What we want to know

Neuralytix is trying to figure out if using AI to create written content (specifically) is actually more productive (i.e. saves time) compared to what we are calling the “old-school” approach.

If you have used ChatGPT or other AI for the specific purpose of creating written content, share with us your experience using our LinkedIn poll.

First, we present how Neuralytix is using AI (for image creation, because we do not use AI for written content) because we can measure the benefits we receive in terms of productivity and cost efficiency.

Then, we present our perspective on what our research shows of users who use AI for writing, because we are not yet convinced that AI is saving users time!

Where and How Neuralytix Uses AI

Neuralytix uses AI for one purpose: to create images. We use Google Lab’s Whisk. Most of the blue/red images on Neuralytix’s website is generated by Whisk. To date, around 35 images published on neuralytix.com have been created using Whisk. The image for this post was created using Whisk!

(Note: Google has just announced that “Image generation and animation is moving to Flow, our new home for both image and video creation. You can create in Whisk until April 30, 2026.”)

While we do not track the time it takes to generate images that acceptable for publication on neuralytix.com, our team estimates that on average, it takes around 3-4 hours from the initial request to an image that is approved for use on the website. During this time, we have to “converse” or “negotiate” with Whisk to make alterations or refinements to an image to get to what we want. Often, we have to export images in progress to a traditional image editing tool to achieve the alterations or refinements we seek before reimporting the image into Whisk to take advantage of its AI capabilities.

Many attempts to generate an image are abandoned. Sometimes it is the way our initial request is worded; other times during refinement, Whisk will return a completely different image; or the image produced reflects what we are looking for, but is inconsistent with other images on neuralytix.com. Again, we do not track how many images are abandoned, or how long we will “discuss” with Whisk before deciding that we will not end up with an image that works for us. Our team estimates that as high as 50% of all attempts are abandoned and we have to start from the beginning.

Nonetheless, using Whisk’s AI, Neuralytix has benefited from improved productivity (in terms of time) and significant cost savings over subcontracting this work to graphic designers.

We equate the “conversations” we have with Whisk as conversations we would have had with a graphic designer, without the latency of waiting for a graphic designer to send us the next iteration of the image. While what Whisk generates for us do not provide us with 100% consistency across our portfolio of images, we are satisfied that it is good enough.

From a cost savings perspective, we estimate that we have saved between $40,000 to $60,000. We also save on image licensing costs and retain copyright on all our images.

Where and How Others Use AI

With two exceptions (see disclaimer below), Neuralytix does not use AI for any purpose.

However, our research shows that there in an increasing use of ChatGPT and other AI to generate written content – from emails to reports. For each use case, AI is used in a very similar fashion to the way Neuralytix uses AI to generate images:

1. The AI is asked to generate the desired written content.
2. The initial result is generally an intelligent summary based on the synthesis of information across multiple sources on the Internet.
3. Users use their own knowledge, experience, and critical thinking to “converse” with the AI to refine the output, or ask the AI to present the output in specific formats. In most cases, it takes several “conversations” for the AI to provide the desired outcome.
4. For long and/or complex outcomes, the AI will generally provide a structure (for example a table of contents) for how the written content should be presented along with suggestions for what type of content should go in each section of the structure.
5. When the user is satisfied with the output, in most cases, the user must then rewrite the output so that it is consistent with the user’s personality or writing style. In some cases, the output must still complemente the AI output with other research conducted by the user and/or the user’s own personal knowledge or expertise, before authoring the final content consistent with the user’s personality or writing style.

Without AI (or more accurately, before AI), and what we are going to call “old-school”, users would typicall author written content by:

1. Conducting custom research using search engines.
2. Synthesizing the information gathered from the research.
3. Using the information gathered, author the content already in the user’s own writing style.

If you have used ChatGPT or other AI for the specific purpose of creating written content, share with us your experience using our LinkedIn poll.

Disclaimer: Under absolutely no circumstances does or will Neuralytix use AI for any published content on neuralytix.com or client facing deliverables. The only permitted use of AI at Neuralytix is for the generation of images and internal research. Anything that is shared externally will never contain any AI generated output.