Will AI Replace Copywriters?

This week the writing world seems to be obsessed with #ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence content generator from #OpenAI in San Francisco. They also offer an image and art generator named #Dalle2.

Due to all the media coverage, high demand means you may see this message for a few days when trying to sign in: "ChatGPT is at capacity right now." But I've been testing others like Jasper , Sudowrite , Copy.ai and Copysmith and see great potential in this field.

A Really Fast Assistant

#AIcontent is not about replacing what I do as a writer - it's more like an assistant or intern that needs hands-on direction. I might assign an intern a topic with bullet points to go research and then review the results as a draft. AI is similar--but faster.

On its own, AI results can be generic. They can also be repetitive and factually wrong. After spending a little time with it, I can now spot posts and articles I would wager are AI-generated.

AI needs to be guided throughout the writing process to flesh out ideas. Only then can I use the results even as a rough first draft. That actually frees up time I would spend organizing basic sentences and allows me instead to explore various ideas I might want to include and think about the direction I want a piece to take.

AI Talks About Itself

So what does AI have to say for itself? When asked the question posed in my headline, #ChatGPT responds with:

"Not yet," anyway. Sure, it could be that ChatGPT is just being modest and playing it cool so we humans don't all panic!

But #Jasper, having trained itself by perusing about 10% of the known internet back in 2019, is a bit more thoughtful and offers this:

"Copywriters have always been essential to the success of a business. Their creative writing skills, combined with their ability to think strategically and understand target audiences, have allowed them to craft effective and powerful messaging.

However, with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), some experts have started to question whether AI will soon replace copywriters and do their job better. While AI technology can certainly automate certain parts of the creative process, there is still much that it cannot do. For example, AI cannot understand human emotions and the nuances of language, which are essential elements in successful copywriting.

Moreover, AI relies on data to make decisions and come up with ideas. This means that it will often repeat existing strategies or use cliches when crafting copy. As a result, AI-generated content lacks originality and impact."

Human emotions, the nuances of language and overuse of cliches. Those are tough to master. Am I concerned about my role as a well-paid copywriter and brand strategist? Absolutely not.

An Opportunity or a Threat?

Do I think AI is something to be ignored or dismissed? No again. It's an opportunity to be explored, harnessed, and perhaps integrated into workflows.

People once thought accuracy and speed at a typewriter were vital skills. Why? Because that proficiency reduced the time spent erasing errors on paper or using Liquid Paper and Wite-Out tape. Then came word processors and computers that made grammar and error corrections a breeze. Writers could focus on the craft of writing, not the skillset of typing.

To me, AI content has the potential to be another innovation that makes us more efficient. Why do we spend our time doing what we do? To produce a result. Not just words, but a response, an emotion, a feeling. That's what gets results.

AI-generated copy is going to keep getting better. Are you going to let it out-pace you? Or will you direct it and harness it to make your time spent thinking and planning even more valuable and productive??