AI has been around for a while; however, Chat GPT is more sophisticated than its predecessors. Many people are worried about whether or not Chat GPT will replace them in their profession, particularly copywriters and content creators.
What do I think about Chat GPT?
Chat GPT is quite impressive. It can answer a wide variety of questions and create content quicker than I can. But I don’t think Chat GPT will be replacing copywriters anytime soon.
How Does Chat GPT Work?
Chat GPT was trained to hold natural conversations, so it sounds much less robotic than previous AI technology. While this is one of the reasons people feel threatened by the technology, it can also be a flaw because it sounds like it knows what it’s talking about, even when the information is incorrect.
Why I Believe Chat GPT Will Not Replace Me as a Copywriter
Chat GPT may be used as a tool to assist businesses and even copywriters, but there are a few important things that human copywriters have that Chat GPT does not.
Here are some things that quality human copywriters can do and some significant flaws with Chat GPT.
1 Fact Checking
From my understanding, ChatGPT pulls information together to answer a question in such a way that it sounds human. But it can’t fact-check the content, and the information it’s been given could be outdated (the world changes quickly).
As an experienced copywriter, I can find quality content from reputable sources and distinguish between fact and opinion. I also can add personal experience or anecdotes to content that help bring it to life or add a perspective the reader may not have considered.
2 Chat GPT can only produce content as good as the brief
While this is technically true of copywriters, good copywriters will work collaboratively with you to ensure you receive the content you seek.
For ChatGPT to create compelling copy, the person inputting the information must understand precisely what they’re seeking and how to describe this content. The AI isn’t as smart as you, so if you plan to use ChatGPT for content creation, there will be a learning curve to figure out how to feed it the correct information to get effective results.
3 The Human Element
Yes, Chat GPT does sound more human than previous AI, but it’s still far from perfect. It tends to structure sentences in a way that sounds more robotic than a human would typically write.
When creating copy for businesses, copywriters typically have lengthy conversations with brands to understand the values behind the company and get a sense of the brand’s voice and goals. This information is used to create compelling copy that aligns with the brand’s voice and connects with the reader.
Effective copy doesn’t just need to have the basic information that ChatGPT may be able to provide. It needs to stand out. ChatGPT can’t offer the warm, friendly tone that a copywriter can. And, if brands all start using AI to create content, I imagine it would all begin to sound very similar, and that’s the opposite of what brands should be going for.
4 Feelings
While human feelings are absolutely a part of the human element, they’re so important I thought they deserved their own section. Of course, ChatGPT doesn’t have feelings, but why are feelings important when it comes to copywriting?
Human copywriters can write from experiences in a way that empathizes with the reader. This connection makes all the difference when reaching out to potential customers because there is so much content out there that you need to stand out and break through the noise. The goal is to make the reader feel like you’re talking to them and understand the problem they’re trying to solve. If you can evoke an emotional reaction in your reader, it’s more likely they’ll engage with your content and remember your brand.
If you’ve played around with ChatGPT, you may have seen that it can produce content such as poetry which you would think evokes emotion. While, yes, it can create poetry and probably stick to a rhyme scheme better than I do, it’s still lacking in feeling. The poem reads okay, but it doesn’t have the intensity that one typically desires from creative works.
5 Inclusive Language
While ChatGPT aims to write content and inclusively answer questions, it doesn’t understand the nuances of human connection and social dynamics. The human element is necessary to ensure all copy is inclusive.
More brands are considering the importance of diversity and inclusion and aim to have ethical and inclusive brands, and a big part of that starts with copy.
What is Chat GPT Good For?
As I mentioned previously, Chat GPT may be a helpful tool for copywriting and content creation for businesses. But it likely won’t and, dare I say, shouldn’t replace human copywriters.
It can compile information faster than I can and can provide some of the basic structure, but it can’t fill in the details with 100% accuracy. And it doesn’t have an engaging tone. So, ChatGPT can be a good starting point. Use Chat GPT to:
- Generate ideas
- Begin the research process
- Search for keywords
Unfortunately, humans cannot always be creative and sometimes experience challenges when it comes to generating ideas for content. So, ChatGPT may be able to pull some information to get you started, such as creating a list of possible titles for articles or starting the research process. However, all the information it provides should be fact-checked, as there is no guarantee of accuracy.
So, use it to get the ball rolling, but don’t publish content straight from ChatGPT.
Final Thoughts on Chat GPT and its Ability to Replace Copywriters
Since Chat GPT was released, several people have asked me if I’m concerned about it replacing me as a copywriter. Honestly, no. I’ve played with ChatGPT to see the information it can put together, and while I am impressed, it lacks the creativity and strategic thinking needed to create effective copy that will align with a brand’s values and tone.
I asked ChatGPT itself if it thought it could be a replacement for human copywriters, and it said no. It advised that it could be used as a supplemental tool but doesn’t have the creativity necessary to compete with copywriters.
Looking for inclusive content that’s worth investing in? Contact me. Let’s chat about creating inclusive copy that connects your brand to your target audience.
If you’re curious, here is the response from Chat GPT:
As an AI language model, my purpose is to assist and augment human communication, not to replace humans. While I can generate text and language-based content, I am not a substitute for human creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking.
Copywriting involves creating content that resonates with human audiences, including messaging, branding, and storytelling. While I can help generate content ideas and suggest phrasing, I lack the creative and emotional intelligence that a skilled copywriter can bring to the table.
Moreover, copywriting is a multifaceted skill set that includes research, analysis, and strategy, as well as writing. While I can assist with certain aspects of copywriting, such as generating headlines or suggesting content outlines, I am not a replacement for the strategic thinking and insights that a human copywriter can provide.
In summary, while AI language models like ChatGPT can assist and enhance copywriting efforts, they are not a substitute for human copywriters. Copywriting remains a human-centric activity that requires creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking, and AI is simply a tool that can help augment and enhance the copywriting process.