Build Your Own AI Writing Assistant

An advanced, hands-on course in AI-assisted academic writing for doctoral researchers.

Course abstract · by Sergueï Spetschinsky, PhD

Abstract

Used skilfully, AI can offer immense leverage to a young researcher: it has the ability to multiply quality, speed of execution, and ambition of most of their work. Expert at AI, a PhD student with a 20-euro subscription can now mobilise resources which, up to very recently, were only accessible to a full professor or a lab director. Yet, AI doesn't just impact productivity. It also has the potential of making research exciting and pleasurable in completely new ways. With the right system, academic writing can start feeling like the work of a chief editor (responsible for ideas, strategy and the oversight of a team of junior writers), but also of a poet (focusing on style, voice and meaning for the high-quality segments that matter most).

This workshop is a hands-on, deep dive into AI system design, aiming at making you a competent academic writer with AI. Its goal is your autonomy. You do not just learn to use AI tools: you learn to build and maintain your very own academic writing assistant, tailored to your specific style, voice, objectives and ways of working. The workshop is geared towards practical experience, rather than abstract learning. It is also built around horizontal collaboration.

Besides helping you for research, it is meant to equip you for the long haul, for any kind of complex knowledge work, through technological changes, and other AI tools.

Rundown

• System prompts and projects.
• Writing in your own style.
• Writing by speaking.
• Context curation.
• Thinking partner.
• Specialised personas.
• Research integrity and data safety.
• Open session.

This outline is deliberately open. What each session holds will be shaped by what the group brings to it.

Format. Every course can take different shapes: in person, online or both, as one intensive block or spread over several weeks, shorter or longer. Length, format and all practical details are open: we agree them together, and I adapt the course to what your institution needs.