Why AI Can’t Replace a Client-focused Team of Dedicated Human Writers
Here are skills AI cannot master when writing for clients.
Sam Johnson, editor-in-chief of Otter PR, says that as advanced as AI technology has become throughout the past several decades, it still lacks critical qualities, features, and skills that can be easily replicated by human writers when working with clients but not by a machine.
The world is abuzz with talk of AI and all it can do to make our lives easier. It is the stuff of science fiction now come to life, and many who have predicted the emergence of AI over the years are heralding its arrival.
However, for those who work as writers — whether it be copywriting, journalism or creative writing — the emergence of AI in these industries has caused a dust-up of concern. Since AI is here to stay, what does this mean for those who write for a living or those who lead them?
AI programs like ChatGPT and OpenAI have revolutionized content creation and copywriting. There is no denying this, yet as intuitive as these programs may be, they are far from replacing a team of client-focused human beings. With creativity and nuance still necessary to convey human emotion, the world still needs human writers.
The Capabilities of AI for Writing
AI is not coming to take our jobs, writers. Not yet, but the fear of it doing so is understandable. Text-based AI programs can quickly spit out a comprehensive article outline in seconds and generate an entire article based on that outline in minutes. The result is a good piece that would pass muster with most editors and outlets.
Indeed, these programs are handy tools for writers. They can outline drafts, generate fresh ideas, or revitalize outdated pitches. Need a little nuance? Tweak your requests within the program, and you’ll suddenly receive a completely new, computer-generated writing portion.
These programs access a remarkable amount of data and are lightning-fast. They tap into other stories, research, and content created (by humans) to generate functional pieces that accomplish what functional writing is intended to do: compile data and inform readers.
Moreover, the capabilities of AI programs like ChatGPT are beneficial to career writers. The outlining capabilities alone could save journalists and bloggers several hours of work each week. As long as you trust the information the program is pulling and compiling, your days of searching the internet for just the right bits of research may be numbered.
Frankly, I don’t know any writer who would scoff at freeing up some of their time that would otherwise be dedicated to research and outlining. The ability of AI programs to do the frontline work of compiling data, outlining, and prompting ideas can prove endlessly helpful for writers looking to maximize their productivity and output.
With all that current AI is capable of and all of the advancements that will come soon, writers need to think of AI not as a replacement but as an additional tool in their toolbelt. AI will hopefully improve the writer’s job, but it is not on its way to replacing human writers soon.
See More: AI Content Writing Tools: Are They Productive or Pointless?
The Benefit of Human Writers
AI is based on statistics and quantitative modeling. It is unfamiliar with emotion and often struggles with context, hyperbole, and prose. These programs cannot think independently of human intervention because they are utilitarian — they are merely meant to serve a purpose and get a job done as efficiently as possible.
We live in a world where emotional language still serves a purpose; hyperbole, humor, and stunning prose thrill people, win awards, and make a difference in people’s lives. AI-generated content gets the job done, but it is not yet sentient to the point where it can replace the genius of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists or authors.
This is where the benefit of a team of human writers comes in. Human creativity is endless; we can sense the needs of other humans, bend our interactions to fit those needs and create pieces that speak to issues so beautifully that they can alter the perception and opinions of others.
Service, promotion, and marketing are still very human ideals. If given the opportunity, human beings will excel far beyond anything a computer program could produce.
Client support and collaboration are other areas where human beings will always surpass the potential of AI. In virtually every global industry and market, it’s imperative that writers can communicate well with clients to tell stories properly or bring visions to life. A person could input all of the commands in the world into an AI program, and it still would not make up for the benefit of having a human being field their requests.
To hear the inflection in one’s voice, to read body language and facial expression, and to take constructive criticism and expand on ideas are all human abilities that cannot be replicated by a machine — one that was created by humans, for humans. When clients request changes that need to be made or nuance that needs to be added, it is based on human knowledge of their market and intent, the latter of which no machine today can truly understand. And yet, every day, human writers quickly form relationships with clients, come to understand their particularities, and produce work that ultimately benefits the client, the writer, and the writer’s employer.
See More: Emotional Intelligence in the Hybrid Workplace
The Need for Human Expression
The fear built around the expansion of AI capable of churning out articles, blogs, emails, and even books is not entirely unwarranted. There is no doubt that AI will change the way writers work, perhaps even irreversibly so. The more companies across all industries become aware of the capabilities of AI to streamline processes and, ultimately, save them time and money, the more they will champion the rise of AI.
As AI continues gaining traction in the modern workplace, writers must adapt or risk being left behind. Lower-level copywriters, editors, or those who fail to expand on their writing skills will likely be the first to feel the potential adverse effects of AI. However, there still needs to be more specialized services for talented writing teams.
Jobs being replaced with the rise of technological advancements is a worry that has existed for a while. Since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, the same fear has been expressed by workers who were eventually replaced by innovations in automation. Throughout the 20th century, many have witnessed customer service roles lose out to more efficient technological interventions. But as long as there are new ideas, talented wordsmiths must articulate those ideas artfully.
The need for pure human expression will endure as long as we hold it sacred. Career writers will significantly benefit from learning what they can about AI and how they can employ it to enhance their work and help tighten their creative process.
Do you think that without human intelligence, there would be no artificial intelligence? Please share your thoughts with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. We’d love to hear from you!
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