AI in Copywriting: Answering 3 Common Dinner Party Questions

With the genie out of the lamp, copywriters have no choice but to consider the role of AI in our work. Below are some typical responses to the inevitable questions from strangers at parties who learn I'm a copywriter:

Do you use AI for copywriting?

Nah.

I've educated myself, played around with it extensively, and certainly keep abreast of technological developments that are relevant to society. But I don't use AI to write copy. Not even a rough draft. Not even an outline.

First of all, ethical considerations aside, the copywriter's task is to figure out what to write. This is far more important than actually executing the writing. Without a human at the helm, AI is fairly useless.

Secondly, it doesn't take me longer to write good copy myself than it would to feed Chat GPT the perfect prompts and then fact-check and rewrite its inevitable mediocre output. As we all know, AI is the Great Homogenizer - at this stage, it can only repeat existing information to which it's been exposed, which is why AI copy sounds so stiff and stilted, and is riddled with inaccuracies or bias.

Then there's the lack of subtlety, nuance, wordplay, or wit. AI can't connect seemingly disparate ideas to create something new. As a marketing copywriter, my job is to make sure a brand doesn't sound like anyone else. To do that, I have to create copy that doesn't exist yet. Wherever it makes sense, I incorporate distinct turns of phrase or unconventional sentence structure, sending a clear signal: a human wrote this!

Furthermore - and herein lies the crux of the issue - I like to write. I've devoted years to honing my skills an earning and living from writing. I'm happy to forgo the enormous environmental cost of every AI operation in order to execute my own trade. Someone who has dedicated numerous hours to becoming an AI prompt expert may be able to achieve nearly human-sounding copy. Notice I said "nearly". But to what end? Could you pass the mashed potatoes?

OK, OK. But do you use AI for anything then?

Sure. Sometimes I'll ask it to produce text I can then deliberately avoid. Or, I'll compare its output with my own to validate the originality of my work and demonstrate the difference to a client. But using AI this way doesn't justify the environmental damage of just one query - not enough to make it my standard practice, anyway.

Of course, AI can also be leveraged as a super-assistant. It's an intern whose work needs constant direction and oversight. Without a human to strategize and ask the right questions, AI is useless. I could use it to generate ideas for research (ideas which are then subject to actual research), or have it challenge my work and identify any gaps or alternative perspectives. Occasionally, I can cull a nugget or two from what it serves up. More often, it just rehashes what I wrote but without nuance or cleverness.

I don't fault anyone using AI to save time. I have friends who have found all sorts of useful applications for AI, including copywriting, because they don't have unlimited funds for employing humans. This is just my experience. Would you mind refilling my glass?

Aren't you worried AI will come for your job?

What a dismal spectre to raise at a dinner party! But - no. I don't think AI will replace humans, but humans who understand how to use AI will replace those who don't. The value of authenticity is greater than ever, and I'm going to operate on the assumption that won't change. I personally appreciate it when brands highlights their humanity, or at least try to convey it. For example, I was recently deterred from trying an otherwise promising new restaurant after scanning their AI-written website, complete with obvious errors. It made me wonder where else they'd cut corners.

We can't stuff the genie back in and avoid the reality that a lot of content can now be generated by AI - anything that doesn't require original thought, expertise, research, or emotional intelligence. AI is some ways from being able to perform the primary function of copywriting, which is to direct user behaviour. The world is changing quickly and we can't know what's around the bend, but for the foreseeable future, I think I'm OK.

Now, let's talk about your work! Oh? You're in crypto, you say? That is fascinating...