To say a copy writer or copy editor isn’t using artificial intelligence at this point is an untruth.

We are as excited about what AI can do as anyone who’s up on tech.

However, using AI for copy has some real concerns that still need to be navigated. Taking others’ copy and hard-worked for research and spinning it as its own, for example. Or writers taking credit and payment for work that a machine spit out. Or giving entirely wrong information. Or lacking specific detail.

What we can do is use AI smartly to make our writing better. I’ve been experimenting with AI for several years; it has revealed how lazy copywriters have become. Think about it: it’s being fed copy and then creating content from learned patterns. If you feel like AI copy is repetitive, that’s why. It repeats because that is what copywriters have been doing. Here are some examples of phrases that AI spits out and lazy copywriters do, too.

“Whether you choose between apples or oranges…”

“Whether it’s the outdoor choices or the dining…”

“Denver is nestled near the mountains…”

“Nestled in the Piedmont hills…”

“Exercise offers may benefits…”

“Investing in real estate offers additional income…”

All that said, how have I used AI to make copy better?

• Outlines. It can spin out a generic outline to jumpstart research and perhaps find angles I missed quickly.
• Research. For some content, I can ask a question to jump-start research. Example: “What are six fun things to do with a family in Gatlinburg?”
• More keyword ideas.
• Benefits. Especially for persuasive copy–what the benefits of xyz? Can find angles I missed.
• Intro paragraphs. Hardest thing to write. It feed it my first draft, and then play with different voices to get unstuck.
• Sentence length. Highlight sentences over 25 words and find ways to shorten them for faster reading. Get suggestions on breaking up copy, as in the Hemingway App.
• Voice. Feed drafted paragraphs and ask it to change the voice to get it right.
• Awkward phrasing. When it reads funky but I can’t seem to fix the sentence, I ask for help.
• Tone. How can I make this copy sound more positive?
• Missing information. Was there anything I missed? A new feature of Grammarly.

But driving all these decisions is our best asset: the brain between our ears. No machine can ever get everything right. There are plenty of times Grammarly insists the way I have something phrased is wrong or should be combined into a lengthy sentence. Or that a copy’s readability should be simplified, but it requires industry-specific words. It takes an experienced, knowledgeable copywriter to make these nuanced decisions.