Why AI Won’t Replace Copywriters
Written by Kelsie Pisors - August 2024
AI tools are taking the spotlight these days, and while AI itself isn’t a new concept, the recent excitement is driven by impressive advancements in natural language processing. Natural language processing (or NLP) has advanced AI‘s ability to understand the subtleties and complexities of human speech and tone.
You’re probably thinking, that’s interesting, but what does it mean for me?
Well, today, we’re going to dive into how the development of natural language processing in AI tools will impact writers and shape the future of copywriting.
What Is Copywriting?
Copywriting implements the art of persuasion to convey a message at the right time in the right place.
Copywriters must have a keen ability to:
Understand their target audience’s needs
Use strategic language that will influence them to take action.
To convince a potential client to accept an offer and convert, it’s essential to frame and structure information intentionally to maximize its impact.
Copywriting comes in many forms, such as product descriptions, social media copy, marketing emails, sales letters, and basically any form of advertising or promotional copy meant to convert a potential client.
Should You Feel Threatened By AI?
So if the main goal of a copywriter is to influence potential clients to take a desired action and boost sales, how will AI impact their job and the copywriting process? Could AI even replace them?
First off, here’s the good news:
AI isn’t going to replace human thinkers and writers anytime soon.
It’s important to keep in mind that even the latest advancements in tools such as OpenAI (who invented ChatGPT) are limited by their reliance on human input to generate responses to any given prompt. This human dependency ensures that copywriters remain at the forefront of creative thought. Given this, let’s talk about the function of AI and their limitations.
AI Writing Versus Human Writing
AI tools work by pulling information from their databases, which include a collection of public internet data, licensed content, and input from their human trainers.The trainers have created an algorithm that finds patterns and then instantly produces content on a given topic.
When you feed AI software a prompt, it will typically generate responses of about 300-500 words. To achieve the best results, the prompt must contain highly specific parameters. The more concise the parameters of the prompt, the better quality the machine’s response—and the fewer headaches you’ll get from having to redirect the tool!
However, building on the idea of human dependency, the speed at which AI tools can produce content, while impressive, does not indicate superiority to human thinkers.
Practicing writers are prized for their ability to come up with fresh and original ideas. And a system designed to search and produce content based on previously existing information is obviously not capable of having original thoughts.
Despite this, AI has been shown to excel at writing short copy, such as product advertisements. This is because the limited word count allows it to string together generic sales language. But what happens when AI is asked to write longer form copy such as a video script, email, or a sales letter? Spoiler: It doesn’t go very well. And that’s because those forms of copy require that special touch of human creativity.
The #1 Reason Why AI Can’t Replace You
The most persuasive copywriting speaks to an audience by conveying a common thread in human experiences. In other words, people tend to respond to writing that reflects a meaningful aspect of their own lives. Copywriters frame these shared human experiences through compelling stories, which are far more likely to captivate an audience than a robotic list of facts. Stories hold the power to create an emotional connection, and a great copywriter knows that their value lies in their storytelling ability.
One form of copywriting that employs storytelling and can provide an extra layer of value (and job security) to your services is writing long-form sales letters. This unique kind of copy demands mastery of persuasion and an ability to form an emotional connection with the target audience. It requires an ability to craft personalized language and a powerfully written narrative that will resonate with the reader.Though this type of copywriting is more time-intensive, AI can still help speed up the initial planning process, boosting both your efficiency and ultimately your revenue
Using AI to Your Advantage
So at this point, we know that AI excels in writing short copy, and lengthier copy?—well…not so much. However, you may still choose to incorporate it as a part of your creative writing process, regardless of the length of your content. A great way to leverage AI tools is to eliminate “writer’s block.” By writing an input with specific parameters, you can prompt the tool to generate a list of ideas to spark your creative juices or give you an organized outline for an article. You can then take the tool’s good response and make it great by “humanizing” the content to fit your project’s specific requirements. By giving the tool a clear brief, it will work to increase your productivity and eliminate long brainstorming sessions. As a result, you can spend more of your valuable time writing and editing instead of sitting in front of a blank page.
Here are some great tools to consider using to improve your writing process:
ChatGPT
Gemini
Claude
Jasper
Hypotenuse
SurferSEO
Thankfully, AI will not be replacing copywriters anytime soon. Although AI excels in generating content based on patterns and existing data, it lacks the creativity and emotional depth that human copywriters bring to the table. The art of persuasive writing, especially in long-form content and storytelling, relies heavily on human insight and empathy. This unique ability to craft compelling narratives and connect on an emotional level is beyond the reach of AI.
Instead of viewing AI as a threat, copywriters should see it as a powerful ally. AI tools can enhance productivity from providing initial drafts to offering creative prompts. This allows writers to focus their energies on refining and personalizing content, adding that essential human touch. By embracing AI as a supportive tool and sharpening their skills in long-form copy, copywriters can ensure the continued success of the human copywriting industry.