AI tools like ChatGPT and Jasper are great for generating content fast — but “fast” doesn’t always mean ready to publish.

Whether you’re a startup founder writing thought leadership or a marketing team using AI to scale content, you still need a human editor in the loop to make that AI-generated content accurate, on-brand and useful to your audience.

This checklist walks through the most important things to review, so you can go from AI draft to polished content without wasting time.

Generating Better AI Content from Draft 1

The more thinking you do on behalf of the AI, the better your results will be. Before you ask your AI tool to generate a content draft, set it up for success:

• Give the bot a role. Use a prompt like: “#Identity You are a cybersecurity analyst writing for a tech-savvy CISO audience…”
• Stay in one chat. Not all AI tools have memory that persists across chat sessions. Drafting all your content in a single thread can help save time and improve your results.
• If possible, provide the AI tool with:
  • A creative brief that spells out the context and goals of the piece
  • An outline or bullet structure
  • A POV or stance (“We believe…” or “Here’s what others get wrong…”)
  • Key facts, examples or links if you have them
  • Dos and don’ts

The AI Content Review Checklist Every Marketing Team Needs

Once you have a draft in hand, the real work begins. This basic checklist will help you edit your content for quality and accuracy.

1. Accuracy & Sources

• Check and fix all citations and links. AI tools often invent or misattribute sources — verify every stat, quote and hyperlink.
• Update outdated references. AI may pull from old training data. Check for newer reports, events or frameworks.
• Spot hallucinations. If it reads like a fact, verify it against credible sources.

2. Logic & Structure

• Do the ideas flow logically? Look for broken cause-effect, circular reasoning or skipped steps.
• Is it answering a real question? Consider the knowledge level of your target buyer and make sure the content provides value.
• Trim the fluff. AI tends to repeat itself. Tighten structure and cut redundancy.

3. Voice & Tone

• Rework for human rhythm. Watch for AI’s signature tone (e.g. “It’s not just X — it’s Y.”). Soften or rewrite for natural flow.
• Match the company’s tone. Should it sound polished? Playful? Expert? Adjust accordingly.
• Make it sound like someone — not everyone. Give the copy a specific voice when possible.

4. Messaging & Brand Fit

• Is the brand’s messaging clearly (but subtly) included?
• Does it align with current marketing priorities?
• Respect basic grammar and spelling, as well as the company style guide.

5. Engagement & Relevance

• Is it worth reading?
• Does it feel timely?
• Is the headline clear and specific?

Need help editing AI-generated content? I work with tech companies and marketers to turn rough AI drafts into clear, publish-ready pieces without losing speed.

Learn more about my services