Word on the street is that AI is coming after our jobs as writers. Do I agree? No.

Do I think it might change how us humans write? Yes. But perhaps not just in the way you might think. There could be some good in this.

I recently chatted with the lovely team at toth shop to explain my thoughts on this.

Why AI alone can’t replace good human writing

I spend my days writing my own content, writing for organizations, or reading what other people are writing. I live and breathe words. So, as a professional writer, I can usually spot AI-generated content a mile away.

There’s just something about it that feels a little… off. It feels like it’s been created by a robot instead of a real person.

The tell-tale signs of AI-generated content

So, what are the tell-tale signs that content has been “put through” an AI engine? For me, it’s usually the “corporate robot talk” where content is loaded up with corporate-y jargon.

It’s like the content is trying too hard to sound smart, but ends up feeling hollow and insincere. It lacks the authenticity and humanity that a real person brings to the table.

When AI falls short

But what if you’ve already used AI to generate content, and it’s just not quite there? Look, AI can be a great starting point, but it’s no substitute for the real thing. I always recommend working with human writers.

So, even if you’re using AI, don’t let it be your whole process. Maybe it can get you started with your first draft. But you must lean on the authenticity of a real person to take it to the finish line.

The gaps in AI-powered communications

I fully agree that AI is a handy tool—emphasis on “tool”. AI is not the driver. There are things AI can’t do that only a human can. For example, only a human knows what it’s truly like to live through an experience.

Let’s say you’re helping a therapist promote their business. Only you, or another human writer, can know what it feels like to struggle with mental health. Only a person can understand the pain points and needs of your target audience.

The wins in AI-powered communications

As a real-life human myself (yep—you better believe it!), I’m not anti-AI. I still use AI to help me with my writing. I don’t use it to replace what I do, but it’s more like an assistant.

One example of an AI win for me is brainstorming headlines for an article I’ve written. I’ll say something like “Give me 20 headline suggestions for this article focusing on the theme of X”… Even if I don’t like any of them, the process gets me thinking!

So, how do you keep humanity in your writing?

I always come back to the tip “Write like you talk”. And I’ll take it a step further to say, picture a person you’re comfortable with. Then think, how would I talk about this idea with them?

You’ll be amazed how the words come across in a much more genuine way when you “talk to a person” compared to just staring at a blank computer screen.

Will some organizations ditch human writers for AI?

Sure, some organizations might prefer to go with AI over a human writer because, well, it’s cheaper than paying an expert.

But I’ll tell you now—they will pay the price in quality. And when your nonprofit or business depends on the written word to communicate with supporters and customers, you need to make those words count.

You need to connect, human to human. Because if you don’t, you’ll lose funding and business. At the end of the day, I believe the people who see this will always turn to human writers. This is why Kind Word is here. We’re ready to help nonprofits and businesses raise their revenue through kind words.