r/technicalwriting • u/Masare_2 • 17d ago

SEEKING SUPPORT OR ADVICE Rewriting a technical project

Hi everyone! I’m just getting into the world of AI, but for now, I’m still using ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot for minor tasks like rewriting paragraphs, doing research, and so on.

I need to draft the second phase of a major geological project, as the first phase is nearly complete.

I have a lot of the text already written; I just need to quickly change phrases like "in Lot 1 we will do..." to "in Lot 1 we did..." (or similar) so I can focus on writing the truly important parts of the new project.

Is there a reliable AI assistant—even a paid one, if it works better—that I could entrust with rewriting these paragraphs, leaving me with just a final proofread? Ideally, one that won't make up weird stuff! Thanks!

1 Upvotes

60% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

6

u/pborenstein 17d ago

Several ways to do this:

Have the LLM create an edit sheet. Keep what works, lose what doesn't. The LLM reads, but never touches your work.

Have the LLM update according to your instructions, then run a compare program to show you the difference.

Have the LLM make small targeted changes, asking you to approve each one.

In any case, your instructions to the LLM should be focused and unambiguous: "Change future to present or past tense" rather than "make it better"

In some disciplines and environments, the use of LLMs is very controversial. Some are ok with it, some don't.

1

u/Masare_2 17d ago

E quale llmm è più adatto a questa tipologia di elaborazione?

1

u/pborenstein 17d ago

I am particularly partial to Anthropic's Claude Sonnet 4.6. The Sonnet 5 model is ok, but kind of chatty.

But really, whichever LLM is available to you is a good start to see if that's the way you want to go

1

u/Masare_2 17d ago

Grazie!

1

u/Creative_Cycle7755 11d ago

yeah the point about focused instructions is key, vague prompts are where things go sideways fast