Why AI in Writing Shouldn't Scare You: 5 Top Reasons to Embrace the Future

AI Can be a Tool

Change can be scary, especially with new technology. It is human nature to fear the unknown. When the first computers came out, there were people who feared that technology. When robots began working on auto assembly lines, some feared the end of the world as we knew it was near. The point I’m trying to make is, every generation has its technological evolution, and with it comes the fear of irreparable societal change. The reality is societies are going to change and develop whether we like it or not. There comes a time when it becomes easier and more practical to embrace change as it comes instead of digging your heels in and resisting it at every turn. The same is true with writers with the growing popularity of artificial intelligence, pioneered largely by Chat GPT. Many creatives fear this technology will eventually spell the end of their careers. The way I look at it, if you’re a writer and you’re afraid an artificial technology with no capacity for human emotion or creativity is going to take your job, you’re looking at the situation the wrong way. If you think AI is going to take over the world in our lifetime, do yourself a favor and put down the science fiction. AI was created to assist human creativity, not replace it. AI technology in the writing sphere should be welcomed, not shunned. There will be writers that skew the perception by producing only AI generated content, but that’s not what this software is meant to do. It is meant to be used with, not instead of human creativity. If used the correct way, AI technology has no reason to be feared. I have many reasons not to fear AI as a writer, and I am going to share five of them with you today.

1. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff: AI Can Do That For You

I can’t speak for all writers, but for me, details matter. The smallest detail that doesn’t sound right in my head or that doesn’t come across right on the page in my mind can ruin an entire writing session for me. The same is true with a small plot detail that my overly anxious brain won’t allow me to write around. AI writing tools can give us small ideas to provide at least a temporary fix for a minute detail so we can focus on the bigger picture of what we are trying to convey to readers, and those ideas come faster and easier with the use of AI tools. The idea is not to use generated content word for word, but to use it to allow your brain to come up with its own solution based on what the software has given you, allowing you to move on to bigger and better things.

2. Writer’s Block? What’s That?

Writer’s block has plagued writers of all ages, genres, and skill levels for as long as the craft has existed. Whether the idea in your head feels too big, too small, or is stuck between your brain and the page, AI can assist you with anything that may cause your writer’s block. A lot of search engines have AI powered search assistants, some with creative response settings. I will admit to making use of such an innovation, and it has helped my productivity and confidence tremendously. If used correctly, AI powered software can make writer’s block a thing of the past. Having trouble coming up with the right word for a particular passage? AI can help with that too. The thing to remember though is the ideas generated by such a technology are just that; they are ideas. They are not meant to be published content, but a sort of bridge to allow you to create your own publishable content.

 3. Create Engaging Content With The Help Of AI

AI assists us by generating responses to our inquiries based on what it sees and what it’s able to learn. In short, AI knows what people want and what they like because it has seen it and has been programmed to know. This allows writers and content creators to know what their audience wants and how to give it to them, which generates more traffic to their platform. If used to its full potential, AI can be the silent business partner you never knew you needed. I’m proud to admit I’ve taken advantage of AI technology for my content. I don’t use it with the intention of using the suggestions word for word, as I’ve mentioned. It has given me a springboard to start and finish many of my projects, however. In his book On Writing, renowned horror author Stephen King, from whom I draw a lot of inspiration for my fiction, mentions the idea of a writer’s toolbox. I feel AI is just an addition to that toolbox. You still need vocabulary, the ability to judge and avoid passive voice, and not leaning too heavily on adverbs to convey your message. AI is just another tool at your disposal. If used correctly, AI can be an integral part of connecting to our audiences.

4. AI Can Do The Mundane Tasks That We All Hate (And At Reduced Cost)

I know I can’t speak for the entire community, and I won’t try to, but I know I hate even thinking about things like research, editing, and trying to create engaging descriptions for content such as this to help search engines find it. Truth be told, I still have trouble with the latter, but as time goes on, I’d like to think I’m getting better at it. AI can do things that a blogger just starting out could not pay someone a competitive wage–which those people surely deserve–to do the same thing. As a capitalist, I’m all for supporting small business and entrepreneurs, but that goes both ways. I support the use of AI software for things you would normally hire someone to do until your business is stable enough to do so. At that point, I strongly recommend putting one of your fellow humans to work. As far as editing, the people who are against AI technology should remember one thing: Unless you are using old school equipment such as typewriters or pen and paper to write–and there are plenty who do–you have likely used an AI editing software. Spelling and grammar checkers are things we often take for granted, but they are what I consider the precursor to the AI tech that is coming. 

Research is also made faster, cheaper, and more accurate with the help of AI. With just a few keywords, you can find just about any information you could need or want, information that you can fact check yourself if you so choose–and I often do, but is often extremely accurate. If the information isn’t at your fingertips with AI powered research, it will tell you exactly where to find it. Faster research means more time spent doing what we do best, and that’s putting words on the page.

5. AI Can Provide Personalized Feedback That Allows Writers to Learn and Hone their Craft

This is another facet of the process which I recommend human interaction if you can afford it. But in a pinch, AI can help you learn and hone your craft. Applications such as Sudowrite can provide feedback and suggestions. I don’t recommend using its suggestions word for word, but it gets your mind in the right place. Nothing can replace the trial and error that comes with trying to make it as a writer; I am living proof of this, but if you don’t have support from family friends or a community of fellow writers–of which there are many thanks to social media–AI can provide the feedback to help you learn and grow as a writer. 

There are some opponents of AI technology that contend that AI technology can turn anyone into a writer. I find that’s only true to a certain point. Does AI give anyone who wants to write an opportunity? Sure it does. Does it make everyone good at it or guarantee success for everyone who tries? I don’t believe so. As I mentioned earlier, AI is not capable of creativity or original ideas. It only generates responses to our inquiries based on what it has already seen. With this, it can certainly teach, or at least allow someone to learn the craft of writing, but using the technology by itself will not make someone a talented writer or make them successful. One still has to have the capacity to learn and a natural ability or love of the craft. If used correctly, AI can certainly be a helpful tool for writers, but I see it as nothing more than that. I don’t believe that AI will ever replace human writers, but it can certainly help their process.

Wrap Up

In short, AI was created to be used as a tool, nothing more. The technology was created solely to assist in human creativity and productivity. It performs tasks that many humans find mundane and unnecessary. It can help you find the right word in a pinch and potentially save a writing session from what could have been a catastrophic case of writer’s block–or at least what we consider writer’s block, if you know, you know. Regardless of your feelings towards it, there’s no denying AI can help us create more engaging content because it is programmed to know exactly what people want, no matter your niche. For new writers that may not be able to pay for certain services, AI can help with certain tasks considered mundane such as research. I hesitated to include editing on the list because I still recommend a human editor for the parts beyond basic spelling and grammar. That said, I don’t pay an editor, and realistically, it’s probably hurting me. But at some point, when I can afford it, I will put someone to work. Lastly, AI won’t replace experience and trial and error, but it can help new writers hone their craft to where they are confident enough to show the world what they’ve created. AI is a new concept, and it’s human nature to be skeptical of new technology. I don’t claim to be an expert, but as someone who has looked into the use of AI in the writing process, I see no reason to fear it. I see AI as a technology to be embraced the same way we did the first computers and the spell check systems some of us take for granted. Personally, I am excited to see the future of this technology, and I think you should be too.