Curious if or how I use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in my writing? The answer, as with so many things, is “It depends.”
Reported Articles
I record my interviews with subject matter experts with their permission. I may use AI to transcribe those interviews. However, I go back and check that every word is accurate before I use the transcript.
After I write the article, I use Grammarly to check my spelling, grammar, and for awkward phrases.
I disclose both these uses to the person who commissioned the article.
Content
Content is informational writing that is typically used in a blog post or social media post.
I may use AI to:
- Brainstorm ideas
- Give me a summary of the literature on the topic
- Write a rough draft of a post
- Check the final document for grammar, typos, and flow
I always use my knowledge of the subject to expand what I get from AI.
AI can copy what other people say are the facts. It does not have access to my experience or the judgment to discern the trustworthiness of the source. In addition, AI is known to hallucinate (make stuff up). I always check every fact to make sure it is correct.
No content goes to you unless I have revised it and checked it for accuracy.
Copywriting
Copywriting is persuasive writing designed to get the reader to perform an action. That may be sign-up for a newsletter, buy a project, or join a group.
I may use AI to:
- Help develop an ideal customer persona for a brand
- Help develop a style guide for a brand
- Brainstorm ideas
- Read the copy to me
- Suggest fresh analogies, examples, or better headlines
- Find holes or omissions in the argument I am making
- Find additional pain points to cover
- Write a rough draft
- Check for spelling and grammar mistakes
Again, I use my judgment to revise anything produced by AI.
I have the judgment to weigh the trustworthiness of sources, the truth of “facts”, and whether the copy is persuasive, true, and aligns with the brand reputation.
I do not share sensitive information with generative AI. Any data I use will be anonymized. I do not let tools use the information I give them to “learn” and make sure privacy and security features are implemented.
I revise every piece of copy and check every fact before I send it to my clients.
If your business prohibits or restricts the use of AI, I will abide by those rules. However, it will take me longer to produce the product.
Why not use AI to write the whole thing?
- AI needs to be trained to write in a particular brand voice. This training needs to be reinforced frequently.
- AI does not have the experience to discern correct information from incorrect information. It will repeat frequently cited mistakes.
- AI is very literal, and prompts must be worded with care to obtain the desired results.
- AI may sound like it understands emotions, but it is merely repeating what others have written in similar circumstances.
- Sometimes, AI goes nuts and writes persuasive lies that must be caught by more experienced humans.
I view AI as a gung-ho junior writer who can do mundane things like keep billable hours, do administrative tasks, and make suggestions, but who doesn’t have the experience or judgment to go it alone. AI is just one tool among many that lets me write the content and copy you need to convert.
