ChatGPT: Pros and Cons
When AI became the rage, I wasn’t all that jazzed. I’m a writer and love writing, so why would I use an AI platform to do it? As an observer, I paid attention to what people were saying about AI - their experiences, fear, and overwhelm. I didn’t like some of it, but other things I heard intrigued me, so I’m sharing my ChatGPT pros and cons regarding creating content.
Most of my clients are entrepreneurs who always search for better ways to use their time. Many of them don’t like to write, don’t have time to do it, or both. An AI tool like ChatGPT can save a lot of time when used respectfully and efficiently.
I’ve been playing around with a few different ChatGPT platforms, and I wanted to share some thoughts.
AI is great for:
Brainstorming new ideas, especially when you have writer’s block
Generating names/titles of programs, offers, taglines, etc.
Checking that you didn’t miss any key points around a specific topic
Pulling social media posts from a blog you’ve written
Some other things to consider:
AI is a tool. So is your brain.
If you’re having a case of writer’s block, or need help coming up with ideas, AI can be super helpful. But it’s not a replacement for your own thought process, it’s an enhancement. Other tools I like for writing include Grammarly and Wordhippo.com.
AI is a trend, but its data is not trending.
AI works solely on existing data up to 2021, aka the LLM - large language model. So if you’re writing something current, you’ll have to edit the data to make sure it’s up to date. At least that’s how the free version works. But that could change as I’m writing this very blog!
The learning curve.
To stand out in your market, you have to share content that’s relatable and different than your competitors. So if you want to work with ChatGPT, you have to learn how to:
Write prompts for the AI bot and ask for what you want in a refined and targeted way, or you will get very general content back.
Read the generated content out loud and listen for the robotic and inhuman voice of AI.
Remove the fluff - there tends to be some fluffy filler in AI-generated content, so you’ll have to edit and tighten it.
Personalize the content by adding your brand language along with your tone and energy.
Make sure the content matches current trends, ideas, and perspectives.
Knowing your brand voice and having clear foundational messaging you’re confident in using, will speed up that learning curve
Copying or copyright?
When you ask the Chat to “create” content for you, it doesn’t generate original content. It’s an input-output system, so it uses data that already exists on the World Wide Web. Technically, you’re repurposing content from a bunch of other people.
That’s why the copy-and-paste thing does not fly. First of all, as a writer, this feels a little icky to me. If you copy and paste AI-generated content onto your website, you cannot copyright your website.
As soon as you share original writing publicly, it’s technically copyrighted. If you re-use someone’s copyrighted content, they can sue for infringement. Now I know you might ask, how will they know? If you’re just the little solo business owner, are they really going to go after you?
I guess that’s the risk you take. I suggest you put yourself in their shoes. Maybe you spent hours writing your content, or you invested in a professional writer. Ask yourself how you would feel if you saw your writing being used by someone else claiming ownership.
Here are some things to keep in mind if you’re using or considering trying ChatGPT or other AI platform for generating content:
AI is a machine, and has no:
Real-life experience
Sense of social cues
Understanding of cultural norms
Personality or emotion
There’s no guarantee that the data ChatGPT gives you based on your prompts is accurate. Like computers, AI is amazing. But AI can get overwhelmed, overloaded, and make mistakes, so be prepared to fact-check the information.
If we’ve learned anything, it’s that not everything on the internet is correct. So you have to do some research.
You also have to be careful when it comes to Google search. If you don’t take the time to personalize and humanize your AI-generated content, Google can and will penalize you if it detects low-quality content.
I’m sure AI will continue to evolve, and hopefully, best practice boundaries will become clearer. It’s a wonderful tool when used correctly to create and repurpose content. I’d love to hear about your experience with AI platforms like ChatGPT. Please comment if you’re willing to share your thoughts.