There are a couple of major issues with rudimentary AI content generation. It compromises the messaging, and Google also penalizes it.
Google doesn't penalize the tool of AI, it penalizes the intent and the outcome. If the AI-generated content is unedited or just rehashed information, it will be ranked just like low-effort human-written spam.
Here we take a current blog post, analyze it and upgrade it via Opus, a powerful engine optimized in part for writing. Even with my extremely lazy prompt (below), the difference is clear to see - Opus writes excellent copy. We regularly produce deep AI content for SEO, and our rankings prove it works very well. Our prompts are progressive and intricate, some approaching 1,200 words in length.
Here is the target URL for a rewrite:
https://iands.org/iands-qa-what-is-a-near-death-experience-like/
Prompt: ok, we need a relentless rewrite of this blog post, make it compelling, educational, empathic, and make it transmit the goods! Also include a breakdown on what is right or wrong about the present version... the website is IANDS.org, a near death experience research foundation, and the audience is generally those who are newer to this domain.
I'll analyze the current version and provide a compelling rewrite that better serves IANDS' mission and connects with newcomers to NDE research.
What's Working:
Clear Q&A format that addresses a fundamental question
Logical progression through the NDE experience
Mentions both pleasurable and distressing NDEs
Includes practical calls-to-action for further engagement
What Needs Improvement:
Emotional disconnect: The tone is too clinical and detached for such a profound topic. It reads like a technical manual rather than an invitation to understand one of humanity's most mysterious experiences
Missed opportunity for empathy: Doesn't acknowledge the reader's potential skepticism, curiosity, or personal connection to the topic
Lacks vivid detail: Uses generic descriptions ("indescribable light," "surreal") instead of painting a picture with actual experiencer accounts
Weak opening: Doesn't hook the reader or establish why this matters
Underplays transformation: The life-changing aspects are mentioned almost as an afterthought
No human voices: Missing quotes or specific examples from actual experiencers
Now, here's a rewrite that addresses these issues:
Posted on: September 5, 2025
Written by: Matt Terzi
Maybe you're here because someone you love described something impossible—floating above their body during surgery, meeting deceased relatives, feeling an overwhelming sense of peace while clinically dead. Or perhaps you've experienced something yourself that defies explanation. Either way, you're seeking answers to one of humanity's most profound questions: What really happens during a near-death experience?
You're not alone in wondering. Millions of people worldwide have reported NDEs, and their accounts share remarkable similarities that transcend culture, religion, and background. Let's walk through what experiencers consistently describe—not as believers or skeptics, but as explorers of an extraordinary human phenomenon that science is only beginning to understand.
Near-death experiences typically begin at life's most critical juncture—during cardiac arrest, severe trauma, or other life-threatening crises. But here's what surprises many: while the body appears unconscious or even clinically dead, consciousness often becomes hyperalert and expansive.
Imagine suddenly finding yourself floating near the ceiling of an emergency room, watching doctors work on your body below. You're calm, even curious. You can see the clock on the wall, hear conversations in the hallway, notice details you couldn't possibly perceive from where your physical body lies. Later, you'll be able to describe these events accurately—the specific instruments used, words spoken, people who entered and left the room. Researchers call these "veridical perceptions," and they're among the most scientifically intriguing aspects of NDEs.
One cardiac arrest survivor described it this way: "I wasn't using my eyes to see or my ears to hear, but somehow I was more aware of everything than I'd ever been in my normal life."
What comes next varies, but many experiencers describe moving through darkness—sometimes a tunnel, sometimes a void—toward something extraordinary. This isn't the terrifying darkness of nightmares. Experiencers often describe it as peaceful, even welcoming.
Then comes the light.
Not harsh or blinding, but warm, intelligent, and alive with love. Many struggle to find words adequate to describe it. "Imagine the feeling of coming home after being lost for years," one experiencer shared, "multiplied by infinity."
In this space beyond ordinary reality, meetings occur that challenge everything we think we know about consciousness and connection. Deceased loved ones appear—not as ghosts or memories, but as fully present beings. A grandmother who died when you were five. A best friend lost to cancer. Sometimes even beloved pets. They communicate, but not through words—through direct knowing, instant understanding.
Some meet beings they don't recognize but who radiate wisdom and compassion. Others encounter spiritual figures significant to their beliefs—or surprisingly, significant to beliefs they don't hold. An atheist might meet a being of pure love they can only describe as divine. A devout Christian might experience a presence that transcends any specific religious framework.
These aren't hallucinations in any conventional sense. The beings convey information the experiencer didn't know—about family histories, future events, or answers to long-held questions. They offer comfort about decisions made, paths taken, love given and received.
Perhaps no aspect of the NDE is more profound than the life review. This isn't judgment from on high—it's something far more powerful. Experiencers relive moments from their lives but from multiple perspectives simultaneously. You experience not just your own emotions but those of everyone affected by your actions.
That harsh word spoken in anger? You feel the recipient's hurt. That moment of kindness to a stranger? You experience their gratitude and how it rippled through their day, their life. Many experiencers describe this as the most educational and transformative part of their journey.
"I understood for the first time that every action matters," one experiencer explained. "Not in a guilt-inducing way, but in a way that made me want to live differently, more consciously, more lovingly."
At some point comes a moment of decision. Sometimes experiencers are told they must return—"It's not your time," or "You have work to finish." Sometimes they're given a choice. This is often agonizing. The peace, love, and understanding they're experiencing far surpasses anything they've known. Yet thoughts of loved ones, especially children, or a sense of unfinished purpose often tip the balance.
The return itself can be jarring—from expansion back to limitation, from peace back to pain, from perfect understanding back to the confusion of ordinary consciousness.
Here's what we need to understand: people don't just "get over" an NDE and return to normal life. The experience fundamentally rewrites their understanding of existence. Studies show consistent changes:
Fear of death evaporates. Not through denial but through direct experience of consciousness continuing beyond the body. "I don't believe in life after death," many say. "I know."
Values shift dramatically. Career ambitions that once seemed crucial feel hollow. Relationships become paramount. Many leave high-powered jobs for service-oriented work. Material success loses its grip while spiritual growth becomes essential.
Sensitivities increase. Many report enhanced intuition, sensitivity to others' emotions, and sometimes even precognitive experiences. These aren't superpowers but seem to be lasting effects of consciousness expanding beyond its usual boundaries.
The need to share conflicts with the fear of disbelief. Imagine experiencing the most real, important event of your life, then returning to a world that might dismiss it as hallucination or fantasy. This is why organizations like IANDS exist—to validate these experiences and support those who've had them.
We must acknowledge that not all NDEs are blissful. About 10-20% of experiences involve fear, isolation, or disturbing imagery. These "distressing NDEs" are no less real or transformative than pleasurable ones. Often, with time and support, even these challenging experiences lead to profound personal growth and spiritual development.
If you've had a distressing experience, please know: you're not alone, you're not being punished, and support is available through IANDS' extensive network of experiencers and researchers who understand what you've been through.
Whether you've had an NDE, know someone who has, or are simply curious about consciousness and what happens when we die, these experiences offer profound insights. They suggest consciousness might not be produced by the brain but might exist independently. They hint at connections between all living things that transcend physical separation. They point toward meaning and purpose in existence that goes beyond what we can see and measure.
Most importantly, they remind us that mystery still exists in our thoroughly mapped world. In an age of increasing materialism and disconnection, NDEs offer evidence that love, consciousness, and connection might be more fundamental to the universe than atoms and equations.
If you're new to near-death studies, you're standing at the threshold of one of the most fascinating fields of human experience. Whether you approach it from a scientific, spiritual, or simply curious perspective, there's a place for you in this exploration.
For the Curious: Browse our Learn section for accessible articles that introduce key concepts without overwhelming technical detail. Our IANDS Q&A page addresses common questions in plain language.
For the Scientifically Minded: Dive into the Journal of Near-Death Studies, our peer-reviewed publication that's been advancing the field for over 40 years. Our researcher-authored fact sheets provide evidence-based insights into specific aspects of NDEs.
For Experiencers: You'll find community, understanding, and validation through our support groups and conferences. Your experience matters, and sharing it (when you're ready) helps advance our collective understanding.
For Supporters: Consider joining IANDS or making a donation. Every contribution helps us research these experiences, support those who've had them, and educate healthcare providers, therapists, and the public about their reality and significance.
Near-death experiences invite us to reconsider everything we think we know about consciousness, death, and the nature of reality itself. They're not proof of any particular religious or philosophical position, but they are powerful evidence that there's more to existence than our current scientific models can explain.
Whether you're a skeptic, a believer, or somewhere in between, we invite you to explore with an open mind. The experiences of millions of people worldwide deserve serious consideration, rigorous study, and most of all, respect for the profound ways they transform lives.
Welcome to the extraordinary world of near-death studies. Your journey of discovery starts now.
Have you or someone you know had a near-death experience? IANDS provides resources, support, and a community of understanding. Explore our website, attend a conference, or participate in our research studies. Together, we're mapping the frontiers of human consciousness and what it means to be alive.