GenAI
The Problem with AI in Writing
The Boys CS • July 19, 2024
Hey, everyone, Kristine here, and it’s been a year since I first started integrating ChatGPT – or any kind of AI – into my workflow as creative copywriter at The Boys CS. And I thought that now is the perfect time to reflect on my experience. The past year was definitely one of learning: learning not to fear that AI is going to take away my job, learning to coexist and work with it, and learning what it can and can’t do. But it was also a year of experiencing firsthand the problems that come with using AI assistance to write, and that’s what we’re going to go over in this article.
What to watch out for when using AI to write
When you ask people what they’re worried about when it comes to using AI to write, most are concerned about the tone, about how it doesn’t sound “human” and that the content it produces is too “impersonal.” But that’s just one aspect – and a cosmetic one, in my opinion. Easily repaired, like mismatched paint shades or the wrong decor in a house.
What concerns me and what I watch out for are structural errors, those that are so foundationally wrong, it makes your writing shaky and not able to stand on its own. Here are my takeaways after a year of using ChatGPT to assist me in my writing:
- Check for plagiarism. I’m not talking about passing off AI-generated content as homework, academic faculties worry about that enough. I’m talking about how AI models are trained using publicly available, existing works. And that sometimes, they inadvertently generate content with portions that bear significant similarities to already published material. It’s a small chance but I don’t want to risk it getting flagged. Publishing AI-generated content with inadvertent plagiarism can lead to duplicate content. Duplicate content is bad for SEO and can cause a drop in our SERP ranking.
- Validate information. A common problem with ChatGPT is its penchant for generating false information. When using it, ChatGPT sometimes straight up gives me statistics without sources – and when I ask for sources, it gives me links that aren’t relevant. And you know what? Even when I am wrong, ChatGPT does not correct me – and it’s not an isolated case. So to be sure, I cross-reference whatever information ChatGPT gives me or just provide it with the data I want included when I have it.
- Trim the fat. No first draft survives intact – the same is and should be true with AI-generated content. While the grammar is great and the construction is high level, a lot of it is fluff if you look at it closely. There will be a lot of repeated stuff, just worded differently, or just platitudes, clearly written English.
This is not to say that ChatGPT and AI tools are more trouble than they’re worth – they’re actually pretty useful once you’re aware of where they come up short.
What works when using AI to write content
I am still using ChatGPT the same way I used it before: Prompting it for outlines, brainstorming and organising ideas, and generating a draft to check the flow and logic before I go into writing. And I still prompt it with a “please” and “thank you,” just in case Skynet becomes real.
These are what work for me when I use AI to write and develop content:
- Doing my own research. This way, I don’t waste time validating information that ChatGPT spits out. I can also ensure that the information is relevant, current, and from legitimate sources.
- Organising ideas and information into an outline. I know what I want to write, but sometimes, I need help to figure out how to present it and that’s where AI comes in.
- Clarifying my understanding of topics. I know how to write but I am not fluent in industry-specific jargon. ChatGPT is useful in explaining in simple terms what specific jargon or insider expression means.
- Summarising points. ChatGPT cannot come up with new insights unless you lead to it carefully. What it’s great at is summarising points – whether from podcast, video, and audio transcription or long-form reports.
- Repurposing existing copy. Sometimes, certain projects require copies in multiple formats – landing pages, offers, social media posts – that essentially say the same thing but are presented differently. ChatGPT is useful for this with careful prompting and understanding the purpose of each format.
Using AI in Writing: Good or Bad?
The short answer? Neither. It’s a tool, how good or bad it is depends on how you use it and whether you understand what it can and can’t do for you. Once you do, AI tools like ChatGPT can accelerate and scale your production and help you speed through writer’s blocks. Just remember to watch out for its challenges.
If you want to get your content done, but don’t have the time, experience and expertise to navigate the challenges of using AI, The Boys Creative Studio can help. Reach out to us for more information about our copywriting services.
