In the words of Albus Dumbledore: “We must choose between what is easy and what is right.” AI copy may be the easy way out, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best option for your brand.
The Turing Test
AI copy can put words on a page, but content isn’t just about filling up boxes with text—it’s about making an impression. To do that, you have to understand how humans think, feel, and act. Here, AI has a huge disadvantage: it’s not human.
Believe it or not, machine-learning has been around since at least the 1950s. Around that time, British mathematician Alan Turing created what we now call the Turing Test. In this test, you look at the transcript of a natural language conversation between a human and a machine and try to guess which is which. If you can’t tell, the machine has successfully mimicked human behavior.
The human test
By the same standard, you can identify most AI copy by looking for several distinctly human characteristics, or in other words, by asking the following questions:
- Is it engaging?
AI-generated content often fails to engage readers. It may tell them what they need to know, but it doesn’t do so in a way that makes them laugh or lean in for more. Human writers know how to shape a sentence to get a reaction.
- Is it surprising?
Most AI-generated content is cut and dry, lacking an element of surprise. By contrast, human-written copy can surprise you, taking you to places you didn’t expect to go.
- Does it have a strong tone?
While AI may be able to mimic a certain tone if you prompt it carefully enough, creating a distinct voice is something it’s not capable of. Human writers pen each word with care to establish a clear, unique tone.
- Is it empathetic?
AI can only mimic emotions with limited success. A human writer can put on their reader’s shoes and channel the emotions they’re feeling. They may even be able to think back to a time when they felt similar emotions.
- Is it nuanced?
Lacking consciousness and emotion, nuance is something AI struggles to grasp. By contrast, when content calls for nuance and sensitivity, a human writer rises to the task.
- Is it insightful?
By definition, AI regurgitates content fed to it. There’s no insight or originality, just raw data recycled in a new form. Human writers offer original insights and fresh perspectives.
Copywriting for humans
AI-generated content often misses the emotional cues, timing, and nuance that create resonance. It may communicate the necessary information, but it lacks the lived experience to engage your audience. In other words, it’s not written by humans, so it can’t speak to humans.
At MarketSmiths, our motto is “copywriting for humans.” We write with precision as well as emotion, diving into the range of human experience and bringing up copy that surprises, engages, and delights. Whether it’s an insightful thought leadership piece or a homepage with a bold, exciting tone, our copy is of, by, and for the people.
