Rise of the machine scribes: Is AI poised to be the new bard of content creation?

Since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in November 2022, the way that copywriters and content writers alike perform their jobs has changed drastically. In the years since its launch, ChatGPT and other forms of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) platforms have prompted new discussions about the rise of AI, and the potential impact of the software on our everyday lives. 

AI-generated content has raised questions about its authenticity, and how powerful AI might become. Aside from blog articles and white-label copy, AI-generated content also raises concerns about academic research, particularly when it comes to students submitting their university dissertations that have been written with the help of ChatGPT. 

Questions are being raised about the validity of AI-generated writing, laziness, risks of plagiarism and idea theft. When it comes to the conversation around ChatGPT, there is a lot of panic about whether AI will evolve into human-like alien machines that will take over the world, but is this Black Mirror-worthy hysteria really justified?

The origins of the ChatGPT intelligent brain

ChatGPT began as ‘ChatGPT-1’ in 2018, and even as an early paper format, it was capable of performing a variety of language processing tasks without specific training.  Over The next two years, ChatGPT-2 and ChatGPT-3 were introduced which had significantly more language capabilities. AI was now able to string together coherent sentences! 

Finally, ChatGPT-3, introduced in November 2022, marked a major milestone in the AI series. It was one of the largest and most powerful language models ever created, with 175 billion parameters. GPT-3’s capabilities astonished users with its ability to write creative fiction, compose poetry, generate working code from descriptions (and more!) all with minimal input. 

How do machine learning content tools work?

Whilst AI-generated content seems complicated, essentially it’s a very smart algorithm. Powered by OpenAI, ChatGPT is an advanced language model based on the Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (GPT). In layman’s terms, this means that the creators of ChatGPT manufactured a digital ‘brain’ with lots of little parts called ‘parameters’, which helps the AI algorithm to learn from examples. 

The algorithm then pulls knowledge from the internet, this includes everything from books, articles, websites, and even conversations. As the algorithm picks up information from the web, it learns how to string together sentences so that they make sense. The AI intelligence retains this information and is then able to replicate sentence structure and create full-length articles. As the tool learns more, the algorithm is able to receive feedback from the human asking for AI-generated content, and so as the human continues to engage with AI, the algorithm becomes even smarter, and is able to learn from its mistakes. 

How is AI revolutionising the way we write?

AI is significantly impacting the copywriting profession, streamlining tasks and offering new tools for creativity and efficiency, but it’s not rendering human copywriters obsolete. Instead, it’s reshaping our roles. AI excels in generating initial drafts, providing data-driven insights, and handling repetitive, formulaic content creation, allowing copywriters to focus on higher-level creative and strategic tasks. 

However, the nuanced understanding of human emotion, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to craft content that resonates on a personal level remain uniquely human traits — which is great news for all creatives! Charlie Brooker, the director and creator of Black Mirror, says that there’s nothing to worry about. After instructing ChatGPT to generate an outline for a Black Mirror story, he noticed that ChatGPT simply parroted back his existing stories that it had gathered from the internet instead of weaving together an inventive, emotive narrative. Brooker reflects that he “can’t see it quite replacing messy people”, commenting that whilst ChatGPT does have outstanding capabilities, it does not have the fallible human touch to create something powerful from a lived experience.

So, where does that leave us in terms of writing? Well, the industry is moving towards a hybrid model where AI and humans collaborate, combining the efficiency and analytical capabilities of AI with the creative, empathetic, and strategic depth of human expertise. This partnership is particularly important in maintaining brand voice and ethical standards, areas where human judgement is irreplaceable. So, rather than making human copywriters obsolete, AI is becoming an indispensable tool in our arsenal, enhancing our work and opening up new possibilities for innovation in the field.

How is AI transforming careers across industries?

AI is reshaping the job landscape by automating routine tasks across various sectors, while also creating new opportunities and challenges. In manufacturing, AI can enhance productivity through robotics and quality control. Similarly, the transportation sector is seeing advancements with autonomous vehicles, potentially reducing the need for human drivers. 

Even customer service sectors can also benefit from AI capabilities through chatbots and inventory management, offering round-the-clock assistance and efficient stock handling. In finance, AI excels in algorithmic trading and fraud detection, analysing vast amounts of data rapidly.

But the sector that benefits the most, perhaps, is healthcare. Healthcare sees AI aiding in diagnostics and patient monitoring, improving accuracy and response times. And of course, content creation fields, including news and art, are experiencing AI-driven efficiencies, though the need for human creativity remains. 

So, it’s important to remember that whilst AI can streamline certain jobs, it also demands new skills and roles, emphasising the importance of adaptability, creativity, and emotional intelligence in the evolving workplace. Balancing AI’s benefits with ethical and employment considerations is vital for harmonious integration into society, but it is certainly nowhere near replacing human employees anytime soon.

Cutting through the noise of an AI dystopia

AI hysteria often mirrors the plot of a science fiction thriller, where machines eclipse human intelligence and autonomy. However, peeling back the layers of sensationalism reveals a more grounded reality. Like a skilled artisan confined to their craft, AI excels in specific tasks but lacks the human mind’s rich tapestry of consciousness, emotion, and adaptability. 

The AI landscape is not a lawless frontier but a field that’s being transformed by ethical guidelines and regulatory fences, guiding its growth towards societal benefit. Far from a mechanical titan threatening to replace humanity, AI more closely resembles a sophisticated tool, enhancing human capabilities and forging new paths for collaboration and creativity instead.

Unlock human creativity with NMG content writing

At Narwhal Media Group, we believe that there’s an unmatched value to creative, well-researched copywriting. Whilst ChatGPT is a fantastic resource to help to streamline content creation processes, we believe that nothing beats our exceptional writing team.

We offer SEO-driven copywriting, and creative, engaging content writing services, as well as website design and lead generation too. Get in touch with us to start harnessing the transformative power of AI today.