Just Another Writer’s Take on the AI Takeover
Anytime a new technology comes along and threatens to change the current order, us humans are hesitant and slow to adapt. For the generation of us that went from flip phones to the iPhone, it's not hard to understand. The hesitancy is nothing new, ChatGPT is just the latest victim.
I’ll confess, my timing on this topic isn’t great. Here's why:
I am writing this article fully aware that I missed the “AI-blog boom” a few months ago. I am late to the game, but I like to think it's because I have spent the last few months playing the game.
After years of toying with the idea, in 2023 I finally decided to commit to become a full-time freelance writer just as everyone is declaring the industry will soon be dead. So I had to decide, am I going to fight it or embrace it?
Gig listings are already updating their posts to state that “no AI will be used in this role!” *click off* Not interested.
Every time I see a copywriter expressing their absolute hatred for AI platforms like Chat GPT I have a few different feelings. First, I am understanding. We have lived through a time of wild uncertainty these last few years, and no matter what industry you are in, nothing feels secure anymore. Second, I am sad. The fear in the writing community is blocking people from a tool that I have found to be truly helpful. It’s only a threat to your craft if you let it consume your craft. Third, I feel confident everyone will be just fine. Us humans love to read content written by other humans. I don’t know if you have read any AI generated content lately, but it's an absolute snooze fest. (For now).
Here are just a few of the ways in which I use AI as a copywriter:
New content ideas for blogs and social media posts
Rephrasing of tricky sentences or long passages
Condensing text to save space
Summarizing articles
Organizing my notes into a coherent outline
Changing the tone of voice of my copy
That being said, there are many things that Chat GPT cannot help you do, like cheat at Wordle. I also thought for a while that I could also use it as spell check, but it has failed me on that front as well. I’ll stick to Grammarly.
After being subscribed to Chat GPT Plus for several months now, and playing around with the latest updates, I do see where the technology (as it currently stands) falls short. It’s easy to spot an AI generated piece of writing. Your eyes gloss while you read; you know you recognize the words you are reading, but none of them are registering as a coherent or mildly interesting sentence.
The platform is only as smart as the prompts you give it, so if you aren't willing to think outside the box for what you are asking AI to do, all the world's copy will fall victim to the Facetune effect. Too much of the same will soon be a bore. As AI gets smarter, we need to get smarter with how we use it.
What Do My Clients Think?
While I began to hear the rumblings of Chat GPT near the end of 2022, it wasn't until a client of mine suggested we incorporate it into our work together that I actually tested it out, making the industry-ending rhetoric around it even more ironic.
At first I thought it must be a one off exception that I had a client that was excited and willing to embrace AI. At this point I was ready to give into the fear mongering I was seeing circulating the copywriting community, wondering how short lived my new stint in freelancing would be. But then, just a few weeks later, I began working with yet another new client who also wanted to try using ChatGPT.
But why would clients want to pay a writer who is using AI?
Chat GPT, when used as a tool, is a service that helps everyone involved. For me, as the copywriter, it helps me cut down on time spent researching, reading full articles, editing content, and coming up with ideas. Saving time on my end also means my clients are getting their content to them faster, and often with fewer mistakes.
Is Using AI As A Copywriter Unethical?
While I, and many of my clients, have been open to the use of AI in our work together, I do understand that not everyone feels this way. Tools like Chat GPT still continue to be a gray area for many creatives, and figuring out how to approach this topic with a client can feel uncomfortable.
As the space continues to evolve and more people jump on the Chat GPT train, I’m sure this feeling won't last for long, but as we navigate through uncharted waters there are a few checks you can put in place to ensure you're abiding by ethical practices with your clients:
Disclose how and why you want to use AI with your client
Respect their wishes if they say no!
Considering charging a lesser rate for AI generated content vs fully organic content
Be a diligent fact checker (AI “research” can often be wrong and is outdated)
Use AI as a tool, not a crutch
The Power Of Voice
No one understands the power of voice better than a writer (and maybe Kelly Clarkson). A writer's voice is what makes content, and copy, easy to consume. Good copy can make you recognize a brand with a single tagline, or make you cry in a 15 second commercial.
While Chat GPT can change the technicalities of a tone, it has not been able to replace the humanistic qualities of what makes writing, and reading, so effective. (Yet.)
For this blog, I’m going to give Chat GPT the final word:
