Is Artificial Intelligence the End of Marketing Content Writing?

Artificial intelligence is all the talk right now, especially in the creative space. Digital artists are voicing their concerns, and the Screen Actors Guild has expressed great interest in joining forces with the Writers Guild of America, which is currently on strike and requesting that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers prohibit AI from writing and rewriting any materials. For screenwriters, authors, journalists, and marketing copywriters alike, AI is becoming a nagging voice in the back of our heads. Will it replace our jobs? Are we losing an art form? Is Skynet coming for us next? 

AI is fast and cost-effective on the exterior. It analyzes data, distinguishes patterns, and creates words on a page quicker than any human could. Who wants to deal with a copywriter with writer's block and a hefty salary when you can type a few words into a content generator and get a 500-word blog? However, the truth is that AI has some real drawbacks, especially in content, and relying solely on AI deprives the writer and audience of the best experience.  

The human touch

Henry David Thoreau wisely observed, "It's pointless to sit down and write without truly experiencing life." Whether we're engrossed in a touching personal story, an irresistible recipe for grandma's chili, or a professional email, humans write and read from a place of emotion. We all long for that human connection. We want to feel like we are going through something together. And let's face it, AI platforms may promise to create that connection, but without the human experience to back it up, the result is often lackluster. 

For marketing writers, a personal touch carries a certain weight because we are not writing in our own voice, but in the voice of our clients. This is especially true for heavier subject matters. Artificial intelligence may convey emotion in a linear sense; however, when people genuinely need a connection and receive a computer-generated message in a time of crisis instead, there is always backlash. 

Content still needs editing

Perfection is rare when experimenting with AI. There is always room for improvement, from fixing missing punctuation to correcting misspelled words. Additionally, the initial content often needs to be expanded upon as part of the AI experience often condenses the original text and can be redundant, confusing, or missing details.

Moreover, AI tools are not entirely credible. This technology only utilizes information that lives online, therefore increasing the threat of plagiarism, bias, and non-compliance - making fact-checking a must. Businesses and organizations must protect their reputation. Sharing false content and stealing from others will only have negative repercussions. 

Lastly, a well-built brand will have a cohesive voice across all channels, and AI often needs to catch up on these details. Yes, there are tools to copy existing content's style; however, it is easy to miss and incorporate the little nuances that make a business stand out, like a company's positioning, benefits, mission, and values. More often than not, if an organization has these guidelines, a lot of time and money went into establishing them, making using AI a waste of resources instead of an asset. 

Repercussions for SEO are unknown

The entire purpose of marketing content writing is to generate an audience; when it comes to being noticed, Google still ranks supreme. Google has recently released updated guidance concerning AI-generated content and states that they focus on the "quality of content, rather than how content is produced." However, while they don't prohibit AI, its ranking system aims to "reward original, high-quality content that demonstrates qualities of expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness." 

It leaves some room for interpretation, but one thing is made clear - using AI to develop content to influence rankings in search results is a violation of Google's spam policies. Furthermore, quality and originality are issues that Google has been monitoring for years, and they have solid tools in place to determine if content is helpful and reliable. 

There have yet to be extensive studies on AI and its impact on SEO. Still, some early tests have shown that with an AI-generated article, impressions did not grow, even on a healthy website that was not flagged by Google as of the publish date. The belief is that websites that consistently post AI content will eventually be recognized and penalized.

Where is the creativity?

AI works because it repeats and repurposes what it has been given. The formula is rather predictable. Creativity is not born from copying and pasting, but from ideas and experiences. This is evident in consumers' frustrations with movie sequels, prequels, and everything in between. Hollywood makes these movies because it's easier than coming up with new characters and plot points, but ticket buyers are increasingly getting bored of old ideas. The same can be said of really any type of content. People want something unique, not recycled. And the more AI is utilized, the more obvious it will be that creativity cannot be computer generated. 

True creativity doesn't stem from mere copying and pasting. It thrives on fresh ideas and unique experiences. Just look at the frustration consumers have with movie sequels, prequels, and everything in between. Hollywood churns out these films as an easy way to avoid creating new characters and plots, but ticket buyers are growing tired of recycled concepts. This desire for novelty extends to all forms of content. People crave something new, not something regurgitated. And as AI becomes more prevalent, it becomes increasingly clear that true creativity cannot be generated by computers.

Wait, did that last paragraph sound repetitive? That is because I used AI to recreate and "improve" what I already wrote, and really, it pretty much sounded the same. Weird.

AI for writers isn't all bad

Now that we have explored what AI isn't, we should discuss what AI is. There are ways that writers can use it to their advantage and still produce creative and original work. For example, AI can be used to:

• Generate new topics for blogs or articles 

• Create rough first drafts using prompts

• Produce outlines from existing content 

• Repurpose existing content for social media 

Writing, like everything else, evolves

Most writers no longer use typewriters or do their research scouring microfiche at the local library. And I think we can all agree that's ok. Technology exists to move people forward. If creatives take advantage of using AI as a tool and not thinking of it as a replacement, it becomes more evident that the best way to incorporate AI into the workflow is by using it to fill in the gaps. Getting in front of it and finding new ways to add value for our clients will set writers apart from proofreaders.