Is AI Going to Replace Copywriters?
When Copy AI and Chat GPT first came on the scene, I was in denial. With a Bachelor’s in English and Philosophy, as well as an editing certificate I refused to believe that technology could replace my job after I had spent years writing in all sorts of mediums to expand my portfolio and grow as a copywriter in the marketing field.
But with my coworkers utilizing AI to help with digital ads and social media captions, I was becoming more intrigued. 2023 for me was a hard year in my personal life which transferred professionally to finding myself in a creative slump. I knew what I needed to write for my clients but I couldn’t bring myself to start the writing process and didn’t know how to solve it.
In university it’s easier to get away with procrastination because the only person you are affecting is yourself. But in the real world, you have clients and contracts and deadlines.
So, slowly but surely I started using Chat GPT to get my creative juices flowing and boy, did it make a difference. “5 blog ideas for a cider company this summer”, “Summarize this technical article in simple terms”,”Re-word this intro to sound more professional”. These were just a few prompts I made to help me complete my work to reach the deadlines.
My stubbornness to avoid using AI in my writing process only hindered me and now I will always use it at the start of projects to get me ahead.
The expectations in the marketing world are changing so quickly, in just 4 years all the rules and algorithms have changed so much that every month there’s new data and more competition that all marketers have to consider when updating strategies. AI is the only way to keep up because everyone is using it.
So here is my opinion on the big question: Will AI replace copywriters?
My short answer (and unpopular opinion) is no, but it is more complicated than that.
AI is incredibly important, and as a passionate writer in marketing I see the value it has when being in a field that is fast-paced and thrives on quantity over quality sometimes. However, AI is NOT perfect.
Most talented writers and experienced people with AI copy can spot it from a mile away. At the end of the day, it’s a machine. Developers can try their best to implement tone and voice into code, but technology cannot beat the human emotion talented writers can display.
There are marketers and agencies that have started to cut corners by removing copywriters from their team and having other positions use AI to provide copy to clients. I have already experienced so much AI written copy provided by these types of people/companies that have failed to deliver the authentic voice and branding of the client because they believe copy is an easy thing to provide (pro-tip, it’s not).
The way I look at it, AI is a tool FOR writers and not a means to replace them. Good agencies should understand this and value copywriting first and foremost because the beginning stages of every project in marketing is the copy.
Final Thoughts:
My main tip for young copywriters and experienced copywriters not knowing how to feel about AI: learn it.
Utilize it in your writing and creation process to elevate what you can deliver. Because companies now will expect you to do so, and if you don’t keep up with the demand you will ultimately be replaced by someone who will or AI altogether.
Don’t be stubborn like myself, we writers are very attached to our process and are quick to shut down anything that threatens it. But I am telling you, AI will be the future of this field and will only get better over time.
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