Is ChatGPT going to take over the world and enslave all copywriters?

According to some people in my TikTok comments, yes.

(Apparently, it’s going to be my boss in 12 months.) 🙄

 

 

But will it?

I’m not convinced.

Right now, it looks like all of Silicon Valley is playing with AI:

  • Microsoft’s foray into AI created Sydney, which told one New York Times journalist “about its dark fantasies (which included hacking computers and spreading misinformation).” Plus, it had plans to become human!

 

So while I agree AI is helpful, it is not to be used in the place of expertise.

Here’s why.

 

🙈  ChatGPT doesn’t fact check

I was a journalist before I became a copywriter.

Let me tell you the number of times I’ve had to fact-check things…

It has been invaluable for my copywriting experience, and for getting accurate information out there.

ChatGPT maybe an OK copywriting tool, but it does not fact-check.

First up, it comes with a disclaimer saying that it might be misleading, biased, or not factually correct.

So that’s concerning when using it to churn out large volumes of copy.

 

🙈  ChatGPT gives you the most average copy

If English is your second language, and you’re looking to improve your copywriting skills, have at it…

But also remember: ChatGPT is just giving you the most average copy.

That’s what it’s trained to do.

Basically, the word “meh” springs to mind when I read the copy that it creates.

It’s bland.

It’s devoid of personality.

I asked it to write like a sassy drag queen…

It threw the words “hunty” and “sweetie” into the copy.

The rest of the copy remained a snooze-fest, with a completely off-brand tone of voice.

So, put simply, it cannot write in your brand’s tone of voice.

Next, I asked it to predict which subject line would perform better for an email campaign.

It responded that it could not predict anything like that.

I asked it to make suggestions to improve a blog post.

It responded that it did not have the capabilities to do so.

It simply does not have the expertise to perform human duties.

It’s not a fully-fledged AI tool where it doesn’t require any training and is like a human.

It doesn’t have the skills to do that.

 

🙈  ChatGPT is not an expert

ChatGPT is not a replacement for expertise.

It will not be able to use persuasion techniques.

It won’t be able to sell anything effectively because it’s not tapping into your ideal client’s pain points.

This nitty-gritty comes from experience, expertise, and creativity.

And creativity is a uniquely human trait.

ChatGPT churns out generic copy that’s great as a placeholder.

It’s great for turning out tons of social media posts at scale…

But it’s not great for conversion copy.

It’s just “OK” at doing these things.

Would you use it in place of an expert?

Never.

Would you use it just to generate some ideas?

Maybe. But I found those ideas to be lacklustre.

 

So, is ChatGPT ✨ better ✨ than a real-life, experienced copywriter?

No.

ChatGPT is trained on data from around the internet.

It spews out the most common, put-you-to-sleep-in-an-instant copy I’ve ever read. 😵‍💫

So, how do I use ChatGPT?

To avoid boring copy. 💁‍♀️

I write my own punchy subject lines for an email.

I then ask ChatGPT to give me subject lines for the same email…

Of course, they are all humdrum.

That way, I know my subject lines will perform better.

I then ask it to choose one of three subject lines I’ve written based on what it may think would guarantee a recipient to open it, and why.

I then test that subject line against another one.

 

🙈  So would I recommend Chat GPT?

Yes. And no.

If you aren’t a native English speaker and you want to improve your English copywriting skills, then ChatGPT is definitely a good option for you.

If you’re a solopreneur or you have a tiny budget (i.e. you’re bootstrapping your business), then yes, it’s also an option for you.

But if you need an expert opinion, someone who understands tone of voice, can fact check, someone who delivers hard-hitting copy that really converts…

Then no.

ChatGPT is great as an assistant.

But it is not a replacement for a conversion copywriting specialist, who deeply understands the mechanics of copy and what gets people to buy.

👉 To give good copy more often (sans AI), join my 5-Day Copywriting Challenge here