Overview
How might we design inline comment thread so people can trust and act on AI output?
When this pattern fits
- Perfect for review flows on AI-generated PRDs, emails, code, and policies where stakeholders need precise, asynchronous discussion on fragments.
When to skip or lighten it
- Ephemeral answers users will never revise.
- Surfaces with no selection model.
- Mobile views where comment chrome destroys readability (offer a compact mode).
States
State model coming soon
Key UX elements
Key UX elements coming soon
Anti-patterns to avoid
Comments that detach when the AI regenerates the paragraph.
No resolve state, leaving eternal open threads.
AI replies in comments with no human attribution.
Commenting on content the commenter cannot see due to ACL bugs.
How products use it
| Product | Implementation |
|---|---|
| Notion | Inline comments on blocks and AI drafts. |
| GitHub | Line comments on code and Copilot-suggested changes. |
| Confluence | Inline page comments for collaborative review. |
| Google Docs | Selection comments and suggestion threads. |
Implementation
Copy this prompt to generate a production-ready implementation in Cursor, Claude Code, Lovable, or any AI coding agent.
Generate a production-ready implementation of the "Inline Comment Thread" AI interface design pattern.
Pattern Definition:Frequently asked questions
When do inline comments beat chat follow-ups?
When feedback targets a specific sentence, cell, or line. Chat follow-ups are better for whole-answer direction.
Should AI participate in comment threads?
Optionally, if clearly labeled. Keep humans able to resolve and override.
What happens when content is regenerated?
Re-anchor comments when possible, or mark them orphaned with a link to the old text.
How does this relate to smart diff?
Smart diff shows what changed. Inline comments discuss whether those changes should stand.