The Limitations of an AI Content Writer and Why AI Can't Replace a Human Touch

AI content creation has been grabbing headlines recently. AI content writer services in particular have created a fair amount of controversy. Whether it’s media outlets using AI content, or students relying on AI to do their homework for them, AI writing has received its share of negative attention.

The technology behind AI content creation is new and exciting, but it seems to be struggling to find its place. Though it has its uses, AI writing often feels hollow and inauthentic. So what exactly are the strengths and weaknesses of using AI for content creation?

What Can AI Content Do for You?

Editing and Finishing Touches

First, let’s talk about what an AI content writer can do effectively. AI writing will never win a Pulitzer Prize. But it can be an effective editor when a piece needs to be finalized. AI systems can help check for spelling and grammatical errors and optimize finished content for SEO if needed.

However, it should not be the primary writer or the final set of eyes on any draft. A human touch is always better to ensure accuracy and effectiveness in writing.

Inspiration

Struggling with writer’s block? Using an AI content creator to generate headlines, titles, or blurbs can be an excellent writing prompt. AI writing tools are great at quickly generating quippy content. For some document types, an AI content writer can even provide structure in the form of a rough draft.

What are the Pitfalls of AI Content Creation?

Lack of Emotional Depth

AI content writers are great at grammatically and structurally sound content. Yet, they struggle to effectively convey and appeal to human emotion. This is one of the reasons why AI writing on its own often feels hollow to readers. With no emotional resonance, readers feel disconnected from the content and quickly lose interest. For online content, which thrives on engagement, this is a major detriment.

Less Effective Storytelling

Taking the lack of emotional depth one step further, AI content writers are simply less effective storytellers than human writers. An AI content writer might be able to relay a series of events in the form of a story. However, they often lack the imagination that a human writer brings to connect these events in a meaningful way.

Any piece of writing, whether it’s a blog post, short story, or long-form article, has some type of narrative. Without a human writer at the helm, it can be difficult for readers to discern what this narrative is, or why they should care at all.

Authenticity and Accuracy

Last, but certainly not least, AI content creation is often plagued by concerns of accuracy and authenticity. AI content writers draw from millions of online databases when generating content. The information it references may not always be accurate. Sometimes AI content creators even reference other AI-generated content, creating an undesirable (and unfactual) feedback loop. These problems can easily lead to factual errors, poor writing, or simply bizarre phrases from time to time.

On top of that, readers often criticize AI writing when they spot it, and have negative opinions of those who use it inappropriately. Take the recent Sports Illustrated AI scandal for example. The company faced severe backlash over the accusation that it had published AI-generated content under the names of fake “human” writers. No company should want to invite that sort of negative attention. Ultimately, the risk-reward ratio of using AI content writing is hardly worth that level of trouble anyway. AI for content creation is best used as a fine-tuning tool, not as a substitute for authentic human writing.

Want more effective (human-written) content? Web Content Development provides effective, optimized digital marketing services. Check out our blog for more original content, or contact us today to get started!