Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll have seen the recent debate surrounding various Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing tools such as ChatGPT and CopyAI.
With more and more demand for high-quality content to be delivered quicker than ever before, it’s no wonder this kind of software is making a huge impact…and ruffling a few feathers along the way.
Their capabilities are growing more and more with each passing day and the potential for them is far reaching.
But should copywriters and content writers be worried about AI writing software?
With every new discovery there comes a sense of fear and apprehension. Some people embrace the change, while others fear it.
In today’s post, we’ll dive into the nitty gritty of what AI writing tools are, how they can be used and what the future holds for them.
Let’s get into it!
What are AI Writing Tools?
Powered by artificial intelligence, AI writing tools generate text based on user input. Essentially you input a brief and the technology works its magic to generate coherent pieces of text which mirrors that of human written content.
The main benefit of AI writing tools over human generated content is the speed and volume at which text can be produced. AI is much faster – in both gathering information and producing the final pieces of text – and it never tires, you can have a programme churning out content 24 hours a day if you need to.
We’ll compare the pros and cons in a little more detail later on!
How Do AI Tools Work?
It can be seen as a sort of ‘dark art’ when it comes to understanding how these AI writing tools actually work. After all, it is a machine that somehow manages to write like a human!
The truth is that this explanation can be simplified quite easily.
AI produces text based on human input. Using data it finds on the web and data that humans feed it, the AI software learns and improves over time.
Basically, the AI software is learning from data created by other humans. That is why it has the ability to sound exactly like them.
Interesting stuff!
Why Have AI Writing Tools Gotten So Popular?
AI writing tools have been around much longer than you might think. PC’s in the 1980’s would have creative spell checking software installed. Which later developed into the AI writing tools that we see today.
So why are AI writing tools all the craze lately?
There are a number of factors that have contributed to this, including:
- Investment – big tech companies such as Facebook and Microsoft have invested huge amounts of money into developing AI capabilities as they see it as the future.
- More Data – AI needs data to make smart and diligent decisions. The more data the AI software can use the better results it can yield for users. Luckily for AI there is data in abundance to use nowadays.
Better Algorithms – the introduction of neural networks has allowed for new modern algorithms to make better decisions as minimal human interference is needed.
Using AI Writing Tools for Content Writing
It’s only natural that AI writing tools would start being used to create content online such as ad copy, blog posts and newsletters.
Businesses see the benefit of having a strong online presence and such technology could help them to do so more efficiently.
But is it all plain sailing when it comes to using them for your content writing strategy?
Let’s look at the benefits and drawbacks:
Benefits of AI Writing Tools
Here is a selection of benefits to look at:
Increases Productivity
As we know, AI can spit content out at rapid speeds. Faster than any human can. Researching and writing takes time but using AI to assist you could dramatically reduce the time needed to complete an article.
Can Increase Scalability
Due to content being produced at rapid rates, companies with ambitious content milestones could achieve them more quickly than beforeI.
Help With Writer’s Block
This is something all good writers experience at some stage. Using AI could help spark some ideas or inspiration if you find yourself struggling.
Drawbacks of AI Writing Tools
Here is a selection of drawbacks to look at:
Plagiarism
There are still plagiarism concerns when it comes to using AI. Many tools will use content from other sources and reword them. This can flag up on plagiarism checkers which devalues your content.
Not Fully Accurate
While the tech will generate facts and figures to back up certain claims, depending on the topic, many of these statistics can be inaccurate as they’re pulled from the internet and therefore, run the risk of being ‘fake news’.
Lack of Creativity
To stand out in today’s online space content needs to be more creative and innovative than ever before. You need to be producing content that is going to separate you from your competition. AI writing tools can miss out on subtle tonality for certain pieces of content as well as connecting on a more emotional level with your audience.
Should Writers be Worried?
As you can see there are still many limitations with AI writing tools. There are some positives for but there are also huge negatives.
At this moment in time AI writing software is great to use as an assistant for writers; using it to help generate new ideas as well as to increase your efficiency.
If you are solely banking on AI to take your content to the next level then I’m afraid you’ll be fighting an uphill battle.
A great writer is always going to do better than an average writer who uses AI.
What Does the Future Hold For AI Writing Tools?
AI writing tools are on the rise and they will get better and improve over time. After all, that’s what they are programmed to do.
As a result you will see them leave their mark on the world by producing content in all manner of forms.
There is a real opportunity for AI to make an impact in many areas of life, not just the writing space. With new data available everyday and computing power getting more powerful year on year, there really is no ceiling for the capabilities of AI.
Copywriting from Blaze Media
We offer a full range of writing services including content writing and copywriting (written by real humans, not AI…just yet anyway). Whether you require a fully optimised landing page, or require consistent high quality blog content, we can help you.
Please get in touch with us, our specialised in-house writers would love to help you out!