Sure, I Use AI, But Here's Where I Would NEVER Use AI for Writing
What makes good writing in a world where ideas have become a dime a dozen?
First, the internet democratized publishing. Now, with AI tools, anyone can churn out articles or entire books daily. Some readers might not even recognize content as AI-generated. Still, most will sense something off or, at least, lose interest quickly.
Why? Because content saturation has driven readers to become more discerning in the content they consume. If new ideas are not delivered quickly and effectively, they move on to find something else.
Good writing, however, is labor-intensive. Between brainstorming, outlining, researching, and editing, writing even a few sentences of content can be time-consuming and mentally exhausting. Tools like ChatGPT let writers like me sustain quality content for more clients in less time and using less mental energy, though I would never rely on it alone to craft good writing. Still, with a few human interventions, AI can be a major advantage.
1. Evaluate for Value
AI can mimic writing patterns but it doesn’t understand what makes a convincing argument or how to prioritize ideas to have the greatest impact. Subjective filler words and low-value phrases like, “so important,” or “very interesting,” dilute the message rather than add to the reader’s understanding of it, and they often occur in AI-generated writing.
The fix:
Use AI to brainstorm ideas or refine outlines, but always edit its output for value. The title is your first and best chance to grab a reader’s attention with high-value words, and every word after that should convince them to keep reading. Lead with your strongest argument and aim to maximize understanding.
2. Separate Information from Hallucination
AI is a terrible researcher. Its notorious "hallucinations” can fabricate sources and misrepresent facts, leading you to publish misinformation that undermines the credibility you’ve built with your readers.
The fix:
Until it improves, use AI to build and strengthen your knowledge around a concept, event, or individual as it supports your argument, but never trust it to cite or directly link research or data. Instead, Google the idea you need to support, like “employee engagement drives performance,” along with the word “study” or “survey,” and find reliable references faster.
3. Add Creativity
While AI can leverage the history of online knowledge to connect dots and summarize, it can’t create new ideas or innovate. That originality can only come from human creativity—unique personal experiences and perspectives leading to new conclusions beyond what’s been said before.
The fix:
Use AI to develop and refine your understanding of an existing or relevant conversation. Then, inject your personal perspective to create new value. Finding your unique spin makes it easier to write with purpose. This also makes for a more specific prompt when creating an AI-generated first draft and, therefore, a more predictable output.
Leverage your human advantage
Sure, as a writer, I use AI. In fact, it helped me write this blog post. But, it also took hours of reworking and editing to ensure the result was accurate, unique, and worth the time it takes to consume. ChatGPT allowed me to complete the same work in less time, freeing me up to explore more opportunities to refine and improve that value.
For those with great ideas but little time to write them, AI presents an opportunity to scale up content productivity. Still, writing well is an evolving process that depends on our audience. At the end of the day, tools like ChatGPT are just tools, and AI-generated content will only ever be as good as the human crafting it.
If you’re a leader with great ideas for thought leadership content, but not enough time (even with AI) to write, publish, and get it in front of a broad audience, contact us to find out how KNG Services can help!
