Last updated: May 2026
CheckYourZone was built with significant help from AI. We think you should know that.
The Short Version
A human (hi!) conceived, directed, and is responsible for this project. An AI (Claude, made by Anthropic) helped write code, draft content, analyze data, and think through problems. This collaboration is documented throughout our Journey Log.
How AI Was Used
Code Development
Much of the codebase was written with Claude Code (Anthropic's CLI tool for Claude). This means:
- Claude suggested implementations
- Claude wrote initial drafts of functions
- Claude helped debug issues
- A human reviewed, tested, and approved all changes
Every git commit in this project notes AI involvement in the commit message.
Content Writing
Text on this site - including explanations of chemical hazards, preparedness guidance, and yes, these legal documents - was drafted collaboratively. Typically:
- Human describes what's needed
- AI drafts content
- Human reviews, edits, and approves
- Final content reflects both contributions
Data Analysis
When exploring EPA datasets, calculating dispersion distances, or researching chemical properties:
- AI helped write analysis scripts
- AI suggested approaches to data problems
- Human verified calculations against authoritative sources
- Human made final decisions about methodology
Research
AI assisted with:
- Finding relevant regulations and standards
- Summarizing technical documents
- Identifying data sources
- Understanding chemical properties
All AI-provided information was verified against primary sources before being presented as fact.
What This Means for You
Accuracy
AI can make mistakes. It can "hallucinate" facts that sound plausible but aren't true. We mitigate this by:
- Verifying claims against authoritative sources
- Citing sources so you can check
- Documenting our methodology
- Welcoming corrections
If something seems wrong, it might be. Please tell us.
Transparency
We could have hidden AI involvement. We chose not to because:
- Transparency is a core value of this project
- You deserve to know how information was created
- The human-AI collaboration model is new and worth examining openly
- Hiding it would feel dishonest
Accountability
Despite AI assistance, a human is responsible for this project:
- A human decided what to build and why
- A human reviewed all code and content
- A human makes editorial decisions
- A human is accountable for errors
AI doesn't have agency, ethics, or accountability. The human does.
The Collaboration Model
This project represents a particular kind of human-AI collaboration:
Human provides:
- Vision and values
- Domain judgment
- Verification and fact-checking
- Final approval
- Accountability
AI provides:
- Drafting and iteration speed
- Code implementation
- Research assistance
- Pattern recognition
- Tireless availability
Neither could have built this alone. The human brings purpose and judgment; the AI brings capability and endurance.
Why Disclose This?
Some might say: "If the content is good, who cares how it was made?"
We care because:
- Epistemic honesty - You should know the provenance of information you're consuming
- Appropriate trust calibration - AI-assisted content warrants verification
- Normalizing transparency - As AI tools become common, disclosure should too
- Modeling good practice - We hope others will be similarly open
Questions?
Curious about the human-AI collaboration? Want to know how a specific piece was created?
- Email: amarx@xram.net
- GitHub: https://github.com/atmarx/checkyourzone
- Journey Log: /docs/JOURNEY/log.md - the ongoing story of building this
This disclosure was drafted by Claude and edited by the human behind CheckYourZone. Meta, we know.