Impact of AI on copywriting jobs

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the major technological breakthroughs of the 21st century. Its existence changed the world we live in, and the way we do business. Much has already been written about the impact of AI on our day-to-day life, but what about the impact of AI on our professional lives?

How is AI changing the way we write?

AI has made it possible for computers to write, which means that a lot of routine copywriting tasks can be handled by machines. We’re no longer limited to humans writing everything by hand, which was the case in the 1800s. Thanks to AI, businesses are now able to tap into a wealth of content published online that can readily be copied and used for their benefit. This can be both good and bad depending on how you look at it. 

On the one hand, AI has made the content more accessible by creating more channels and venues for people to publish their thoughts and ideas. On the other hand, it has also made the content more predictable and replicable, which in turn may mean that businesses have little to no need for in-house copywriters to tell them what to write.

Good News For Writers

While the shift to a fully-automated, content-based marketing may be a scary proposition for writers and other content creators, it can also be viewed as a gift. The ability to publish virtually any type of content at the touch of a button and have it instantly appear on your chosen social media channels is both an inspiration and a cause for celebration. In the words of Bob Scott, “Never fear, the machines are coming!” And they’re not going away anytime soon.

Bad News For Writers (and other Content Creators)

The downsides to automation and AI are many, and they mostly have to do with the quality of the content produced by the software and algorithms. To begin with, much of the content produced by today’s AI is extremely basic and straightforward, which can mean that content creators are simply providing the machines with pre-made content to use. 

This type of content may not require any real thought or originality, so it can be seen as a step down from a creative standpoint. To make matters worse, as AI continues to evolve and improve, it gradually increases the amount of content it churns out, which may eventually cause complete automation (a.k.a. the “Terminator algorithm”). 

As a result of all this, a lot of low-quality content may end up clogging up the online channels and venues where it appears, which in turn could potentially damage the reputations of brands and businesses that rely heavily on content creation for marketing and advertising.

The Future Of Content Creation

Brands and businesses that want to stay relevant in today’s ever-evolving digital world will have to find a way to continue telling their stories and providing their audiences with content that entertains, informs, and inspires. As much as anything, social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook are continuing to evolve and grow, changing the way we interact with each other and the content that we consume. 

The rise of TikTok, in particular, has shifted the way we as content creators conceive of our roles and responsibilities in terms of content marketing, branding, and advertising. As a result of all this, we’re seeing a significant shift in the way brands and businesses do business, and it has much to do with content creation.

The Rise Of Content Creators

In the not-so-distant past, a businessman would typically launch a new product or service, and then work his way up the marketing ladder until he reached the top, where he would put an ad in the classifieds section of the newspaper to announce the new venture. However, thanks to the internet and social media, things are a little bit different today. 

To begin with, businesses can now develop their products or services and launch them online, where they can largely operate with minimal overhead and maximum exposure. This makes it possible for even the smallest of businesses to have a voice and a presence, while the biggest and most established brands can afford the best PR and advertising campaigns, and the most luxurious lifestyles.

The Future Of PR And Advertising

Brands and businesses that want to stay relevant in today’s ever-evolving digital world will have to find a way to continue telling their stories and providing their audiences with content that entertains, informs, and inspires. The way we consume content has changed the way we as content creators conceive of our roles and responsibilities in terms of public relations and advertising. 

In the past, a brand or business would typically hire a public relations firm to generate some “good” media coverage, which in turn would help to drive business from consumers who were subsequently targeted by ad agencies for commercial purposes. However, today businesses can take the good PR generated by a strategic media campaign and use it to establish themselves as experts in their chosen field, while the ads can be used to target specific commercial segments for luxury goods and other branded items.

Content Is King (or Queen, depending on your perspective)

Artificial Intelligence has made it possible for people and businesses to gain a significant amount of exposure and interest in their products, services, and causes simply by creating content. This content doesn’t have to be of a high quality to be effective, as long as it is consistently and regularly updated. That’s all that’s needed to keep the interest of potential customers alive. 

As exposure and interest grow, so too does the chance of gaining traction and even making a profit. This is both good and bad, depending on how you look at it. For a business, gaining attention via content creation can mean a significant boon, as exposure will undoubtedly lead to new customers and opportunities. 

But at the same time, it can also mean that your content is going to be cloned and republished all over the place, which in turn may mean that your original content is quickly becoming “saturated.” This phenomenon is called “content saturation,” and it happens when a consumer gets so much exposure to a type of content that it ceases to be “cool” and no longer draws in new audiences. 

According to HubSpot Blogs research, 40% of Gen Z’ers said they’d rather read an expert take on a topic than something written by someone in-the-know.

The Expert Take

While there are certainly risks and concerns whenever companies or individuals decide to go the extra mile and “do their own thing,” which can mean that content quality may suffer, the ability to tap into a larger audience and gain instant credibility makes content creators a desirable commodity. 

As a result of all this, businesses are scrambling to find the best PR firms and creative ad agencies to help them establish themselves as experts in their chosen fields. 

According to the HubSpot Blogs research above, a whopping 38% of respondents cited “expertise in the area” as the most important factor when choosing a PR firm or creative agency, followed by “industry recognition” (27%), and “social media presence” (20%). To put this into perspective, only 4% cited “cost” as the most important factor.

The Rise Of Influencers

In the not-so-distant past, a famous author or literary figure would undertake the difficult task of writing a classic book, penning some of the greatest works of fiction ever created. However, with the rise of content creators and social media influencers, the role of a literary genius has largely been replaced by that of a talented Instagrammer. 

As a result of this, businesses are increasingly looking to social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to find the next generation of thought leaders and creative storytellers who can inspire and engage their audience – and perhaps even earn them a little bit of revenue along the way.

In the case of literary figures, this can often mean that their audience is aging with them. To stay relevant and earn the interest of a digitally-savvy audience, writers and other content creators need to find a way to evolve with the times, creating content that entertains, informs, and inspires people today.