With ChatGPT around, should you still hire writers like me? Well… yes and no.

I still remember the exact moment when I admitted to myself that AI can write a variety of texts much better than I can and heard myself whispering under my breath that I need to "reinvent" myself as a writer.

It was when I first tried Jasper—months before ChatGPT was launched and ushered in a new era of AI writing.

It wasn't easy to accept the idea of being replaceable and to find joy in writing with the help of AI. But, as a wise man once said, “Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative.”

So the denial phase of the death of the old me as a writer wasn't very long.?

I started reading up on how to best use AI to get my work done faster and more efficiently, and with the launch of ChatGPT, I had to step up my game even more to find ways to add value that could be recognized and paid for.?

And after months of research, I think I have it figured out, at least for now. And I'll tell you why you might still want to hire writers like me, even though AI writers are just a click away.

First things first

My whole argument about whether or not you should hire a writer in the age of AI is based on something that many still don't know: What ChatGPT creates is almost always "original" and free of plagiarism, but isn't read as human-created content by search engines like Google. This means that using copy generated entirely by AI can negatively affect a page's ranking.

There are AI detectors out there that can tell you what percentage of any content is written by AI. Content at Scale and Writer.com offer free AI content detection tools that I've found to be very accurate.

Can I outsmart and bypass AI content detection??

I have no doubt that both search engines like Google and AI writers like ChatGPT will evolve in ways that will make this question irrelevant in the near future.

But right now, there are two main solutions that I know of:

1- Content at Scale says it’s “the only solution of its kind” that creates content “so human-like” that it “bypasses AI content detection”. I haven't used it myself yet because I don’t feel the need to invest in it now, so I don't know if it delivers what it promises. I also expect more such platforms to enter the competition soon, so I'll wait and see.?

2- You can edit, expand, or rewrite the copy created by AI to ensure that it's different enough from the first version.

The good news is: you can use other AI tools for this purpose. My favorite editing tool is InstaText and my favorite rephrasing solution is Wordtune.

The not-so-good news is: it can be frustrating and time-consuming to have to change the AI-generated copy several times until the human-generated score that the AI detectors give you is ideal. Sometimes you'll feel that it's faster and easier to write a text from scratch by yourself.

But wait, do I even need to bypass AI detection??

The answer is yes and no. And your answer determines if and when you have to hire writers like me.

You don’t need to hire a writer if and when:

• What you want to create is for personal, internal, or non-SEO purposes.
• You don't need to put much human touch, your personality, or your personal opinion and experiences into the text.?
• The texts you want to create don't have to contain new ideas and can be based on already existing information and ideas.?

You may want to hire a writer if and when:

• You want to tell a story with a very personal touch.
• You want to create a very specific text aimed at a very specific audience or intended for a very specific purpose, such as certain marketing copies and long, detailed scientific papers, research reports, data-based analyses, or corporate governance documents.
• You want to create text that contains new information, such as news stories and interview-based articles, or new perspectives, such as book or movie reviews and thought leadership articles on trend predictions.

Why can a good writer do a better job than you??

Now that you know you might need to hire a writer, let’s take a closer look at the added value that good writers can provide:?

Saving you time, energy, and money?

I'd recommend that everyone learn how to use AI writing tools. It's a necessary skill to have. But just because you CAN create content with AI tools doesn't mean you SHOULD do it yourself.

Like any other service you need, outsourcing content planning and creation is a smart decision because it helps you focus on more important tasks that can bring significant financial gains.

Hiring writers who are experts in using AI tools can also save you money, as you can negotiate new payment arrangements with them when you tell them that AI can be used to an agreed extent in content creation.

Also, more and more writers are becoming paying subscribers to AI tools that complement the free ones like ChatGPT–so you don't have to buy such services yourself.?

Better input. Better output.?

Creating content with AI is like having a conversation. The better you feed it, the better answers it provides. And because expert writers have better insight, creativity, and imagination than non-experts, they can ask better questions and thus get better answers that meet your specific content needs.

As we learned in Top Gun: Maverick, "It's not the plane, it's the pilot."

My advice for writers?

To my fellow writers out there wondering how to navigate the new world of writing, I'd say:

• Don't stop writing: With so many AI tools at our fingertips, we as writers may find ourselves wanting less and less to sit down and write like we did in the good old days. But it’s important to take time out from AI writing and write down your own thoughts without the help of AI. Otherwise, your writing skills, creativity, and imagination will gradually dwindle.
• Evolve from a "writer" to an "AI content specialist": If you want to stay relevant, make friends with AI. Trying to convince yourself or others that AI isn't good enough is a battle not worth fighting. Instead, upskill and reskill and start promoting yourself as an "AI content specialist" who can add real value.
• Be transparent about your use of AI: There are certain things that will never lose their value even as technology advances, and these include moral principles. Talk honestly with your clients and employers about how you'll incorporate AI into the content creation process and what they'll be paying for. Ask them about the human-created content score they want to achieve in AI detection tests. Don't sell texts generated entirely by AI as your own content.

My advice for those who need content?

And here’s some advice for those who need content:?

• Learn how to use AI writers: Find out what AI writing tools can and cannot do for you. That way you can do some tasks yourself and also recognize and pay for the added value that only an "AI content specialist" can provide.
• Bring something new to the table: In an ever-growing sea of content, it's easy to sink into oblivion. If you want to stand out from the crowd, focus more on the content that AI can't yet generate. Write thought leadership articles and give or do interviews that include fresh perspectives and personal experiences and stories.?

That’s all I wanted to say for now.?

And no. I'm not going to tell you that this article was written by ChatGPT. Frankly, I'm tired of reading that line at the end of articles about AI. I wrote this article myself in a moment of flow and inspiration in a single sitting–just like the good old days…?

But I'm grateful to AI for giving me even better days by saving me something I can never get back: TIME.?

By the way, now that you're here, I want to tell you that I'd love to work with you as a writer who knows her way around the world of AI.?

I believe that with my expertise and the help of AI, I can add a lot of value to your business.

If you're interested in hiring someone who will likely be your first "AI content specialist," message me on LinkedIn or email me at [email protected].?