Copywriters vs. ChatGPT: Alternative Careers for When AI Renders You Obsolete (Or Will It?)

Is the writing on the wall? Will ChatGPT put copywriters out of business?

That remains to be seen.

However, copywriters are already worrying about what they’ll do when the writing robots take over and the work dries up.

I can sense them out there, plotting how to pivot.

As a copywriter, I wanted to meet this looming threat and look it square in the eye. So, like many others, I played with ChatGPT.

I prompted it to write a blog post -- about alternative careers for copywriters. (Snort.) I’ve shared the results below.

But first, what exactly are we dealing with? ?

What is ChatGPT?

GPT is short for “Generative Pre-trained Transformer,” a tool that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to generate human-like text.

Most of us have already seen GPT technology at work in the form of “chatbots.” If you ever tried to contact a company's customer service via live chat, you likely interacted with a chatbot. It may have asked you, “How may I help you today?” The question would appear as though a human just typed it. In a chipper tone, the chatbot may have followed up with, “OK, I can help with that. To get started, may I have your account number?”

Chatbots are designed to understand human inquiries and respond appropriately, usually in a friendly, reassuring tone. They’re handy for giving quick answers to common questions, and they can usually connect you with a human when they reach the limits of their capabilities. This application of GPT is known as “chat GPT.”

Personally, I don’t know any copywriters who felt their livelihoods were threatened by chatbots.

However, in late November of 2022, an online tool was released called ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI. And it has some writers trembling.

ChatGPT by OpenAI is more than just a good-natured, fake Kate or Ryan who can send you canned answers about product assembly or shipping status. This robot can write, and write well. It was trained on a large dataset of text and can generate spookily human-like responses to questions and commands.

“OK ChatGPT, Write a Blog Post.”

I signed up for my free account with OpenAI and soon found myself staring into the stark white space of the ChatGPT tool. Tentatively, I placed my fingers on my keyboard and typed, “write a blog post about alternative careers for copywriters.”

Here’s how ChatGPT responded:

As a copywriter, you may be wondering what other career options are available to you if you want to use your writing and communication skills in a new way. Luckily, there are many alternative jobs for copywriters that can offer new challenges and opportunities for growth.

One option is to become a marketing specialist. In this role, you would use your writing skills to create marketing materials such as brochures, emails, social media posts, and website content. You would also work on developing and implementing marketing strategies to promote products or services to a target audience.

Another option is to become a content strategist. As a content strategist, you would plan, develop, and manage content for digital media. This could include creating content for websites, social media platforms, and other online channels. You would also work to ensure that the content is effective, consistent, and aligned with the organization's goals.

Technical writing is another career option for copywriters. In this role, you would create clear and concise documentation for technical products or processes. This could include writing user manuals, how-to guides, and other materials to help users understand complex systems or products.

These are just a few examples of the many alternative careers available to copywriters. Other options might include careers in public relations, corporate communications, or journalism. No matter which path you choose, your writing and communication skills will be an invaluable asset in any role.

Wow. It did it. ChatGPT wrote a cogent, informative blog post with nary a “beep-bop-boop” to be found. The language isn’t stilted. It flows.

Gulp.

All right, so ChatGPT demonstrated that it can write a perfectly publishable blog post. But in my opinion, the post is a little flimsy. It’s the kind of overly-general content that excites no one, least of all search engines like Google that increasingly reward hearty, quality content with higher rankings in search results.

Where Smart Human Prompts Come In

It didn’t take me long to figure out that writing smart prompts is the key to getting ChatGPT to spit out content you can really sink your teeth into.

For example, ChatGPT’s blog post breezily suggests technical writing as an alternative career for copywriters. However, the post could (and should) give the reader more specifics, and therefore offer more value. ?

For example, the reader who’s seriously considering a career change might read ChatGPT’s post and think, “OK, but how can I know if technical writing is right for me?”

In order to beef up the AI-generated blog post, I next asked ChatGPT, “What are some of the most commonly sought-after skills by employers seeking a technical writer?”

Here was its response:

Employers often look for technical writers who have the following skills:

Strong writing and communication skills: Technical writers need to be able to write clearly and effectively, and communicate complex technical information to a non-technical audience.

Attention to detail: Technical writers need to be highly detail-oriented, as they are often responsible for creating accurate and comprehensive documentation.

Technical expertise: Technical writers should have a strong understanding of the technical subject matter they are writing about, and be able to accurately convey that information to others.

Research skills: Technical writers often need to research and gather information from a variety of sources to create their documentation.

Organizational skills: Technical writers need to be able to organize and present information in a logical and easy-to-understand manner.

Collaboration skills: Technical writers often work with subject matter experts and other stakeholders to gather information and ensure that documentation is accurate and complete.

Digital literacy: Technical writers should be proficient in various digital tools and platforms, such as content management systems and graphic design software.

Time management skills: Technical writers often have tight deadlines and need to be able to manage their time effectively to meet those deadlines.

Now I had a decent list of skills that could be presented in clean, readable bullet points in the blog post. ChatGPT was also able to spit out comparable information for careers in marketing and content strategy.

Now, let’s suppose our reader is becoming increasingly interested in the technical writing option. However, one of ChatGPT’s suggestions makes them uneasy: “Technical writers should have a strong understanding of the technical subject matter they are writing about.”

It would be natural for the reader to wonder, “What technical subject matter are we talking about here?”

So, I asked ChatGPT, “What are some of the most common industries that employ technical writers?”

Its response:

Technical writers are employed in a wide range of industries, including:

Information technology (IT): Technical writers in the IT industry create documentation for software, hardware, and other technical products. They may write user manuals, how-to guides, and other materials to help users understand and use these products.

Manufacturing: Technical writers in the manufacturing industry create documentation for industrial processes and equipment, such as operation and maintenance manuals.

Healthcare: Technical writers in the healthcare industry create documentation for medical devices and equipment, as well as patient education materials.

Government: Technical writers in the government sector create documentation for a variety of technical systems and processes, including military equipment and procedures.

Finance: Technical writers in the finance industry create documentation for financial products and systems, such as investment prospectuses and software user manuals.

Telecommunications: Technical writers in the telecommunications industry create documentation for telecommunications systems and equipment, such as phones, routers, and switches.

Consulting: Technical writers in consulting firms may work on a variety of projects for different clients, creating documentation for a range of technical products and systems.

This blog post was getting juicier by the minute. Now the reader could decide if they were suited to writing about content in one or more of these areas, and potentially take steps to become more industry-savvy.

It would also be logical for the reader to think, “There’s more to technical writing than subject matter expertise. So, how else can I prepare myself for this career?”

I asked the mighty ChatGPT, “Where can someone learn to be a technical writer?”

ChatGPT’s answer:

There are several ways to learn how to be a technical writer:

Formal education: Many colleges and universities offer degree programs in technical writing or a related field, such as English, communications, or technical communication. These programs typically include coursework in technical writing, editing, and communication, as well as internships or other hands-on experience.

Online courses: There are many online courses and certification programs available that teach the skills and knowledge needed to become a technical writer. These courses can be a convenient and flexible way to learn technical writing skills.

On-the-job training: Some organizations may offer on-the-job training for technical writers, where they can learn the specific tools and processes used by the company.

Professional associations: Professional associations, such as the Society for Technical Communication (STC), offer educational resources, workshops, and networking opportunities for technical writers.

Self-study: It is also possible to learn technical writing skills through self-study, by reading books, articles, and other resources on the subject and practicing writing technical documents.

It was a decent framework, but vague.

Copywriter as Choreographer

The initial ChatGPT-generated blog post had the potential to leave its reader with plenty of unanswered questions. I, the human, gave thought to what those questions might be and how the post could concretely answer them and help the reader take action.

If I wanted to use ChatGPT to write a real, long-form blog post, I would cobble together the information it gave me, and then supplement it with research on specifics – real-world certification programs, actual books by title, upcoming webinars, etc. Links to those resources would make the post especially valuable.

I would also use my skills to:

-?????????Smoothly integrate ChatGPT’s generated text

-?????????Tweak the vocabulary and voice to resonate with the target reader

-?????????Incorporate strategic keywords for search engine optimization

-?????????Ensure that solid, balanced information is provided for each career alternative

In a way, it’s like a dance, with the copywriter serving as choreographer, creating flow, adding artistry, and making an emotional impact.

Can ChatGPT be instructed to use audience-specific word choices and tone? "Write a blog post using the language of an 80-year-old female from the midwestern United States." How would it respond to the command, “Write a more substantial version of this blog post”? Can it provide up-to-the-minute resources like current online courses, a list of employers with relevant apprenticeships, or the latest industry tools?

Maybe it can. I haven’t pushed it that far yet. But as startling as its results may already be, I don’t think ChatGPT can completely replace the human element yet. At least not in the copywriting profession.

A good copywriter will recognize when AI-generated copy is skimpy on value and speaks in a hollow voice that will fail to engage the target reader. A good copywriter can rescue a client from publishing impotent content from ChatGPT, and will know how to teach that content to tap dance. ChatGPT can be a useful tool for copywriters – offering a first draft, if you will -- but it’s not the answer to producing powerful, effective copy.

Not Feeling It

Wrapping up my experiment, I told ChatGPT to “write a headline about what careers copywriters can pursue now that generational AI can do the writing for you.”

The result?

"Copywriters: Explore These Alternative Careers as Generational AI Takes Over Writing Tasks"

Meh. ChatGPT failed to deliver the emotional “umph” I was looking for.

I wrote something different and used it to title this blog post.

Who do you think did it better: the human, or the robot? ?