The Copywriter’s Crossroad
Rob Maiale
Turning “Who’s That?” Into “That’s Who” | Brand, Content & AI Strategy | Writer ? Creator ? Thinker & Tinkerer
Artificial intelligence just got a whole lot better,?and you have some decisions?to make.
On November 30, 2022, OpenAI’s ChatGPT forever changed the dynamic between man and machine.
Not since the atomic bomb have we seen a piece of technology with the potential to so significantly impact society and our species a whole. I’m writing this through the lens of content creation and copywriting, but please understand that this technology will have a far-reaching impact. It’s exciting, it’s terrifying, and—for better or for worse—it’s here to stay.
In creative circles there is much skepticism about AI’s ability to produce work on par with a seasoned professional. Right now, it can’t. However, it’s evolved to a point where you can no longer ignore it. So, what are we looking at?
What is GPT?
GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a text generation deep learning model trained on data available on the Internet. Today, it is capable?of answering questions, summarizing text, generating content, designing?strategies, writing code, analyzing problems, structuring data, having deep conversations, and much, much more.
The Internet is still wrapping its collective head around all possible use cases for this technology, but what’s?most interesting to me is its next evolution.
Each version of the technology showed exponential improvement over its?predecessor. At the time of this writing, ChatGPT is running on the third evolution of its machine learning model (GPT-3). It leverages roughly 175 billion?mathematical simulations, called parameters, to produce results. Andrew Feldman, CEO of the AI company, Cerebras, estimates that the next evolution, GPT-4, will operate on “about 100 trillion parameters.” This will allow the model to process information in a way more similar to actual human thinking.?
While I’ve not yet succeeded in having AI write sharp Ogilvy-esque headlines,?its ability to support with body copy, simplify complex concepts, and exponentially scale productivity is, frankly, jaw-dropping. It’s not perfect. You will?need to refine the output…but saving an hour upfront to produce the same?quality result is a game changer.
Now, for those who willingly turn a blind eye to such developments, here?are some truths:?
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Welcome to the globalized content market.?
We’ve lived in a luxurious environment for the past few years as the need for content skyrocketed—it was a classic case of supply and demand. Even?mediocre copywriters had their pick of opportunities. No longer.?
For many clients price and speed are worth a slight dip in quality. That’s the?work that’s at immediate risk. Using just a few keystrokes, people will now?be able to compete for projects (at scale) with far less effort. Here are three?ways to future-proof yourself:
Improve.
You’re good…I get it. Get better. Re-read the greats, double down within your niche, and bone up on current SEO best practices. There will always be demand for top quality.?The difference is that you’ll now be competing for those opportunities with other top talent at a never-before-seen scale.?
Adapt.
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Learn to use AI as a?tool and integrate it into your workflow. Your experience and?expertise will allow you to refine the output more quickly and?consistently than a novice, allowing you to produce more high?quality content faster, keeping you ahead of the incoming tsunami of new AI-enabled writers.
Run.
A copywriter’s skillset extends far beyond the words that end up on the page: research, brand strategy, positioning,?message development, creative direction, ideas, ideas, ideas.?Use these skills to jump into consulting, marketing, or creative strategy. It’s still a creator’s economy, and you have valuable?tools that can help brands claim their share of the market’s attention. You’ll likely have some skillset gaps to fill, but this can?be done with the likes of LinkedIn Learning, HubSpot Academy Google Career Certificates, and others.
To wrap this up, I asked ChatGPT for its perspective on how copywriters can?thrive in the age of AI:?
“In the age of AI, copywriters can thrive by using their unique abilities and?skills to create compelling and engaging content that is difficult for AI to replicate. This may include writing in a conversational and relatable tone, using?storytelling and persuasive techniques, and leveraging their understanding of human psychology to craft effective messages. Additionally, copywriters?can stay up to date on the latest developments in AI and its capabilities, so?that they can continue to create content that sets them apart from what AI?can produce.”?
As you can see, it’s not time to panic, but it *is* time to pay attention. Computers and technology have replaced many jobs over the past couple decades—that doesn’t have to be your fate. The decisions you make from this?point on will set the tone for the rest of your career.?So, I ask you...
What’s?your plan?
Got something important to say? I can help you find the right words. (TEDx producer, speaker coach, copywriter)
1 年My parents were both professional photographers and I remember when they were mid-career the world was hit with digital cameras ... and then shortly after, everyone had a camera in their pocket (hello, iPhone.) Hiring a photographer for events went from a "must" to a "Let's just have your friend do it" My dad succeeded by going upmarket, but the transition was tough and a lot of (most of?) photographers found other jobs. I always had the ChatGPT moment in the back of my head ... but I didn't think it would happen so soon. Great article with some solid advice. But I'm also sad. I don't want to do anything different. I like my career how it is (stamps foot!). But yeah, I guess it's time to start doing a little professional development ...
Accomplished Writer-Helping Companies with their marketing/advertising needs.
1 年ChatGPT reminds me the the magic 8 ball growing up. You never know if you will get the same answer or a different one.
Copywriter / ACD & Assistant Professor at University of Oklahoma
1 年From the point of educators training juniors, we can start by insisting their ideas and writing don't sound like AI. Their untrained instinct on day one is to sloganeer or write for brevity instead of clarity because that's the pablum they are consuming and imitating ("Need new kicks for school? We got you."). There's even more pressure on them, and us, to Say Something Human since word salad can now be generated by AI. Are we asking them to explore what it means to be human, or has education simply asked them to check boxes in an assignment rubric to get As and Bs? Ironically, there's hope in students who have not thrived in algorithmic education to battle the future's pale anthems.
Copywriter. Funnier in retrospect.
1 年Well for one, AI can only aggregate for now. It can't come up with novel solutions, only combine what it has access to. So lean in to creative problem-solving, not how many articles you can pump out. But honestly, I think all production-type work is now vulnerable. Don't be hired because they need a tagline written. Be hired because you have a point of view, a way of generating attention and a way of building relationships that no one else can do because they aren't you. And it has to perform better than the "good enough" benchmark that AI now provides. It's far from easy, but I don't see any other choice.