AI Usage by Derek Sivers

Derek Sivers, an author and programmer, states that he uses generative AI tools like OpenRouter.ai and the llm command-line tool for programming assistance but never allows AI to write as him, ensuring nothing claiming to be written by him is AI-generated. He emphasizes that he enjoys the challenge of writing himself and will update his page at sive.rs/ai if this policy changes.

AI usage As of today, , here is how I use generative AI/LLM tools. I use OpenRouter.ai https://openrouter.ai/ to direct my questions to any variety of LLMs. Usually on the command line, using the llm https://llm.datasette.io/en/stable/ tool. For programming, I ask it how to do things I don’t know how to do. Then I use what I’ve learned in my own code. I never have it do the coding for me. I never use AI to write as me. No emails. No sentences in my articles or books or even comments. Nothing pretending to be me. I enjoy the challenge of writing myself. It’s organized thinking. It’s the doing I want, not having it done. See my article “It’s about being, not having” /being for more thoughts on this. While I’m writing, I often ask it the kinds of things I would ask a friend sitting next to me. Like, “What are examples of different ways of seeing life that are impossible to prove or disprove?” Or, “What professions most use a physical toolbox?” But again, the real point of this page is to let you know that nothing claiming to be written by me is written by an AI . If this changes in the future, I’ll update this page at this permanent URL: sive.rs/ai /ai This page is suggested by Damola, here https://www.bydamo.la/p/ai-manifesto . Check out his blog. He’s great.