AI&ME - Why I won’t be replaced

There’s a growing fear in the marketing, media, communications and PR world that AI will replace experts like me. But I’m not worried. Here’s why.

Generative AI tools such as Chat GPT are well and truly on the public’s radar. These AI tools are being used to produce written content such as blogs and articles in a matter of minutes, as well as everything else in between, from artwork to jokes.?

The hype around generative AI is significant. In fact, Forbes says:

“the buzz around generative AI today is deafening.”

Investors are pumping billions into developing the technology further. And people working in many different roles are giving it a go to see if it really can do their jobs for them. This is partly out of curiosity, and partly out of fear that AI might eventually be able to replace them. And in the world of marketing, communications, PR and copywriting, this concern is probably at its highest.?

But here’s why, as a professional in this field, I’m not worried.

I’ve had a go at using Chat GPT. I gave it a content brief and it produced a relevant industry article within a minute. It was well written, logically structured, and explained key concepts. But....it was also incredibly bland. There was no opinion, human vision or examples to give it depth and authenticity. If I published this piece, what would it really say about my business, my profession and my industry??

The reason AI won’t replace me is because it doesn’t contextualise my expertise. It doesn’t include anecdotes, it doesn’t draw on my personal experiences, and it doesn’t draw on the knowledge I have acquired over the course of my career. AI doesn’t understand the value proposition of a business, the key messages, or how I’m trying to resonate and connect with an audience.

AI also doesn't connect the dots. We need people to notice inconsistencies, pick up on subtle tones of voice and fact-check. Afterall, how much is the content Chat GPT is feeding from is propaganda and PR nonsense?

There’s also a question of copyright and content licensing that is increasingly being asked about AI outputs. I slightly reworded my content brief to Chat GPT, and it produced an article that was almost identical to the previous one it created. How many people will have similar briefs to mine? And how is having a raft of duplicate content on the internet really going to help a particular business? We all know that original content is king.?

So is there a place for generative AI at all in my industry?

I think there is. It helps fill a gap in teams where junior copywriters and marketeers are still learning about an industry, and need a helping hand. In travel and hospitality marketing, it’s good for explaining the basics, providing some insights into destinations and crafting skeleton destination guides, as well as explaining basic principles, industry jargon, and how the industry operates in general. But you need human experience, decision making and content beneath that is much more intuitive, and informed by credible sources. With the rise of generative AI content, specialist content creators will actually be much more in demand.

Credibility, authenticity and expertise make businesses thrive. And experts are needed more than ever to showcase businesses and craft a profile that will resonate with the industry, customers and other stakeholders.

Even the people behind generative AI platforms agree. Samyutha Reddy, Head of Enterprise Marketing for the generative AI platform Jasper, told HubSpot :

"AI augments the human experience, but it doesn't replace the human within that experience. We value writers in our society because they're able to give us a thought-provoking human perspective on the world... So an AI could really never replace that human perspective.”