In the last four weeks, I’ve received more than thirty emails from brands, creators, writers, and editors about the rise of AI writing tools and their potential effects on our industry. Here are 15 of the most recent AI-related subject lines currently sitting in my inbox.

TA#130: How to Write Like Robots Can’t
The politics of ChatGPT
Content marketing is changing…
Here’s what I think about AI for content writing
An interesting message from my client about AI
Will ChatGPT replace editors and authors?
ChatGPT gets schooled
Should freelancers worry about AI?
A Robot Wrote My Press Release
Robot colleagues
9 cool new AI tools to play with
Search results brought to you by ChatGPT
Books, reading rhythms, AI fears?
Do you think robots can replace editors?
The pros and cons of AI

Not only has my inbox been flooded with newsletters on AI-generated content, but the social media airwaves are also all abuzz with hot takes and reassurances from all corners of the internet.

While it seemed like we rang in the new year with alarm bells over the use of tools like ChatGPT, some editors were talking about AI months before it exploded onto the scene. During a networking call for editors in the fall of 2022, when asked about industry trends for 2023, several colleagues and I discussed our predictions about the increased popularity of AI-generated content and what that would mean for writers and editors alike.

The conclusion? AI-generated content is on the rise, but high-quality, value-driven content written by humans, for humans, is still in high demand.

In fact, many of my clients have expressed their preference for articles with relevant statistics, fresh perspectives, human stories, timely cultural references, deep analysis, thoughtful arguments, and a powerful call to action.

This doesn’t mean writers can’t use AI to help with content development. But it does mean that copying and pasting an AI-generated article and submitting it for publication is a no-go.

So, what does that mean for writers and editors who are creating and revising content in 2023?

I recently sat down with Nadia Geagea Pupa, co-founder of Pique Publishing, to discuss AI and the future of editing on her new podcast, The Editor’s Half Hour.

The Editor's Half Hour Podcast Interview with Ellen Polk

What are AI writing tools good for?

While many creatives are lamenting the recent popularity of AI writing tools—and rightfully so—these platforms can be useful. An AI writing tool can speed up the writing process, help with content and headline ideation, support non-native English speakers, ensure consistency across large documents or multiple texts, and provide learning opportunities to hone your writing and editing skills.

1. Speeding up the writing process

This is the most common argument for leveraging AI writing tools that I hear from marketers, copywriters, and content writers. While you shouldn’t blindly publish an AI-generated blog article, email, or social media post, many argue that AI can provide you with a solid rough draft. From there, you can revise and rewrite the AI-generated content to create something unique and engaging that offers a high value for your audience.

2. Content and headline ideation

Struggling to come up with something to write? Can’t seem to land on a catchy headline? AI writing tools can help you develop content topics and headlines to grab your readers’ attention. It’s like having a co-worker to bounce ideas off of. That said, the suggestions created by your AI tool of choice will only be as good as the information and parameters you put into the system, so you’re not totally off the hook.

3. Supporting non-native English speakers

This is one argument in favor of AI writing tools that I don’t hear as often, but I think it’s equally valid as the others I’ve included in this list. If English isn’t your first language, it can be difficult to create content that is error-free, concise, and follows the speech and writing patterns of native English speakers. An AI writing or editing tool can be a great way to make your writing easy to read for your audience.

4. Consistency across large documents

Editors can use AI tools to ensure consistency across large documents or multiple texts. Want to make sure the spelling of eCommerce (or is it e-commerce or ecommerce) is the same on page fifty of a case study as it is on page one? Aside from referencing your style sheet or your client’s preferred style guide, an AI tool can quickly check for consistency and flag any errors.

5. Learning opportunities and skill development

Above all, using an AI writing or editing tool should be about learning. Why did it recommend changing “that” to “who”? What makes this headline successful? What type of organization works best for a case study? How can you avoid passive voice?

Blindly accepting suggestions from your AI tool is a fast track to failure, and you’ll probably end up doing more work than if you thought critically about the suggestions you’re being given. (I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve rejected a recommended change from Grammarly.) AI is great at sourcing and collating information from the depths of the internet, but critical thinking isn’t something an AI tool can do for you.

Should you be worried about AI taking your job?

The short answer? No.

Unfortunately, some companies and executives see AI as a way to reduce their staff or cut back on freelance contracts. While this may provide short-term cost savings, investing in quality content that is tailored to your specific audience and niche will always yield better long-term results.

Keep in mind that AI-generated content is just bits and pieces of other content that have already been published on the internet. And while it may not be outright plagiarism (although some will argue that it is), it’s certainly not original, and you won’t be publishing any hot takes or fresh perspectives if you rely on AI to do your work for you.

It’s also worth remembering that AI doesn’t know your audience. Relationship building and responding to the wants and needs of your audience in your community or niche are not tasks you can offload onto an AI tool. Sure, AI can help you automate and streamline your processes, but humans crave a human touch. We all want to feel heard and listened to. And right now, the power of human connection and storytelling is still the best way to build an engaged and loyal audience.

How to set yourself apart as a writer or editor?

Even with all their glitches and growing pains, AI writing tools are here to stay. So what does this mean for writers and editors who want to stand out in their industry?

1. Learn about the current AI debate

Even if you don’t plan on using any sort of AI tool in your work, it’s worth taking some time to understand how the tools work, why people are using them, and the arguments for and against using AI to generate written content. This way, you can form an educated opinion on the issue and clearly communicate your position with your clients.

2. Establish your skills

Whether or not you incorporate AI into your writing or editing routine, I bet you have unique skills, resources, expertise, or experiences to offer your clients or audience. These characteristics are what will set you apart from the competition.

An editor specializing in nonfiction work for the last five years can provide a greater depth of analysis than someone who is just running a manuscript through an AI editor. A writer with previous experience as a destination event planner will have more insights into the best restaurants to visit in Lake Como than someone who asks an AI tool to write up a list of the best restaurants in the Lake Como area.

3. Remember quality over quantity

There is undoubtedly data to support this claim, but I believe the value of a few pieces of high-quality work outweighs the value of a large number of sub-par pieces of work. If you publish enough mediocre, unhelpful articles, your audience will lose trust in you and stop reading your work. Even worse, they may not want to work with you for fear of making a bad investment.

On the other hand, if you’re creating content that’s engaging, unique, trustworthy, data-driven, easy to read and skim, well-organized, and speaks directly to your audiences’ wants and needs, you can position yourself as an expert in your industry and build long-lasting relationships with readers and clients.

4. Be transparent

As they say, honesty is the best policy. If you’re using AI as part of your content creation process, I’d encourage you to be transparent with your clients or community about how and why you’re leveraging tools and software to improve the quality of your work or the quality of your workflow. Again, it’s all about increasing trust and setting expectations with our clients, colleagues, and community.

Should you use AI?

Here’s something I’ve seen floating around newsletters, blogs, and social media posts recently: You may not lose your job to AI, but you will lose your job to someone who has learned how to leverage AI to streamline their work.

I’m 50/50 on that hot take.

You may not lose your job to AI, but you must be able to articulate your stance on the issue and hone in on the skills and unique perspective you bring to the table that set you apart from any Joe Schmoe who created a ChatGPT account yesterday.

Whether or not you incorporate AI or any other writing and editing software into your creative practice or business is a personal decision. But it’s important to remember that when it comes down to it, an AI writing tool is only as good as the writer who wields it.