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Despite ChatGPT’s clear advantages, only human beings can understand and connect with other human beings. For this reason, human-written content will always deliver the most long-term value. But as a willing co-pilot, tasked with doing research and other robotic tasks, ChatGPT could be a blessing. Steve Marcinuk, co-founder of Intelligent Relations, explains more…
It’s inevitable. A great deal of digital content that was once written by human beings will soon be written by AI. ChatGPT has so many applications in industries like media and marketing, it’s almost foolish not to use it.
And though ChatGPT’s initial outputs were notably shallow and generic, the technology is steadily learning to write in a variety of styles and voices. Consequently, the need for entry-level human writers is shrinking by the second, and their more experienced predecessors are rethinking their functions and their futures.
At the heart of this discussion lies the question of how consumers will treat human-written versus AI-generated outputs. My belief is that as ChatGPT evolves, human writers will do the same, triggering a significant increase in the value of genuinely human-sounding content, especially in media and marketing.
Human-written vs. AI outputs
Think back to the last time you were scrolling through article headlines for something interesting to read. Which titles caught your attention? I’m going to bet it was the articles that presented the most bold and original ideas. Whether it was a new take on an established topic or an exploration into a widely overlooked area, the idea for each of these articles was birthed inside the mind of a human being and likely fueled by some kind of creativity that is uniquely human.
ChatGPT, on the other hand, is by definition incapable of original thought because its outputs are derived entirely from predictive models. Everything it says has already been published somewhere on the Internet. So AI has no ability to develop an original point of view, craft a compelling argument, or even create something that people actually want to read, at least not on its own.
Secondly, while ChatGPT can certainly perform research and craft readable text, it cannot fulfill the core responsibility of any successful writer, and that is to connect with other human beings. The cornerstones of connection are empathy and authenticity, both of which are singular human traits.
In the marketing space, for example, copywriters must incorporate the brand identities of their clients to sound like an authentic representation of these brands. Marketing copywriters must also evoke empathy by tailoring their work to the preferences and character traits of their target audiences. ChatGPT cannot write with authenticity and empathy because familiarity with a brand or audience cannot be obtained through a Google search. It can only be generated through actual experience with these brands and audiences.
ChatGPT’s impact
Right now, ChatGPT’s outputs are basically indistinguishable from that of an average human writer. The key word here is “average.” Most human writers possess the skills to create much more than “average” content, but this potential often gets lost in the industry’s emphasis on productivity and efficiency.
In the coming years, however, ChatGPT could become the best practice for generating content that’s meant to be written and published as quickly as possible. For example, a media organization could use ChatGPT to continuously post summaries of long-form news stories. Likewise, a PR agency could use ChatGPT to write pitch emails to send to dozens of journalists in a given day. Tedious and repetitive tasks of this nature are better suited for a robot than a copywriter.
Once ChatGPT takes the reins on formulaic short-form content, writers will have more time to come up with original ideas and inject more authenticity into their work. Moreover, the massive influx of AI outputs will create a hunger among audiences for writing that reflects real human-to-human communication. As a result, human-written content will sound more genuine and knowledgeable than ever, making it much easier for brands and publishers to establish meaningful connections with their audiences.
Long-form marketing content, for instance, will be more focused on reflecting a brand’s values and communicating helpful information in order to build loyalty and trust. It will be more specific, insightful, and less general. This could theoretically become the main way consumers discern human-written marketing content from AI outputs: specific knowledge that can only come from human experience.
Mastering ChatGPT
ChatGPT can also help improve the quality of human-written content by assisting writers with one of the most time-consuming aspects of their jobs: research. It’s not uncommon for copywriters and journalists to spend more time combing through lengthy articles for research than actually writing up the results.
Enter ChatGPT. Once writers find useful articles during research, ChatGPT can provide bullet-point summaries, as well as a series of suggested quotes. This can help writers uncover trends and common themes about a certain topic.
Combing through numerous lengthy articles takes up precious time and energy, inhibiting the writer’s efficiency and creativity alike. Once ChatGPT assumes this responsibility, writers will have their full brain power at their disposal for the genuinely creative tasks. Thanks to ChatGPT, writers can spend the majority of their days doing what they love and leave the research to their personal robot assistants.
Speaking of exhaustion, even the most seasoned writers sometimes struggle to put their thoughts into words or compose a fitting topic sentence. You’d be hard-pressed to find a writer who hasn’t stared at a blank page for hours on end, trying to figure out how to start a new piece. In this situation, ChatGPT can get the ball rolling by instantly composing an introductory paragraph on a particular topic, giving the writer the momentum to get started.
More blessing than curse
The rise of ChatGPT presents numerous opportunities for skilled writers to showcase the depth of their experience-powered knowledge. Unburdened by tedious responsibilities, their work can focus on fulfilling the ultimate goal of forming meaningful connections between brands and consumers, publishers and audiences. Despite ChatGPT’s myriad talents, only human beings can understand and connect with other human beings. For this reason, human-written content will always deliver the most long-term value.
Steve Marcinuk
Co-Founder, Intelligent Relations
Intelligent Relations provides a cutting-edge PR platform with a comprehensive suite of tools to help anyone achieve their communications goals. Our AI-powered technology automates and simplifies PR ideation and outreach, and our journalist matching algorithms ensure that users send pitches to the right influencers who matter most in their industry. At Intelligent Relations, we democratize access to the media.
