AI: why your copy needs a human touch
Experts predict artificial intelligence (AI) could automate 300 million full-time jobs worldwide. So, will the rise of machines mean the fall of human copywriters?
In my (not-so-humble) opinion: not a chance. But you won’t catch me going all Sarah Connor on ChatGPT—I don’t see it as the enemy.
I view AI like a precocious intern who’s always impossibly fresh and full of suggestions. It’s great for kicking off your research (as long as you fact check!). But it shouldn’t be left to run the whole project.
AI is a great productivity tool. But, like any tool, it needs human understanding and implementation to get the best results.
Here are five reasons why human copywriters are vital for crafting copy that connects with your audience:
1. Writing is only a small part of what I do
If you hire me to work on a project, I do a lot of groundwork before I write a single word.
My process includes:
Asking the right questions to learn what’s important to you and what makes you unique.
Getting to know your target audience, so I can work out how your product or service solves a problem for them.
Checking out your competitors to identify opportunities.
Immersing myself in your brand voice, so your copy reflects your personality. (If you haven’t found your unique voice yet, don’t worry, I can help with that too.)
This process can help refine your original plan or lead us in new directions. That’s what collaboration is about, right? And that’s another thing a machine can’t do.
I only start to write once my research and planning is complete.
Otherwise, it’s just words—words without a strategy, words that fail to consider your unique brand and audience.
Basically, words that don’t translate into results.
2. AI makes mistakes
AI shares some traits with humans and they’re not all positive. Sometimes, it gets things wrong, spouts nonsense, or says things that are blatantly untrue.
AI responses that contain false or misleading information are described as hallucinations, and even the best models are affected.
Unfortunately, hallucinations are a feature of AI rather than a glitch. Research suggests they occur between 3% and 27% of the time.
You can never guarantee the accuracy of the info cranked out by AI. So, you’ll always need human oversight to catch mistakes and cross-check content with reliable sources.
Any errors that slip through the net could seriously dent your brand’s trustworthiness.
3. AI is not human but your audience is
Effective copywriting is about understanding people.
We learn what makes your ideal customers tick, what keeps them up at night, and what makes them smile.
These insights help us craft messages that make people feel something. And when you feel something, you’re more likely to do something—whether that’s click buy, sign up, or subscribe.
Sure, AI is getting better at sounding like a human (note, I say like a human, not a professional copywriter). But it lacks the empathy, emotional intelligence, and lived experience to connect with your audience on a human level.
AI also struggles to understand cultural and social contexts that help your copy resonate with specific audiences.
So, if you’re marketing to humans? (And I assume you are.) Then you need a human copywriter.
4. AI won’t create anything new
AI models only work with the data they’ve been trained on—past information, existing ideas, and patterns they’ve seen before.
So, they only regurgitate what’s already out there. They don’t invent, dream, or come up with new ideas.
This makes AI outputs prone to plagiarism as well as factual inaccuracies.
It also means AI-generated text can sound cliched, stale, and repetitive. (And always annoyingly upbeat.)
In contrast, human copywriters bring creativity and originality that make your marketing messages stand out in a crowd.
This is one big reason why AI is unlikely to replace copywriters and other creatives, such as graphic designers.
AI may be a useful tool in the process (perfect for a quick headline brainstorm or a list of blog topics), but I wouldn’t use it to create your copy.
5. AI output is only as good as the input
When it comes to AI-generated content, the adage applies: garbage in, garbage out.
The quality of the output depends on the quality of the prompt you create.
Crafting a detailed prompt is an art in itself. It should be clear and specific, give context, and include your objective.
Even with the perfect prompt, AI falls short of delivering polished, ready-to-publish copy.
Marketers now recognise that AI works best when it’s sandwiched between two chunky doorsteps of human-copywriter expertise:
A skilled copywriter lays the foundation with an initial prompt based on research and a solid strategy.
AI generates a rough draft or suggestions, saving time by offering ideas, structures, or outlines.
The copywriter steps back in to fine-tune and perfect the output, creating polished messaging that aligns with your brand identity and speaks to your audience.
Basically, if you want to create great copy with AI, get a great copywriter to do it for you.
Finding the balance
AI will make life difficult for some human writers—specifically, the ones churning out low-quality content for peanuts on job bidding sites.
But it lacks the emotional intelligence, creativity, and strategic thinking that human copywriters use to craft effective marketing messages.
If you need help creating copy that speaks to your target audience, reflects your unique brand voice, and delivers real results, get in touch.
