In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing and content creation, one of the most intriguing developments is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the world of copywriting. As businesses and brands strive to stay ahead in the competitive online space, the question arises: will AI lead to the extinction of copywriters?
What you have just read was created by AI using the simple prompt: “Write me a blog about whether AI will remove the role of the copywriter.” Less than 10 seconds later, I had an entire blog before my eyes.
The speed and quality of AI-generated content undoubtedly raises concerns about what the future holds for copywriters. Throughout history, industry has looked to replace labour with automation in a bid to reduce costs to the employer. Generative AI platforms like ChatGPT produce content incredibly quickly compared to us mere humans.
So, is the role of the copywriter dead? We believe the short answer is ‘no’ – however equally it won’t stay the same. As AI continues to evolve, we must adapt to widespread AI implementation. And it’s already started – Authority Hacker found that 85% of digital marketers are using AI for content writing.
AI gives us an incredible resource of information at our fingertips, which goes beyond the application of search engines as it provides it in whichever format you request. Copywriters can harness this to write pretty much anything.
However, AI is only as good as the prompts it is given. So, for copywriters to remain relevant they need to be trained to use AI properly to get the most out of it. Just simply asking AI to write you an article on why businesses should reduce their carbon footprint, for example, will produce something that is generic and not up to scratch. You need to give AI proper briefs for it to understand what you’d like. Try instead asking:
“Act as a professional copywriter and write me an article on why businesses should reduce their carbon footprint. Start with an interesting hook to grab the attention of the audience. Give me three key points with examples and finish on a strong call to action to encourage people to get in touch. This article is aimed at businesses in Guernsey who are unsure of the benefits of cutting down their carbon footprint. Make the article between 700 and 800 words. Use human sounding language.”
Prompts can be utilised by copywriters to generate “rough content” that needs reviewing and editing which can only be done by a human/copywriter. AI struggles (for now) to capture some of the subtleties of human expression. Platforms like ChatGPT also don’t track the internet in real time, meaning if you are including the latest statistics you will need to do this research ‘the old-fashioned way’. But, thanks to AI a first draft can be generated almost instantly which allows the copywriter more time to perfect the piece.
The main issue with AI is that it is developing quicker than regulations can keep up with. Concerns have already been raised by both writers and actors in America regarding the excessive use of AI, resulting in the SAG-AFTRA strikes. The UK government has also responded to these issues by releasing a consultation response outlining plans for regulating AI. By the end of 2024, an update introducing the new regulations around the use of highly capable general-purpose AI systems is expected to be released. AI isn’t going anywhere so we should embrace it and use it responsibly rather than fearing it.
The role of the copywriter is dependent on how well they work with AI. Copywriters need to use AI to remain competitive. If you can produce great content in half the time, then you’re going to be able to be able to provide a better service than someone who isn’t utilising the benefits of AI. If the end result is what the client is looking for does it matter if AI was used? Viewing generated content as part of the process of copywriting promotes the idea that these systems are here to help us, not replace us.
Why settle for ordinary copywriters when you can have AI-assisted ones? If your business is looking for high-quality content, get in touch with us today! Contact [email protected].