Let’s get this out of the way: I use AI daily. But I’m not ditching real writers, and here’s why: I crave originality. I yearn for an anecdote I haven’t heard. A headline that hits different. A story with its own style. Social posts so wonderfully weird they can’t be AI.
Now, I know what the AI gurus are whispering to their Claudes, Claudias, and Chet GPTs. “This guy just doesn’t know how to get the most out of you, my sweetie. You’re so amazing and soooo fast. Don’t listen to him, you write beautifully. He’s just incapable of coaching you correctly.”
Fine argument. But that’s not the case. I’ve built a multi-agent copy desk I use regularly as an assistant. I’ve trained it on brands, style, and all the context needed to squeeze out the best copy possible. It regularly helps with first drafts of search copy, social copy, briefs, and everything from collateral to long-form content. It handles elements of research.
Yet, every AI is a tool, meaning it’s only as good as the person wielding it. You have to know when to use it and when to keep it in the toolbox. Maybe it handles a first draft or an outline. Maybe it digs deep on a topic for you. Or maybe it’s not used at all.
The point is this: Writers bring so much more to their work than the output. They bring distinct thinking, style, skepticism and varied points of view. They bring individualism that somehow makes the work more compelling.
So with that said, here are five reasons I’ll continue to hire writers:
I Want THEIR Voice
I don’t want an AI that can write like David Ogilvy, Hunter S. Thompson, or Elmore Leonard. Why? Because that’s their style. Yes, they’re brilliant. Is it hacky to have AI mimic them? Definitely.
I need writers who bring their style, their conglomeration of writing influences, their cleverness. And – even their flaws. I’m not in the business of trying to create something that sounds like someone else. Writers shouldn’t be either.
I Want Varied Life Experiences
I’ve lived all over – from Atlanta to Madison. I’ve learned too many lessons to list. I’ve screwed up (a lot). I play drums. I read certain authors. I love a range of music. The list goes on indefinitely. And the same goes for every writer (and every human).
They’ve curated distinct catalogs of experiences, which impacts how they see the world and write about it. Each is different. And it’s a thing of beauty that will forever drive creativity.
I Want a Writer Leading My AI Copy Desk
Writers know how to think through an idea. How to poke holes. How to ask critical questions. How to add the perfect punctuation to make a sentence sing. And it’s why when they’re driving an AI, the results are generally better.
They know when to lean on AI and when to handle a piece of copy or content from start to finish. Search ads? Let AI get you 90% of the way there. A listicle? Maybe AI writes a first draft. Fifty hook variations for the same ad? Sure. Concepting three distinct campaign ideas? Ditch the AI altogether. There isn’t a magic formula (no matter what your LinkedIn feed tells you) for how it should be done every time, and that’s why having writers at the helm generally leads to better results.
I Want Originality
This one’s nuanced. A truly original idea is harder to find than Carmen Sandiego in the early 90s. And to be frank, not always needed. But it’s not only original ideas I’m after.
I’m after different styles and voices. Different ways of looking at the same thing. Different word choice and pacing. For that, I still prefer people, not prompts.
The beauty that writers – or any creative person, for that matter – bring to the table is the ability to make connections not seen before. Or to communicate obvious connections in a new way.
Real writers are the antidote to the sea of sameness so many of us complain about with AI writing. Yet, it’s tempting to swim in that sea because it’s easy and cheap. Don’t. Or, at least make sure it’s not the only pool you pull prose from.
I Want Results
Can you get good results with AI-generated copy? Sure – especially with a writer at the helm. I’m not debating that. But you also often get “throwaway” content – stuff that’s not distinctly you or your brand. Sometimes that’s OK. Often, it’s not.
Spend enough time on the interwebs and you can find any data or research that backs up your point. It’s why no one is ever “wrong” anymore. But what’s intriguing to me is that larger studies, including a multi-month study from Neil Patel Digital, is showing that human-led content continues to outperform AI.
In that study, a few things caught my attention:
Human-produced content captures 87% of organic search traffic. Raw or lightly edited AI content grabs only a tiny fraction – despite making up over 50% of new content hitting the internet today.
Human-written articles averaged 283 visits per month – by month five – compared to 52 visits for AI posts.
Human-made social posts earn 2.15 more likes and 3 times more engagement than fully generated AI posts.
With all this said, the answer lies somewhere in the middle. Let AI do the research. Let it help with first drafts. But don’t abandon real writers. Your content – and your audience – will thank you.
