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Reviewed Output
The machine wrote it. A human made sure it wasn't wrong.
"AI generated it. Human did a full read and fact-check."
? What A4 Reviewed Output Actually Means
A4 represents a specific relationship between human and AI: the AI created the content, and the human verified it. This is different from A3, where the human actively reshapes and takes full authorial ownership. At A4, the human's role is quality control, not creative direction.
The A4 workflow looks like this:
- 1 AI generates the initial content (article, report, description, etc.)
- 2 Human reads the output in full, not just skimming
- 3 Human verifies facts, checks claims, and catches obvious errors
- 4 Human may make corrections, but doesn't fundamentally rewrite
- 5 Content goes out as AI-generated but human-verified
What the human DID:
- Read the entire output
- Verified factual claims
- Checked for obvious errors
- Made corrections as needed
What the human did NOT do:
- Write the original draft
- Reshape the structure or argument
- Add substantial original content
- Take authorial ownership
Examples That Fit A4
AI-Generated Blog Posts Reviewed for Accuracy
A content team uses AI to draft blog posts, then an editor reads each post, verifies claims against sources, fixes factual errors, and publishes. The structure and voice remain AI-generated; the editor ensures accuracy.
Automated Reports with Human Verification
Financial or analytics reports generated automatically from data, where a human reviews the narrative, checks the numbers match the data, and confirms conclusions are supported before distribution.
Product Descriptions Generated and Spot-Checked
E-commerce sites generating thousands of product descriptions via AI, with humans reviewing for accuracy of specs, pricing, and claims before going live. Volume makes full rewriting impractical.
News Summaries Generated by AI, Verified by Editor
AI creates news digests or summaries from source articles. An editor verifies facts against original sources, corrects any misrepresentations, but doesn't rewrite the AI's prose style.
Customer Support Responses with Agent Review
AI drafts customer support responses, a human agent reads each response, confirms the information is correct for that customer's situation, and sends it. The agent verifies but doesn't typically rewrite.
Legal Document Summaries with Attorney Review
AI generates summaries of contracts or legal filings, an attorney reviews for accuracy and completeness, makes corrections to any mischaracterizations, but the summary structure remains AI-generated.
Who's Accountable at A4?
The human vouches for factual accuracy, not creative authorship. They verified the content is correct, but they didn't create it.
The A4 promise: "I read this. I checked it. It's accurate to the best of my knowledge. But I didn't write it - the AI did."
This is a meaningful distinction from A3 (Coauthored), where the human takes full authorial responsibility. A4 is honest about the limited but real role the human played.
% Why Disclose A4?
Prevents Audience Deception
Your audience knows they're reading AI-generated content. No one feels tricked when they later discover AI involvement. Transparency builds long-term trust.
Maintains Trust at Scale
When you're producing high volumes of content, full human authorship isn't realistic. A4 lets you scale while being honest about your process.
Required by Emerging AI Disclosure Laws
The EU AI Act, FTC guidelines, and various state laws increasingly require disclosure of AI-generated content. A4 gives you compliant, clear labeling.
Differentiates from Unreviewed Content
A4 is meaningfully different from A5 (Unreviewed Output). You did the work to verify. That matters, and your label should reflect it.
The A4 advantage
Many organizations are tempted to claim A3 (Coauthored) when they're really doing A4 (Reviewed Output). Resist this temptation. A4 is an honest disclosure that audiences respect. It says: "We used AI to create this, but we didn't just hit publish - we actually checked it." That's a legitimate workflow that deserves accurate labeling.
How A4 Differs from Other Levels
Coauthored - Human Reshapes
At A3, the human actively participates in creation - restructuring arguments, adding original insights, changing the voice, taking full authorial ownership. The human is a co-creator, not just a reviewer.
Reviewed Output - Human Verifies (You are here)
At A4, the human's role is quality control. They read, verify, and correct - but the fundamental content, structure, and voice remain what the AI created. Verification, not creation.
Unreviewed Output - No Human Check
At A5, there's no human in the loop before publishing. The AI generates, and it goes live. This is the riskiest level - errors, hallucinations, and problems can reach your audience unchecked.