Why We Use AI – And Why We Think That’s a Good Thing

Over the past few months, several readers  have commented that P.O. Life and our sister website Anglophone- direct.com seem to be using artificial intelligence more often. Some have praised it. Others have expressed concern, particularly about AI-generated illustrations or the possibility that articles are being “written by a computer.”

We completely understand those concerns.

Artificial intelligence has arrived remarkably quickly, and like every major technological change before it, it has raised questions. Many of us remember when calculators, computers, email, online banking and sat-navs first appeared. They all changed the way we worked and lived. AI is simply the next step in that journey.

I remember swearing blind that you would never catch me reading a Kindle. I liked the feel on the smell of the paper. I didn’t like change.Instead, every time I went back to England, I returned with my hand luggage full of heavy paper backs (and Marks & Spencer’s curries when I got away with it). But sometimes we bite off our own noses to spite our faces. I now have plenty of room for cherished items like marmite, despite having it confiscated several times at customs, and I’m never short of a good read. So I suppose that I adapted.

So, we’d like to explain exactly how we have adapted and now use it.

AI is a tool – not an editor

The biggest misconception is that AI simply writes articles while humans sit back and press “publish.”

Nothing could be further from the truth.

AI is an incredibly powerful tool, but it is only as good as the person using it. Ask a vague question and you’ll often receive a vague or inaccurate answer. Ask detailed questions, challenge the responses, compare sources, ask it to explain contradictions and keep refining the discussion, and the quality improves enormously.

In fact, using AI well is becoming a skill in itself.

Rather like giving a hundred people the same paintbrush, you’ll end up with a hundred very different paintings. The brush doesn’t create the masterpiece – the artist does.

Every article still begins with a human

Before an article appears in P.O. Life or on Anglophone-direct.com, somebody has decided that it is worth writing.

We choose the subjects. We decide what will interest English-speaking readers living in or visiting our beautiful corner of France. We research the topic, check official sources wherever possible, compare information, rewrite, edit, simplify technical language and, most importantly, decide whether it deserves to be published at all.

AI helps us do those jobs more efficiently, but it doesn’t replace them.

In fact, we often spend as much time questioning and checking AI’s responses as we do asking the original question.

Let’s be honest. AI can be wrong

Artificial intelligence sometimes gets things wrong. It can misunderstand context, present outdated information or confidently state something that simply isn’t true.

That’s why we never rely on AI alone when accuracy really matters.

Whether we’re reporting on wildfires, explaining changes to French regulations, discussing healthcare, or covering local news, we cross-check information against official announcements, trusted news organisations and other reliable sources wherever possible.

The responsibility for everything we publish remains ours. Always.

Why we choose to use AI

The real benefit of AI isn’t replacing people. It’s allowing a very small editorial team to do far more than would once have been possible.

It helps us translate complex French information into plain English, summarise lengthy official documents, compare multiple sources, explain complicated subjects more clearly and produce timely updates when events are moving quickly.

It also frees us to spend more time doing the things that AI cannot do: speaking to local people, researching our region, deciding what matters to our readers and bringing our own experience of life in France into every article.

Without AI, we’d simply be able to publish less.

What about the illustrations?

Some readers have also commented that they can easily recognise AI-generated illustrations.

They’re probably right.

Sometimes we deliberately use AI-generated artwork because it allows us to create an illustration that simply wouldn’t otherwise exist. If we’re writing about a historical event, explaining a concept, or adding a visual to brighten a page or a Facebook post, an AI illustration can often tell the story far better than a generic stock photograph.

The illustration isn’t there to deceive anyone. It’s there to help communicate an idea.

Artists have always embraced new tools, from oil paints and cameras to graphic design software and digital illustration. AI is simply the latest addition to that creative toolbox.

Where an authentic photograph is important, we will always use one whenever possible. But when the purpose is simply to illustrate an idea, we don’t believe the method used to create the image is nearly as important as the message it helps to convey.

Looking ahead

Artificial intelligence isn’t going away.

In fact, it will almost certainly become part of everyday life for all of us, whether we realise it or not.

At P.O. Life and Anglophone-direct.com, we believe it’s far better to understand this technology and use it responsibly than to ignore it.

It enables us to serve our readers better, respond more quickly, explain complicated topics more clearly and continue producing the kind of independent local content that would otherwise be beyond the resources of a small publication.

Technology changes. Our values don’t.

Behind every article is still a human being asking the questions, making the decisions, checking the facts and accepting responsibility for what appears in print and online.

AI may help us do our job.

It will never replace our judgement.

Thank you for continuing to read, support and occasionally challenge us. Your feedback keeps us on our toes—and that’s exactly how it should be.