Introduction: The Interaction Design Problem

The rise of large language models has fundamentally altered how we approach writing. Yet, the dominant interaction paradigm conversational interfaces like ChatGPT presents a curious misalignment with the actual task of writing. When we examine the cognitive workflow of text creation and revision, we find that chat-based AI assistance introduces significant friction at precisely the moments when fluency matters most.

This article proposes a radical rethinking of AI writing assistance: moving from conversation to collaboration, from chat boxes to shared editing spaces, and ultimately, from AI as an external service to AI as an integrated co-pilot within the writing environment itself.