Let’s be honest: The world is freaking out about the AI writing tool ChatGPT.
Universities are trying to crack down on AI-fed plagiarism and even artists are having a hard time fighting against the tidal wave of AI art. It’s easy to assume that content gigs are going down the tubes.
I’ve seen more brands embracing AI tools in their own content marketing campaigns. Heck, I can’t lie: I’ve tried a few of these tools myself to see what all of the hubbub is about.
While AI writing tools can have a use in your business, they just don’t replace human content creation. Let’s look at why ChatGPT isn’t a great replacement for human content creators — and what this tool is best used for.
5 reasons why humans are better than ChatGPT
1. ChatGPT doesn’t optimize for SEO
I’ve seen several freelance job postings by businesses that want freelancers to take ChatGPT content and optimize it in tools like Surfer SEO or Clearscope.
That might seem like a cost-effective way to create SEO-optimized content, but you’re doing SEO backward. You’re supposed to optimize for SEO before you write content. Otherwise, it’s like trying to fit a round peg into a square hole — and your content will suffer for it.
If you’re worried about ranking in search engines (and you should), it’s best to let a human writer handle content creation from start to finish. This way, you know your content ticks all of the boxes for SEO.
By the way, did you know that the Google algorithm identifies AI-generated content as spam? It goes against the search engine’s guidelines, so you certainly won’t get on Google’s good side if you write all of your copy with ChatGPT.
2. You can tell an AI wrote it
Not to freak you out, but tools like GPTZero make it possible for anyone to analyze your content and determine if an AI wrote it. I’ve tested GPTZero and it wasn’t always able to spot AI-written content, but even so, anti-AI tools will become more sophisticated over time.
If you’re writing most of your content with ChatGPT, people will find out. That isn’t the end of the world, of course, but it isn’t a good look from a PR perspective. If your competitors find out you write your content with AI, it could give them an opportunity that you don’t want them to have.
3. ChatGPT has capacity issues
Everyone and their mother is trying to use this tool right now. Half of the times I’ve tried to play with ChatGPT, it isn’t available because of demand.
You know who is available to work?
Humans. Just sayin’.
Plus, if you use ChatGPT religiously, it’s yet another tool in your tech stack that you have to manage. If you rely on it and it isn’t available — or doesn’t generate quite what you need — you’ll still need to create content yourself.
4. ChatGPT lacks personality
Yes, ChatGPT can mimic the personality and tone, but it isn’t original. Plus, if your brand voice is different from what ChatGPT spits out, guess what? You have to rewrite the entire piece in your own voice anyway.
5. AI writing tools aren’t generative
This is my biggest gripe with AI writers as a whole. AI works by sourcing available data to synthesize content. Sure, this tech is great at sifting through a ton of information to create meaning, but it isn’t creating anything … new.
ChatGPT is fine if you want to be a follower instead of a leader, but if you want to say something that no one else has said before, ChatGPT isn’t right for you.
This is the reason why I believe interviews are going to become much more valuable in content marketing. Humans are the only ones capable of generating new information, stories, and opinions. If you want to stand out in a sea of content cursed by copycats, human writers are where it’s at.
When you should use ChatGPT
I’m not knocking AI writers completely. I’ve used them in the past and they can help you save time. But even so, I would only recommend businesses use ChatGPT in these situations:
- You need a starting point: If you have a topic or keyword and you need direction for your content, ChatGPT can give you a framework to start with. You can take its high-level ideas and then refine them with your own research and personality.
- You don’t want originality: I don’t mean this in a negative way. Sometimes businesses truly do need summaries of existing research. If you want to rehash what’s been said about a certain topic, ChatGPT could help you save time.
- You need to translate content quickly: Did you know that AI writing tools can automatically translate your content into multiple languages? If you serve an international audience, you can use AI tools to translate content. I would still double-check that everything is truly localized, though.
- You just need to say something: Small businesses often get behind on their content calendars. It isn’t unusual for a small biz to post a lot of content on social media and then suddenly go silent. If you don’t care too much about what you’re saying and just need to quickly put something on the internet, ChatGPT can help your business look more active online.
The Future: AI and Humans Working Together
It’s easy to assume that the sky is falling, but I don’t believe AI will replace human content creation. In my opinion, tools like ChatGPT signal an evolution in content development. Technology won’t take away our jobs, but it will change how humans work.
Of course, how you react to this evolution will affect your business’s content. Like the other tools businesses use, AI writers like ChatGPT are sometimes a fit, and sometimes you’re better off hiring a human to write content for you.
Tech isn’t a blanket replacement for human labor. While ChatGPT could benefit your biz in some situations, it’s often faster and cheaper to just hire a human to create content for you.