Disclaimer: This guide was updated on January 24, 2026 to reflect our latest thinking on AI-assisted content. Disclaimer: This guide was updated on January 24, 2026 to reflect our latest thinking on AI-assisted content. Disclaimer: Hello again, Hackers 💚 We know that ever since ChatGPT (and all the other widely accessible AI tools) hit the scene, the internet has been flooded with AI-generated content—especially in the form of images and short-medium-length blog posts. Everyone looks to be sold by GenAI’s promise of quantity and speed, with little to no regard for quality tradeoffs. HackerNoon, on the other hand, really isn’t about that life. As an independent tech publication, we don’t want to add to the noise, so as a general rule of thumb, we neither accept nor encourage the use of AI to generate text. Part of the reason is that AI-generated content is mostly bad, bland, and more often than not, the lowest-hanging fruit in whatever topic one chooses. It doesn’t matter whether you use ChatGPT, Bing, or <Enter Tool Name Here> – the content is almost always generic, so much so that our Human editors have learned to spot AI-generated content with uncanny accuracy. And the last thing we want is to populate our website with a sea of similar-looking and similar-reading articles. That said, we’re not naive. We understand humanity’s obsession with ease. So we know that as AI becomes more commonplace, more people will use it in one way or another, whether we like it or not. We expect to encounter a wide spectrum of AI-assisted content, from authors whose collaboration with AI stops at the first prompt, to those who claim they use it only to clean up grammar and insist that the ideas, learnings, and experiences expressed are entirely their own. This is why we take a hybrid approach to reviewing AI content and leave the final decision on an article’s viability to our human editors. This is why we take a hybrid approach to reviewing AI content and leave the final decision on an article’s viability to our human editors. Let’s break this down some. How HackerNoon Checks for AI-Generated Content As we announced at the tail end of last year, HackerNoon now validates AI-generated content with the help of GPTZero. HackerNoon now validates AI-generated content with the help of GPTZero. HackerNoon now validates AI-generated content with the help of GPTZero And yes, we know no single AI detector is 100% accurate all the time. Still, it does a pretty good job of filtering out painfully obvious AI-assisted content, making it our first layer for weeding out generic, low-value submissions. For edge cases, we defer to our human editors. After years of reviewing a truly diverse mix of human- and AI-written content, they’ve learned to spot the telltale signs of heavy AI assistance. In these situations, the deciding factor is the perceived value of the piece—whether it meaningfully contributes to our editorial standards or not. While we prioritize human-written content, some AI-assisted stories still carry real value and may be published with a clear indicator on the live article, so readers know AI was used. telltale signs of heavy AI assistance telltale signs of heavy AI assistance By now, it should be clear that we’re not prohibiting authors from using AI entirely (even if we’re sometimes tempted). Using AI for assistance, such as improving grammar or polishing prose, is perfectly acceptable. If an author openly acknowledges and explains how they used AI, we’re happy to review their submission. If an author openly acknowledges and explains how they used AI, we’re happy to review their submission. Remember: the goal is to remain original and get AI to assist you, not replace you! If you also use AI in your workflow, tell us about it with this writing template. If you also use AI in your workflow, tell us about it with this writing template. writing template writing template Use AI on HackerNoon for Simple Blogging Tasks Use AI on HackerNoon for Simple Blogging Tasks 1. Meta Description 1. Meta Description This summary outlines a blog post's content. On HackerNoon, in story settings, find a section for a 160-character meta description. Use an AI tool like ChatGPT to generate it. meta description 2. TL;DR Short for "too long, didn’t read," this internet slang used in online publishing. It summarizes your article's core points, helping readers engage when they can't read the entire piece. On HackerNoon, add your TL;DR in story settings. TL;DR 3. Brainstorm Titles The title of an online article can be challenging yet crucial. It needs to be catchy, SEO-friendly, and convey your explored ideas. Use an AI tool to generate such headlines. headlines Other use cases include improvements to punctuation, grammar, syntax, and so forth.PS: If you use AI to improve your article in any way while writing on HackerNoon, please__leave a note for our editors__ describing what tools you’ve used and how. Take on the blank page today with this writing template, and let your voice shine through. Take on the blank page today with this writing template, and let your voice shine through. writing templat writing templat e

How HackerNoon Feels About AI Generated Content (Hint: 👎🏽)

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