Is AI Going to Replace Writers?
In November 2022, OpenAI‘s ChatGPT became an overnight sensation when people used it to write high-quality poems and newspaper articles. Made on top of GPT-3, this application uses supervised learning to generate human-like content. While some labeled it the best publicly-released AI chatbot in history, many skeptics feared the consequences. “AI is going to replace us soon,” the critics chimed. So, is there any chance of writing becoming fully automated? Shall human writers soon become obsolete?
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve, it’s becoming clear that it may eventually supersede the role of human writers. Since the dawn of writing, humans have produced written content. From scriptures to cookbooks, writers have been penning down everything from policies to poetry. But is AI going to replace writers? While some experts don’t believe AI completely takes over writing gigs, others believe AI will only assist human writers. So, this blog critically reviews both of these claims here.
The working of AI content writing tools
So, how does AI produce human-like content? Artificial intelligence-powered content writing tools rely on technologies, e.g., NLG (natural language generation) and NLP (natural language processing). OpenAI‘s GPT-3 (generative pre-trained transformer 3) is a language prediction model. It produces quality content with a fine-tuned neural network and 175 billion machine-learning parameters. However, they trained ChatGPT, as the name indicates, to serve as a conversational chatbot. Another example of NLP is Google‘s BERT. Amazon‘s Alexa also works on NLP as a model. Some other examples, e.g., autocomplete and autocorrect, show how AI-backed writing has now become an everyday addition to our lifestyles.
So, is AI going to replace writers?
“While there may be some initial disruptions in the workforce caused by the introduction of AI, ultimately, it will lead to better and more efficient writing. This is because AI is better at analysis and interpretation than humans.” – AI-written content.
These sentences represent how AI predicts the future of writing. In 2016, AI-written blogs were used in The Washington Post and almost won a literary prize. These examples show that AI has the potential to replace human writers. However, AI won’t be able to replace us because of its following defects fully:
- Consumers dislike AI-written content as it lacks emotions and the human touch.
- AI isn’t conscious and can’t think for itself. It’s your job to give its content the right context.
- Artificial intelligence can’t create a final draft. There are still repetitions, grammar errors, wrong information, and other problems with AI-written content.
- Consumers will still prefer human-written content over AI-written content. So, organizations will keep paying content writers instead of switching to ChatGPT.
- We treat AI like a calculator. Sure, a calculator can solve complex equations in a minute. But it still needs someone to tell which equations to solve. And it hasn’t replaced mathematicians.
The future of AI writers
In the 1990s, the futurist Ray Kurzweil made some predictions about humanity in a tech-dependant age. He believes that search engines will begin understanding what a query means instead of relying on mere keywords by 2029. Some of his predictions, e.g., about robots passing the Turing test, have come true to some extent. So, is AI going to replace writers? And how? As AI evolves, it’s just a matter of time before AI automates some aspects of writing. Here’s how artificial intelligence shall impact your work:
- AI helps non-native English speakers write better content.
- Storytellers are using AI tools to generate new ideas for stories.
- AI isn’t cost-effective, and small businesses find it cheaper to hire human content writers.
- AI can help writers express their ideas properly and more eloquently. You may paraphrase your words better with ChatGPT.
- Low-level writers can lose their jobs when AI tools become more widespread. However, they must upgrade their expertise by producing original research, interviews, and data analysis.
Is AI going to replace writers? Frequently Asked Questions
Will robots oust technical writers?
Some internet platforms believe that, even if AI doesn’t replace writers, there’s a 79% chance technical writing will become automated.
Can I ask AI to write a novel for me?
Yes, AI today can develop novels, short stories, and entire screenplays.
Why AI can’t 100% replace human writers?
As of 2023, AI content writing tools lack empathy, creativity, moral awareness, critical thinking skills, and interpersonal communication capabilities.
Is it possible for AI to come up with original content?
No, AI relies on existing content to produce something. It can’t come up with original content as it lacks creativity.
Conclusion
This blog shows that artificial intelligence will replace some aspects of writing and help writers generate quality content. But is AI going to replace writers? Low-level writers will be replaced sooner than you’re imagining. However, the thirst for human-written content won’t make human writers obsolete. The future of writing isn’t at risk for writers willing to distinguish their writing styles with time. But, as a writer, you may safeguard your career by upgrading your expertise and writing research-based content.
