Is AI Going to Take Over My Job?!
What do you think about ChatGPT?”
“Is AI going to make copywriting obsolete?”
“Can you use prompt ChatGPT to write these blogs for me?”
In order:
It’s useful but flawed.
No.
*sigh*...Yes, but no.
Since AI has exploded into the market, whenever I mention I’m a freelance writer, I’ve been asked what I think about ChatGPT and other AI tools.
And to be honest…I kinda love them. Yes, yes, I know, I know. Just uttering my vague approval feels like a betrayal of copywriters and writers everywhere. And who knows, maybe some future iteration will have me changing my tune (and my career 😬).
But for right now, I feel pretty good about AI. Will it take over my job? I haven’t experienced any loss in income because of AI. I’ve heard of some writers that have, but…I have a comparison that may ease some writers’ worries and inspire those who have lost a project because of AI.
AI Is Just Another Tool For a Writer’s Toolbox
Consider Canva, Adobe Express, and other graphic design applications that tout themselves as user-friendly solutions for folks wanting to design their social media graphics, marketing collateral, and more. These apps are fun, relatively easy to use, and help inspire and clarify creativity.
But…graphic designers are still being hired. In fact, graphic designers are being hired onto projects whose scope includes drafting templates within Canva for the client to use and reuse. (I actually did this while working for a marketing agency looooong before AI came onto the scene).
It seems that as user-friendly as Canva is, people don’t want to learn how to use a new tool when they can hire someone who knows the tool in and out *and* has the background to create something really cool with it.
Become a Prompt Engineer
As a freelancer on Upwork during the AI revolution, I started seeing the terms “Prompt Engineer” and “AI Prompt Engineer” appearing on people’s freelancing profiles. I thought it was genius—no one knew how to use AI effectively, but using it to lower costs and increase production was high on clients’ priorities. In response, freelancers pivoted away from singularly marketing themselves as niched writers, into marketing themselves as writers whose skills included using AI to meet their clients’ needs effectively. Genius.
So, no, I don’t think AI will take over my job just yet. But it’s becoming an essential part of it.
One of Us! One of Us!
ChatGPT, Copilot, and other AI applications are tools we need to learn to use. I’ve found that AI is wildly helpful for generating outlines, getting past creative blocks, and pulling up reference materials when I’m not feeling like scrolling through tons of results on Google (it can also provide summaries of articles I pull up, saving me more time and brain power--so cool!).
Whether you’re a writer, freelancer, business owner, or other creative on the internet, do yourself a favor: stock your toolbox with AI applications. Trust me, you won’t regret keeping up with the times.
