to see multiple variations and pick your favorite
- You have existing text but want the AI to completely reshape it
- You're experimenting with different tones to find your voice
Use Snippets when:
- You want feedback on what you've written
- You're looking for specific suggestions without giving the AI free rein
- You need a gut check: "Is this good?"
- You're trying to understand what changed after an edit
The Undo/Redo Stack
Because AI writing is inherently experimental, Jottings includes a full undo and redo history. Every time the AI generates or transforms content, that change is saved. You can step backward through your AI edits, forward again if you change your mind, or jump to an earlier version.
This matters because it means you can play. You can ask the AI to make something funny, then undo it and try professional, then undo that and go back to the original. Each iteration is reversible.
You're not locked in. You're exploring.
A Collaborator, Not a Ghostwriter
I think about the AI Writing Assistant as a collaborator with specific strengths:
- It can generate variations quickly
- It understands tone and style
- It catches grammar and clarity issues
- It gives you feedback on what you've written
But it doesn't replace your judgment about what you want to say. It doesn't decide what's important. It doesn't get to claim authorship.
You do. You decide which AI output makes the cut. You decide when the AI's suggestion is helpful versus when you want to stick with your original instinct.
The AI is there to handle the heavy lifting—the drafting, the rewrites, the tone shifts—while you focus on the thinking. On figuring out what you actually want to say.
For Readers, Not Algorithms
I built Jottings for people who write for themselves first and the internet second. People who want to own their words, control their voice, and not deal with endless algorithmic tweaks.
The same principle applies to AI. You should know exactly when the AI is producing content versus offering guidance. You should be able to trust that the AI is amplifying your voice, not replacing it.
That's what the two outputs—generated content and snippets—are designed to do.
If you're curious about how this works in practice, check out the full AI Writing Assistant guide. Or if you're ready to start using it, upgrade to Jottings Pro and take the AI for a spin.
Your words should be yours. The AI is just here to help you get them out.