What copywriters want you to know about AI
Imagine if we all just started using typewriters to write copy again? | Photo by Luca Onniboni on Unsplash
Sneaky peek of what’s inside:
Ethics are shady. See: Copyright concerns, bias, environmental impact
AI can support your creativity and strategic thinking when used well
It’s your chance to double down on better messaging and stand TF out
AI’s inevitable, but can create a lot of cringey content if you’re not careful
Most copywriters have had a few experiences like this:
You're at a gathering or making small talk with your partner’s third cousin. They ask what you do.
You say, "I'm a copywriter."
Once they understand you’re not a copyRIGHTER, they say: “So what do you think about AI? It’s pretty amazing what it can do, huh? Are you worried about losing work?”
Cue the polite smile (or blatant mouth vomit). Here we go again.
Depending on your stance, you probably offer some version of this: “It’s useful for certain things, but my clients still want and need the human touch.”
On the one hand, I get why the AI question comes to mind so often when people hear “writer” in your job title.
On the other, I can’t help but wonder: WTF?
Also, are people in other fields getting those questions too?? Because AI isn’t just coming for writers. Please let me know if you have.
But this isn’t a doomsday story or shame train, promise.
No matter what industry you’re in, if you’re a business owner, you probably need copy and/or use AI.
I’m a firm believer in soaking up as many perspectives as you can when it comes to anything, including those two topics.
Apparently, the people want to know what copywriters think. So instead of going on a solo existential spiral this time around, I decided to ask my fellow word nerds to chime in.
I can’t capture every single copywriter’s opinion or even every angle of the AI conundrum in one blog post. I relied on responses to my Instagram stories and in a Slack community I’m in. The replies I got were a pretty solid representation of the conversations I’ve been surrounded by online and in copywriter groups.
It’s a snapshot of the nuanced convos copywriters are having. Maybe you’re having them too?
Here’s what they said.
First off, em dashes are a sure-fire sign you’ve used AI
KIDDING.
If you have no idea what this is referencing, I envy you.
Moving on. — — —
Let’s start light… AI’s got an ethics problem
From programmed bias to copyright and intellectual property problemos, the ethics are, shall we say…complicated.
“AI is unethical,” Erin Cafferty said. “Since it can’t have its own opinion (it’s not real), it steals from humans.”
Then there are the environmental aspects, as each AI query consumes a butt-ton of water and energy.
“Literally balancing a very wobbly line between yay, awesome and boo hiss!” said Sarah Wayte.
“It’s a fine line between ‘AI is such an awesome tool’ and ‘Ugh, it’s where imagination goes to die,’ not to mention the environmental impact weighs so heavily on me. But then damn it’ll spit something out that wows me and I end up coming back to it. It’s a real love/hate, marmite kind of relationship for me.”
Nadia Amer mentioned, “Last night I also got a DM about the ethical implications of using AI and that’s something I know I gotta think on too. So it’s definitely a many-legged octopus 🐙”
While we’re all still learning about the intricacies of AI ethics, I suppose the first step is being aware that these problems exist and staying curious about them. Then decide if you’re going to partake, and how you will.
It’s kind of like eating meat, driving a car, or using social media owned by bad apple billionaires.
If you’re going to do it (which, let’s be real, the majority of us are), know the context. This way, you can manage your use, have meaningful conversations about it, and advocate for improvements.
Ignorance is…well, you know.
At the same time, it can genuinely support creativity and strategic thinking
Despite the ethical tension, many copywriters aren’t abandoning AI. Loads are finding smart, strategic ways to use it.
That includes Eman Ismail. “Love it! Such a great tool for promoting and encouraging creativity,” she said.
My inbox and social media feeds are full of copywriters promoting tools, courses, and prompts to help business owners make the most of it.
Will it completely bite us in the ass? Only time can tell!
In my copywriter communities, we often talk about how we can use it to make certain processes more efficient without sacrificing our human perspectives and creativity, which are still so very needed.
Also, when I’m copy coaching inside The Elopement Photographer Mastermind, the group members, other coaches, and I share ideas for using AI to improve the photographer’s DIY copy. It just makes sense (as long as you do it well—see the next point).
Business owners are often stretched thin. We’ve always looked for tools to make our processes, work, and lives better. AI could be one of those tools, if you want it to be.
AI has created an opportunity to adapt your message and stand out even more
If you’re in an industry where certain clients are turning to AI instead of hiring a professional, Krista Walsh said it could actually be a good thing if you play your cards right.
Krista explained how AI is creating an opportunity to strengthen your positioning.
“Speaking to the fear of losing clients to AI: There have always been options out there for clients who just wanted it done/done the cheapest way,” Krista said.
“Before it was other freelancers or churn and burn agencies. Now we’ve added AI to the mix. This is a moment to double down on your positioning as an expert with lived experience and client results and your own philosophies and strategies and lean away from any messaging that forces you to be treated as a commodity… so get away from messaging about ’saving you time’ or ‘here’s what I do, choose what you want.’ In other words, talk about why you’re the expert premium clients are looking for, not someone who ‘needs XYZ service done’.”
It’s true. Also, copywriters in particular aren’t new to people doubting their importance, as Anika Rose pointed out. (e.g. Typically, designers have always gotten more of the branding and website love…Don’t worry, I love you, designers, and I know you get it🙏)
“People have always thought writing is easy to do,” Anika said. “Before it was DIYing because you were good in English class. Now it’s AI. Copywriting has never really been about how well you write. It’s been about making sales.”
You’re probably going to use AI, but if you do, PLEASE use it well
One of the biggest common threads I hear from copywriters is essentially: It’s inevitable, but it needs good guidance and editing.
“Clients are going to use it. They just are. No getting around it,” Nadia Amer said.
“So for me, it’s not about hating, liking or loving it, the question is, how can I help people to use it in a way that supports their brand messaging so it enhances their work like great lip filler 👄 and not totally destroys their brand message like a botched facelift. Yah know?”
Sterling Schuyler pointed out how many people are killing their brand voice because they’re relying too heavily on what AI spits out without proper prompting and editing.
“My issue with AI is not necessarily the technology itself, but how people use it,” Sterling said. “People copy/paste the responses without shaping it to sound like themselves, which to me says that people don't care about losing their voices to the internet. Everyone sounds the same: they use the same formulaic formats, the same rhythmic cadences, the same buzz words, the same emoji punctuations.”
“It makes me sad that people are writing for an algorithm (but maybe it's always been that way). If people care about sounding like themselves but want to use AI to save time, they should work with copywriters to create tone of voice prompt guides. It'll save them time with prompting and editing, while still preserving their own tone of voice.”
I agree. If you're going to use AI, cool. But don't skip the stumble.
The brain-dumping, word-vomiting, slow-processing, talk-throughing. That's where you start figuring out what your voice and message actually are.
The stumble gets glossed over if you go straight to the bots. We can clean it up after we enjoy the mess.
Where there’s a mess, there’s a message, remember?
As Kjell Vandevyvere suggested, “When you write with AI, don’t consider yourself the client. Act as a thoughtful editor.”
So what’s your stance?
Are you all-in, all-out, or somewhere in the middle?
Are you sick and tired of talking about it, ready to wage war on the robot rambling?
Slide into my DMs and let me know.
Speaking of messes and messages…
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