## How AI Supplanted My Father as My Editor: A Saga of Change and Productivity
For more than ten years, my dad acted as my main editor on *Financial Samurai*, a personal finance blog I launched in 2009. His support was crucial in helping me keep a steady publishing schedule, refining three thoughtful posts weekly. If he was unavailable, my wife would jump in to assist. This framework of self-imposed quality control empowered me to release valuable material while utilizing nearby resources, allowing for greater personal oversight of the workflow.
Usually, I dedicated between 1.5 to 3 hours crafting a post. My father would then invest 1 to 1.5 hours refining the text, correcting my grammatical errors and providing suggestions to enhance clarity and brevity. After the editing was complete, I’d spend another 30 minutes inserting relevant links, choosing images, and gearing up the post for social media sharing. Altogether, each post could require up to five hours to produce, despite being quick reads—typically under 10 minutes.
Looking back, it’s clear why writing for the web poses such a challenge. Creating high-caliber posts demands immense effort and time, and yet audiences often anticipate free content. In the absence of sponsors or sufficient financial backing, countless bloggers and independent authors find it impractical and ultimately cease their efforts.
Luckily, I’ve always relished the act of writing and derived satisfaction from expressing my voice online. On a typical week, I allocate about 10 hours exclusively to writing. However, as time went on, an unexpected shift occurred in 2022—artificial intelligence (AI), particularly OpenAI’s ChatGPT, became widely adopted. Initially, I dismissed it as merely a digital tool for trivial conversations or gaming assistance. As it started to gain popularity, I grew apprehensive that AI appeared to be “scraping” vast amounts of publishers’ work without appropriate remuneration or ethical acknowledgment.
But a transformation unfolded in early 2024. Following my registration with ChatGPT in 2023, I began to see its value for my writing. Rather than utilizing AI as a content creator (as some worried), I discovered a productive application: after finishing a draft, I could effortlessly input it into ChatGPT to identify grammatical mistakes and enhance my clarity. What used to be a time-intensive task for my father could now be accomplished with just a few clicks. Suddenly, my workload lightened, and my father’s editorial role had effectively transitioned to AI.
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## My Dad’s Response: AI Takes Over, but No Hard Feelings
The initial transition was a bit uncomfortable. After depending on my dad for editing support for so many years, I felt a bit guilty about not sending him my posts for his input. So one day, I had a heart-to-heart with him and asked, “What do you think about me using AI for editing instead of relying on you?”
To my astonishment, he was perfectly okay with it—almost relieved. My father has always been a man of few words and typically voiced his opinions plainly. He confessed that while he enjoyed assisting with my writing, he sometimes found my posts somewhat lengthy and convoluted, making the editing process somewhat tedious.
Indeed, I did compensate him to a degree; during the COVID-19 pandemic, I created an Uber Eats account so he and my mom could conveniently order meals using my card. As elderly residents of Honolulu, I wanted to ensure they avoided crowded places. In gratitude for his previous help with my content, I’m pleased to keep them on the “food plan” indefinitely—a small indulgence for my parents after years of supporting my online journey at no cost.
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## The Unseen Costs of Substituting My Dad with AI
At first glance, the replacement of my father with AI appeared to be a boost in productivity. I saved time, and so did he. However, there’s a more profound aspect to reflect upon beyond the efficiency AI brings: having my dad as my editor was not just a means of assistance; it fostered a significant avenue for our connection.
By producing three posts a week, plus dispatching a weekly newsletter, I had a natural motive to reach out, whether by phone, text, or email, at least three times weekly. We would engage in discussions about editing, trade ideas, and inevitably dive into what was going on in our lives. My dad’s editorial role was crucial in nurturing a steady communication routine.
Now that AI has largely taken over this responsibility, I’ve observed a 70% drop in our interactions. We still converse, but our discussions are more infrequent, taking place perhaps once or twice a week. It’s a sobering realization that technology, while advantageous, can lead to unforeseen repercussions—such as diminishing the richness of relationships strengthened by consistent communication.
*Financial Samurai* was originally conceived as a platform for my parents to keep up with my work, especially during my travels or while residing in San Francisco while they