I’ve been a full-time freelance writer for more than 16 years now. Up until recently, whenever someone asked what I do for a living and I told them, they’d usually reply with something like, “Wow, that’s interesting! What kind of writing do you do? Where do your articles appear?”
This changed about a year ago. Now when I tell people I’m a freelance writer, the first thing they say is, “Do you think AI is going to replace you?”
AI is Changing the Game
There’s no question that artificial intelligence is changing the way that content is created. About three years ago I got my first taste of AI-generated content, and it was awful. I couldn’t see how it would ever replace content written by human beings.
Well, AI-generated content has come a long way since then, mainly due to the emergence of ChatGPT over the past couple of years. Chat can now “write” articles and blogs that, on a quick glance, are almost indistinguishable from content written by humans.
Among the writers and content creators I follow, the debate has shifted from “should we be using AI to create content?” to “how can we use AI as part of the content creation process?” One of these influencers is Ed Gandia, a business coach for established copywriters and content marketing professionals.
Ed argues that it’s time to stop debating whether AI-generated content is as good as content written by humans. It isn’t.
“If we keep wasting time arguing this point, we’re going to miss out on the real opportunity to incorporate AI where it can really help us as writers,” Ed told me. “A much more interesting conversation is how we can incorporate AI into our copywriting workflow.”
How to Use AI Effectively
One of Ed’s favorite ways to use AI is to synthesize ideas and data. “For example, AI can help you synthesize multiple viewpoints or findings from different sources into a coherent narrative,” he explains. “This is particularly useful for pieces like feature articles, discussion papers or comprehensive reports where balanced coverage is essential.”
Here are a few other ideas from Ed:
- For content that revolves around a central theme or topic, AI can assist in pulling together various sub-themes or related ideas into a structured format. “For example, categorizing information by themes, identifying connections between them and suggesting a logical flow for presenting these ideas,” says Ed.
- If you’re working on a piece that covers multiple viewpoints or findings from different sources, you can use AI to help you synthesize these into a coherent narrative. “This is particularly useful for pieces like feature articles, discussion papers or comprehensive reports where balanced coverage is essential,” says Ed.
- If you’re developing educational content or in-depth guides, AI can synthesize instructions, best practices, FAQs and tips into a comprehensive, easy-to-understand format.
- AI can help you create new concepts or models based on existing ideas or trends. “This might involve combining elements from different theories or practices to propose a new framework or approach that addresses current challenges or gaps,” says Ed.
Will AI Kill Creativity?
Some people are saying that AI is going to kill writing creativity. Ed strongly disagrees.
“That’s not going to happen,” he says, “and I urge you not to buy into the hysteria. The notion presents a false choice: that we either keep ideating the way we always have, or we turn the whole process over to AI. But any professional worth their salt will quickly see the problems with this approach.”
Ed has also seen commentary from writers and marketers that essentially say using AI in your writing workflow is cheating. “I truly don’t believe this as long as you, the writer, remain at the helm,” he says. “Use AI tools wisely, experiment and try new things to coax the best stuff out of these tools. Play around with it and learn how to prompt more effectively.”
For example, AI can be your brainstorming buddy. “It will keep the creativity flowing steadily, and that’s the key to maintaining high creative output,” says Ed. “AI can be an excellent sparring partner that keeps you in the creative zone for longer.”
Staying Relevant in the Age of AI
The essential question for many writers — heck, for almost any professional — right now is: How do I stay relevant in the age of AI? Ed encourages writers to maximize a part of our brains that AI still can’t replicate, at least not yet — critical thinking.
“I firmly believe that the future won’t belong to those who memorize formulas or mimic case studies,” he says. “It will belong to those who ask the tough questions, dig deeper and see what the AI models can’t—a new way forward.
“That’s the kind of thinking we need in the age of AI. Because the machines can’t match us in imagination, curiosity and human ingenuity.”