Copywriting: Isn't AI cheaper and quicker?

Robots - force for good or evil?

I don't need to tell you that AI is growing at lightning rate and copywriters are not alone in fearing it stealing our jobs... but surely us humans are still better when it comes to writing? AI might be cheaper and quicker, but with writing a fundamentally creative skill, I'm flying the flag high for us writers over the machine.

But just to put my own mind at ease that I know what I'm talking about, I asked Chat GPT the following question - In 150 words describe your child starting school 

And here are the results:​

Watching my child start school was a moment filled with pride, excitement, and a touch of nervousness. Dressed in their little uniform, backpack nearly as big as they were, they walked through the school gates with wide eyes and curious wonder. It felt like a milestone—not just for them, but for me too. My child was eager to make new friends, discover new things, and dive into a world that was entirely their own. I saw their independence begin to bloom as they waved goodbye with a confident smile. Of course, there were tears—mine, mostly—but also immense joy in seeing them grow. Each story they brought home, every drawing and new word, was a sign that they were finding their place in the world. School marks the beginning of a long, beautiful journey, and I feel honoured to walk alongside them, even as they take their first steps alone.

And here's my version:​

As she got ready for bed, we carefully laid out her school uniform together for the morning - brand new white socks, grey skirt, white t-shirt and green school cardigan.

I tucked her into bed and kissed her goodnight, and she said:

‘Mummy, I don’t want to go to school tomorrow. What if no one likes me?’

I felt an aching in my chest for her. How could anyone not love my perfect, precious daughter as much as me? But what if there are mean kids there who pick on her? I wanted to grab her and tell her she didn’t have to go to school. I wasn’t ready.

But I knew she was.

‘Darling, this is where you will make your best friends, some which you might know forever.’

Next morning, she came downstairs fully dressed and asked me to do her hair.

In that moment, I knew she’d be okay.

*************************************************

AI is a brilliant tool, but it can’t feel what it's like to be human. I can because I am one.

Writing is a considered process, it takes time, thought and emotional intelligence, and draws on the personal experiences of the writer. The end result is something which seeks to connect the writer to him/herself, the world around them, and to others.

AI doesn’t (yet) have these capabilities.  

It works by learning to mimic human writing based on content already created, it is not producing original, creative content.

AI also struggles with subtle nuances and contextual understanding that good writers can convey.

So AI may be faster and quicker but it's not better. For now at least.

And that's why you need a copy/content writer for your project.