DEFINITIONS for WRITERS
QUICK NAV
Interpretation →
QUICK REFERENCE
-
The VerifiedHuman label requires VH3 (Human-Led) or higher on the Human-AI Spectrum
-
Essential question: "Who put the words together?"
-
Acceptable AI use: Grammar, spelling, research, translation, outlining, brainstorming
-
Not acceptable: AI-generated sentences or paragraphs you claim as yours.
-
The Five-Word Principle: A gut-check—if you're pasting AI phrases unchanged, you haven't transformed the material
Writers today face a credibility challenge: how do you prove your work is authentically yours when AI can generate convincing prose in seconds? This standard draws a clear line between human authorship and machine generation.
FOREWORD
The foundation of this standard is Essential Authorship: who put the words together?
Language allows for an infinite number of word combinations. When a human selects and arranges words, they are the essential author. When a machine does it, the machine is the essential author.
Written work means the selection and arrangement of words in a meaningful order to be read—phrases and lines that have been written down, typed, or transposed.
In an age where AI can generate thousands of words in seconds, readers deserve to know who created what they're reading. This standard helps writers communicate their creative process transparently while maintaining the freedom to use AI as a tool.
We support writers who use AI in non-standard ways.
For instance, a poet may intentionally use AI to curate, compose, and recombine phrases to create innovative work. They may find the VerifiedHuman label unhelpful on that piece, but use it on another.
In this way, we hope to be helpful and encouraging to all writers.
HUMAN-AI COLLABORATION LEVELS
Our 5-level Human-AI Spectrum shows who led the creative process. All VerifiedHuman-labeled work must meet or exceed VH3, meaning the writer led.
VH5 - Entirely Human-Written
-
The writer selected and arranged every word without generative AI
-
Traditional writing tools (spell-check, word processors, thesauruses) are fine
-
The work reflects the writer's voice, perspective, and creative decisions
VH4 - Human-Written, AI-Enhanced
-
The writer selected and arranged every word.
-
Generative AI may assist with non-writing tasks: research, outlining, brainstorming, grammar suggestions, and citation formatting.
-
The writer's voice and creative decisions dominate; AI supports the process but doesn't generate the prose.
VH3 - Human-Led, AI-Assisted
-
The writer leads the creative process; AI contributes but doesn't control
-
AI may generate raw material (drafts, passages, ideas), but the writer substantially transforms it
-
The final work reflects the writer's voice and choices—not AI output with minor edits
-
Apply the Five-Word Principle as a gut-check: if you're pasting AI phrases unchanged, you haven't transformed the material
Work below VH3 is not eligible for the VerifiedHuman label.
DEFINITIONS
Here are definitions of words and ideas used in the Standard for Writers.
Standard
A statement of commitment to specific creative practices
Writer
The author of written work
Represent
Claim, present, or share work as your own
Written work
Words selected and arranged in a meaningful order to be read
Team
A group of people working together
Intellectual property
A creative work to which one has legal rights, such as copyright or trademark
Essential
The fundamental elements or characteristics of something
Essentially authored
When a writer selects and arranges words to create written work. The test: Who put the words together? (see Essential Authorship below)
Essential written elements
Words
Human
Noun: a person; Adjective: originating from a person
Generative AI
AI systems trained on existing content that generate new text, images, audio, code, or video in response to prompts. Examples include ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
Machine learning
Algorithms that learn from data to make predictions or generate content
Other generative processes
Any other AI or machine learning process that creates new content
OTHER DEFINITIONS
Other definitions of words and ideas related to the Standard for Writers are here.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
A field of computer science focused on creating systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, and generating content.
AI language model (or Large Language Model (LLM))
AI systems trained on large amounts of text that generate natural language in response to prompts. Examples include ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
Word
A single distinct, meaningful element of speech or writing. The basic unit of language and the foundation of Essential Authorship.
INTERPRETATION
Here are two questions that the AI-using writer must interpret independently. The author is responsible for adhering to their own values and judgment.
Q: Can I use ChatGPT to write an outline or paper and then rework it in my own words?
Some people use language modeling tools to organize their thoughts and structure their writing, particularly for lengthy, complex, or unfamiliar work. They ask the AI to write a draft and then personalize or contextualize it to some extent.
Q: Can I have ChatGPT write a paper, read it, and then write my version?
Some people ask language modeling tools to generate a draft of what they want to say, then use it as a guide or model for organizing or approaching their work.
Here's how to evaluate these approaches:
ACCEPTABLE: Using AI for an outline, then writing from scratch in your own voice. The AI provided structure. You provided all the words.
GRAY AREA: Reading an AI draft, then heavily rewriting (50%+ your own words). Ask yourself: Did you truly rewrite, or just edit? Use the Five-Word Principle as a gut-check.
NOT ACCEPTABLE: Copy-pasting AI-generated sentences with minor edits. If the AI assembled the words, the AI wrote that sentence—even if you changed a few words.
The question remains: Who put the words together?
REAL-WORLD SCENARIO: Article with AI Research
Sarah writes a 2,000-word article about climate change. She uses AI to:
-
Summarize 10 scientific papers (research assistance)
-
Suggest article structure (outlining)
-
Check citations for formatting (technical assistance)
-
Run final spell-check (grammar assistance)
Sarah writes every sentence herself in her own voice and style.
VERDICT: VH4-VH5 (Human-Written, AI-Enhanced / Entirely Human-Written)
WHY IT QUALIFIES: AI assisted with research and technical tasks, but Sarah selected and arranged all words. She is the essential author.
THE FIVE-WORD PRINCIPLE
If you're copying and pasting entire thoughts or sentences, you're not doing the writing. You're copying writing done by someone or something else.
The Five-Word Principle is a gut-check: if AI wrote five consecutive words that appear unchanged in your final work, that's a sign you haven't transformed the material. Five isn't a magical number—it's just enough to be a recognizable phrase.
The spirit of the principle remains in the question: "Did you write it, or did AI write it?"
ESSENTIAL AUTHORSHIP
In writing, authors put words together to write lists, lines, sentences, and paragraphs or put sections together to form longer works like letters, papers, reports, and books. Essential authorship of any written work can be established by asking a simple question.
The essential question of authorship is: Who put the words together? A simpler way of asking is: Who wrote it? This applies to entire written works or even small portions of written work.
RATIONALE
-
The basic unit of language is the word.
-
Words are put together to form ideas. These ideas can be complete sentences or just collections of words in a line (like phrases).
-
When lines of words or sentences are arranged meaningfully, the result is some form of written work.
ASSUMPTION OF HUMAN AUTHORSHIP
If a human puts words together into lines, phrases, or sentences and arranges them meaningfully, then a human is the essential author.
VerifiedHuman helps writers certify their work as human-made. Established in April 2023, the standard provides a clear framework for communicating who led the creative process. Free to join. 230+ creators certified worldwide.
