TLDR: Nope.
I’ve been writing about Artificial Intelligence for B2B companies for several years, but lately requests for AI content have been flooding in from all directions. The reason - ChatGPT. The app that snagged a record-setting 1 million users in just one week is certainly turning heads, especially for its ability to quickly churn out content. I’ve talked with friends who’ve used the cutting-edge chatbot to help them do everything from writing their own job performance reviews, responding professionally to annoying clients, and creating a travel itinerary.
It’s free, easy-to-use, and extremely handy – like a Swiss Army knife for content. In fact ChatGPT is so useful for content creation that [somebody, somewhere who shall remain nameless] might start to believe that AI language models can do the job of a copywriter. They may go so far as to say that AI will make copywriters obsolete. This is simply not true.
To write value-adding copy, ChatGPT needs a copywriter.
ChatGPT will no sooner be able to do my job as a copywriter than a Swiss Army knife will be able to uncork a wine bottle all on its own (that's my primary use for one anyway). That is to say, ChatGPT is a useful tool for writing but it needs someone to operate it. Particularly when the subject matter is complex and represents a business, ChatGPT needs an experienced and knowledgeable person at the keyboard.
But, you don’t have to take my word for it. I asked ChatGPT the hard-hitting question: is it a threat to my copywriting business?
Now, I don’t know how much leverage ChatGPT has when it comes down to my employment opportunities. But I would argue that those who think that an AI language model can entirely replace a human copywriter probably don’t have a strong grasp of what copywriters actually do. ChatGPT, on the other hand, seems to get it. 😉
As a B2B copywriter, wordsmithing is a small portion of the value that I deliver for my clients. For example, I actually spend a lot of time listening. When I interview people as part of my content creation process, I pay attention to when people’s voices change as they become excited and passionate about a subject. Then I ask more questions, because I know that’s going to be the most compelling stuff of the interview.
I'm also capable of seeing the bigger strategic picture and context. AI language models can only access the data they’ve been fed. However, I know when to dig deeper into the motivations and challenges of my clients. When AI models receive bad data, they spit garbage back out. As a result, AI-developed content could contain false information, bias or offensive language. I carefully check my sources and align my copy with the company’s core values. Most importantly, I add a human touch to my writing. I have creativity, empathy, nuance, humor, and storytelling capabilities that AI simply doesn’t have – and won’t have anytime soon.
That said, I’ve added ChatGPT to my copywriter’s toolbelt and I really like it. It’s useful for generating ideas, helping me to simplify concepts or improve my understanding of complex topics. As I get more adept at using it, I predict it will help me speed up some of my content processes – which is a bonus for my clients. I've also been experimenting with the Dall-E image and art model, just for entertainment, and even used it to create the header for this article. I’m sure I’ll find more uses for Generative AI as the models continue to learn and improve.
The recent advancements in AI are exciting and they can be a bit scary too. AI language models could be the next big thing to hit copywriting since spellcheck or just another tool to keep in your back pocket. My advice is to see for yourself while being mindful of the risks, particularly in regards to ethics and data privacy. Be curious and work together with your copywriters to explore how AI solutions can assist your content strategy.
Want to know more about how I create creative and compelling content for tech companies? Let’s talk!