AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is a topic of discussion everywhere on the internet. Some people have fully embraced it, while others think it’s the answer to their writing needs. Others are afraid of it, and still others are using it cautiously.
As a writer and copywriter, people want to know if I use AI to write my pieces and then sell it to them. The answer is – no. But do I use it? Yes. Let me explain.
AI has some good uses. As for conducting research, it is actually more effective than a Google search. There’s generally no bias, no ads to sort through, and I don’t have to scroll through pages of SERPs to find the information I’m looking for.
I get what I ask for. To obtain the answers I am looking for, I need to ask the correct question. This question is called a prompt. The prompt can be a simple question or a detailed query with multiple instructions.
I use the free version of ChatGPT, but one of my copywriting mentors swears by ChatGPT-4, a paid version with additional features, and he claims it yields better results. I’ll eventually use that as well.
There are other programs available, such as Bard, Chatsonic, Jasper AI, CoPilot, and Bing AI, among others. Some AI tools are excellent at creating images. I will refrain from commenting at this time since I don’t have personal experience with them. However, I have seen the results in my training, and they are impressive.
So, to answer the question you are probably curious about, how do I use AI in my writing?
I see ChatGPT as an assistant. A research assistant. It saves me time looking for information. I still need to verify that what it tells me is correct, but I have been pleased with it so far.
The one thing ChatGPT, or other AI programs, can’t do is personalize the information. It cannot add emotions, stories, or experiences. It’s just a robot. It hasn’t had life experiences.
This is how it works…
I obtain information from ChatGPT, whether it’s a list, a summary, or other relevant details. Then, I can verify references or obtain citations and use them as I would when researching on Google or other search engines. From there, I will create a story. It could be an article, blog post, newsletter, email, or other similar content.
ChatGPT provides me with the information quicker and in a more organized manner, as I mentioned earlier.
Just for fun, I have asked it to write some articles for me with a specific prompt, including the style and details I wanted. I can even tell it what I don’t want. I then take what it gives me, and then I add stories, emotions, etc.
One thing that happened early on that made me laugh out loud was that I copied the AI text into a Word document, and then Grammarly promptly corrected it. Even before I had a chance to personalize it. I’ve never used it like that for a client, but I’ve tried it for my work. Even I, myself, have never taken AI-written content and posted it.
Another feature I appreciate is that I can provide ChatGPT with a keyword or keyword phrase and ask it to suggest ideas for an article using that information. It does a good job of helping me think through the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) process.
It can give me ideas for a headline. It usually gives me several. Some are downright terrible, while others are perfect. I got a tagline for a sideline business I have that I am currently using.
One last feature that is a time-saver is that I can upload an article or blog and ask it to generate ten posts for social media. I am usually specific, such as 10 Instagram posts or 10 tweets. It does a pretty good job at this too.
So, among writer’s circles, the suggestion is that we can use AI, but we need to add EI. What’s EI, you ask? Emotional Intelligence. We are emotional beings and relate on a level of emotions. Even in business. I mean, who can resist a good story that moves your emotions? One that captures your attention to the very end.
I referenced ChatGPT several times here because that is my experience. Generally, this is the case for most AI programs. From a bit of research, I just did (on Google search), I learned that ChatSonic is the best competitor to ChatGPT. An interesting fact is it can talk to you using verbal commands and responses. I may have to try that one out.
This was not intended to be a report on AI, but rather a reflection of my experience and observations. It is also to explain how I utilize AI in my own work to increase efficiency. If you have any thoughts or comments, I’d love to hear them.
How do you use ChatGPT or other AI? What’s your favorite AI App?
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