As a writer and blogger of 5+ years, I must admit that the recent advancements in artificial intelligence have been both exciting and a bit terrifying. Is it friend or foe? Is it merely our assistant, or will AI replace human writers in the near future?
The short answer is no, AI will not be taking your job as a writer or blogger anytime soon.
How do I know this? It comes down to understanding how AI works, its advantages and limitations, and why AI will always require human input. So let’s get into it! (As a bonus, I’ll also share a few tips on the right way to integrate AI into your content creation process.)
**Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase after clicking on one, I may earn a commission. Full disclaimer here.**
Understanding How AI Works
Language Models and Natural Language Processing
I’ve only been using AI writers for less than two years, but AI writing tools have already come a long way since then, thanks to natural language processing (NLP) and language models like GPT-3.5 and GPT-4. At its core, NLP is all about enabling computers to understand and interpret human language, taking into account context, grammar, and sentiment. This allows AI systems to generate content that feels more “human” and less robotic.
When it comes to language models, they usually work with large datasets to learn and predict text patterns. AI systems like GPT-4 have billions of parameters that help them understand language and carry out tasks such as text completion, translation, and summarization.
Machine Learning Algorithms
Another key component of AI writing tools is their reliance on machine learning algorithms. These algorithms help AI systems adapt and improve over time as they are exposed to more data and feedback. These deep learning algorithms create more sophisticated content by learning the intricate patterns and nuances of human language.
To give you an idea of how this works, the AI system is trained on a large text corpus (i.e. the internet) and uses that knowledge to generate text based on the input it receives. This process is fine-tuned and improved over time as the system encounters new data and learns from it.
AI writing tools use a combination of NLP, language models, and machine learning algorithms to create text that is both grammatically correct and contextually accurate. We’re undoubtedly making progress, but there’s still a long way to go.
Why AI Won’t Replace Human Writers
Content Quality
When it comes to creating high-quality content, both AI and human writers have their strengths and weaknesses. AI writing tools like ChatGPT can generate a large volume of content quickly, allowing businesses to scale their content production with ease.
They can also handle tasks like editing, researching, proofreading, and publishing more efficiently than humans.
However, we human writers have our own unique perspectives and tend to be better at producing content that requires a deep understanding of the subject matter or addresses complex ideas.
Creativity and Innovation
In the realm of creative writing, human writers definitely have the upper hand over AI. While AI has made great strides in language generation, it can’t quite come close to the human ability to create truly original content.
Human intelligence enables us to think outside the box, come up with innovative ideas, and weave them into compelling narratives. AI can mimic some aspects of creativity but doesn’t have the same capacity for true imagination and lateral thinking that we possess.
Unique Perspectives and Expertise
One of the key differences between AI writing and human writing is the ability to inject personal experiences and expertise into the content. As a human writer, I draw on my experiences and use my own thought process to craft engaging, unique content.
AI, on the other hand, doesn’t possess this ability.
For instance, it’s never actually tried that yoga mat I’m reviewing. It doesn’t have five years of experience in the trenches as a copywriter like I do.
While it can analyze and learn from existing content, it can’t use its “own” experiences or personal insight, because. it doesn’t ahve any. This means that only human writers can provide unique perspectives.
And if you’re a blogger or SEO writer, this aspect is paramount to meeting Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines (which stand for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness).
Emotional Connection
We are naturally adept at understanding and empathizing with others, which allows us to create content that resonates on a deeper level.
Whether it’s a heartfelt story, a motivational piece, or an insightful analysis, human writers possess the capacity to convey genuine emotions that resonate with their readers. While AI has made a lot of progress in understanding sentiment and tone, it will never be able to truly connect with readers in the same way as human content.
For example, one of the ways I connect with readers on my fitness blog is by sharing details about my fitness journey and the struggles I had before I found my stride through a home exercise practice. Do you think an AI can describe the ups and downs of losing 15 lbs the way I can?
The discouragement I felt every time I “tripped up” on my diet and ate a bowl of icecream that made me feel like a complete failure, not just in my health but in life?
The joy and surge of motivation I felt when I managed to lose 10 lbs just by going for longer walks every day?
Not a chance.
Advantages and Limitations of AI Writing
Content Production Capabilities
When it comes to content production capabilities, AI tools are indeed speedy workhorses. I can generate large amounts of text quickly and efficiently, which is a real game-changer when it comes to jacking up the frequency of publication.
However, without human input, autogenerated content will be incredibly generic. Without you, it has no way of bringing anything new to the table. From an SEO perspective, this means that content is unlikely to rank on page one on Google – or if it does rank, it will be highly susceptible to penalties from Google and usurps by the competition.
Research and Fact Checking
Creating factual content with AI is a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can be a powerful and efficient way to research new topics, especially if you use the ones that can scrape Google for data, such as Perplexity.ai, Jasper Chat, and KoalaWriter.
However, AI tools are not perfect, and from time to time, they will provide inaccurate information. When you write with an AI, you must remember that you are responsible for the content you publish, and therefore you need to vet and fact-check everything the AI producers.
SEO
AI technology has arrived at a place where it can significantly bolster the efficiency of your SEO efforts. For example, I use Surfer SEO to get detailed guidelines on what terms and other criteria need to be included in an article in order to rank on page one of Google. I can then export those guidelines and upload them into ChatGPT-4, then ask the AI to write an article incorporating those terms.
And it does a pretty good job.
Other tools, like KoalaWriter, do this even better. It has an in-house optimization tool, or you can upload your Surfer SEO terms before it writes the article. When I use this function, it produces an article that is very well-optimized, according to Surfer SEO’s content score.
The caveat is that you don’t want to create content that merely “checks off the boxes” for good SEO. It must also be truly unique, useful, and helpful content. In other words, the content must still meet the E-E-A-T guidelines!
The Right Way to Integrate AI into Your Writing Process
Treat AI as an Assistant (Not Your Replacement)
You must hold the reins on your content production process. If you write an article with an AI and slap the publish button without a second glance, there is absolutely nothing to separate your content from anyone else’s. You may also risk publishing inaccurate information, which can damage your credibility.
This means you need to either guide the AI throughout the process or edit the content afterward to infuse your personal touch.
Learn Effective Prompt Engineering
One of the biggest challenges when integrating AI-generated into my content creation process was figuring out how to craft the right prompts for optimal outputs. Because the outputs you get from it are only as good as the inputs you give it.
For me, learning to understand how AI thinks and writes was essential to understanding what prompts would produce effective, engaging content. With practice, I became more adept at anticipating its strengths and limitations, tailoring my prompts accordingly.
It’s kind of like learning a new language; as you become more fluent, you can communicate instructions, ideas, and context more effectively to the AI. So don’t be frustrated if it takes you some time to find your stride with AI tools!
Seed the AI with Your Experience and Expertise
One way I make the most of AI tools is by “seeding” them with my own experience and expertise. By providing AI with my writing style, preferences, and knowledge, I can ensure that it generates content that aligns well with my voice and values. This approach not only allows me to produce better work but also makes collaborating with AI a more seamless and enjoyable experience.
Check for Accuracy and Accidental Plagiarism
AI tools can be incredibly useful, but they’re not perfect. That’s why I always double-check the content generated by AI to ensure it’s accurate and doesn’t inadvertently plagiarize existing material. I review the facts, refine the language, and make any necessary adjustments. This helps me maintain the integrity of my work and ensures that AI is truly a helpful addition to my writing process.
By treating AI as an assistant, seeding it with my experience, and checking for accuracy, I’ve been able to successfully integrate AI into my writing process. The result has been an efficient, smooth workflow that produces high-quality content while still retaining my unique voice and perspective.
Proofread and Edit Before You Publish!
When you’re left with the final product, there should be no discernible difference between content written and optimized using AI and content created solely by yourself. If you can tell that an article was written by AI, so can your readers.
Remember that the most important factor for blog content is not how well it is optimized but how authentic, insightful, and useful it is.
Final Thoughts on the Future of AI and Writing
While AI may efficiently perform specific tasks faster than we can, it still falls short in many regards – particularly when it comes to understanding human language nuances, portraying authentic experiences, and creating emotional content. That is why AI will never truly replace humans as writers – rather, it is and always will be best utilized as an assistant that helps bring your ideas to the page.
At the same time, failing to adopt AI in your business will put you behind the times – and your competition. Only by blending AI’s efficiency with your unique experiences, expertise, and creativity will you craft content that truly resonates with your audience while accelerating your content creation process in a way that was never before possible.
Could you use some help learning how to integrate AI into your blogging processes? I’d like to invite you to check out CWW Plus, my membership on Patreon, which features monthly exclusive AI trainings, prompt stacks, and other resources designed to help you crush your content creation goals!