Should writers be scared of AI content generators or should we embrace them?

As a content creator, the emergence of AI content generators like ChatGPT can feel genuinely terrifying. 

For one thing, there’s the thought that any brand can now pop a couple of keywords into an AI writing tool and instantly have informative, coherent content. Why would they ever pay for a copywriter again?

Plus, I keep seeing references to ChatGPT and AI writing in job descriptions, on LinkedIn and in many other resources I use as a writer. So it’s only growing in popularity. 

But rather than fixate on what could be, I thought I would take this opportunity to have a little play with ChatGPT myself and see what it’s all about. 

So I decided to ask the machines ‘Should writers be scared of AI or should we embrace it?’.

Here is a little snippet of what the robots said: 

The relationship between writers and AI is nuanced, and opinions can vary. Here are some perspectives to consider:

Embracing AI:

Enhancing Creativity:

AI tools can serve as creative aids, helping writers brainstorm ideas, overcome writer's block, or suggest alternative phrasing. They can act as valuable companions in the creative process.

Automation of Repetitive Tasks:

AI can automate mundane tasks such as grammar and spell checks, allowing writers to focus more on the creative aspects of their work. This can improve efficiency and save time.

Data Analysis and Research:

AI can assist in data analysis and research, providing writers with valuable insights and information to enhance the accuracy and depth of their writing.

Was I still worried? 

At first glance, I’ll admit, it looked pretty good. The content certainly covers the basics anyway. 

But for the most part, it’s easy to see that this was generated by a machine. The language is stiff and very to the point, there is no real storytelling going on and the entire post came back at 365 words. 

Not ideal from an SEO perspective.

On top of all that, the formatting is strange and ChatGPT seems to love overusing colons. 

There is also a little disclaimer at the bottom that says ‘ChatGPT can make mistakes. Consider checking important information., which means this is not a foolproof resource. 

So sure, while the content may have all the Hallmarks of a good piece of writing, I can confidently say that most readers would be able to tell this was conjured up by a machine. 

This made me relax a little, believing that we do not need to be afraid of AI content generators.

In fact, these could even help to enhance a writer’s work, using them to get the building blocks in place before adding the human touch.

What about Google’s Search Generative Experience?

But unfortunately, it doesn’t stop at writing tools.

New updates from Google mean that AI-generated information will soon be displayed at the top of search pages. 

And although this seems harmless, it can actually be detrimental to content writers and SEO experts who have worked so hard to get their content to the top of SERPs. 

So, in that respect, there may need to be an adjustment period and it certainly means more work for us humans in the industry who will need to work even harder to get our content seen. 

Does this mean we should be scared of AI content generators? 

What’s the verdict? 

Well, I’m not going to pretend that I am happy about AI and who knows how advanced these tools could get in the future. 

That being said, I have started to play around a little more with ChatGPT and I can certainly see how it could be used to assist with writing, particularly if you’re up against a quick turnaround time. 

Personally, I value my clients too much to use AI content generators to produce copy for me and I don’t believe you can get the same human element by doing so. 

But I can certainly see the benefits when writing on a topic that you haven't got much experience with. These tools can give you the building blocks, like headings and a good idea of relevant topics, so you can go off and conduct more research yourself. 

For now, I suppose what I am saying is let’s not be scared, because let’s face it, this is the future and it’s coming whether we like it or not. 

So, as writers, we need to embrace these tools and try to use them to our advantage, hoping and praying that this strengthens our writing skills so much that machines can never replace us. 

But I guess we’ll see…