Do LLMs Spell the End of Writing?

Printed textbooks replaced handwritten notes. Calculators replaced long division. Wikipedia replaced the Encyclopedia Britannica. Change is the way of the world.

Then why did I write this myself?

Is it not only natural that language models replace writing prose? Or if they do not replace it completely, at least change the process of writing by creating draft versions, outlines, or proofreading?

For some types of writing, the answer will surely be yes. Writing the umpteenth email of the day will no longer take as much time, and I do not see why we should be sad about that. The same goes for uninspired tasks such as writing meeting reports and contracts.

Another consequence will be that the ability to collect and organize information will no longer prove competence. This is true in a teaching context: writing an essay will no longer be a good way to evaluate a student. The dissertation of a student is usually the crowning achievement when getting a degree - but this is not as challenging as it used to be.

Likewise, content marketing will change as the act of collecting useful information on a topic becomes a literal no-brainer (at least not a human brain). People are likely to look for other markers of authority and quality - beyond the mere presentation of information. Setting yourself apart and finding an audience becomes less straightforward.

The risk in forgetting how to write

While all this is true, I still find writing to be a hugely useful learning tool. It forces you to structure your thoughts. Writing a coherent article requires you to understand a topic. Much like when teaching someone, you often gain a fuller understanding of the topic in the process.

And that is the primary reason why I will continue to write. Not because someone will read it. Not because I am a Luddite and I hate new technology. But simply because writing is thinking—at least for me.

Or as Leuchtturm likes to phrase it: "Denken mit der Hand"