Recently, we look at what AI writing tools can and can’t do. They might speed up writing your speech, term paper, or pitch by overcoming writer’s block. But they can’t replace creativity. Here are some cautions from the pros — four things that can go wrong:
1. Lack of innovation: Just when you need to sound unique, you risk sounding like one of thousands of people whose output was scarfed into the program. Blogger Bhavya J. Shah notes that an AI program will build in keywords that tend to be picked up by search engines. That said,
Al writing tools use algorithms to produce their results. They can’t go beyond that window, therefore the X-Factor which makes writing stand out will die. Excessive use of AI tools will make every writing look the same.
Bhavya J. Shah, “Pros and Cons of Using AI Content Writing Tools In 2022” at BlogTriggers (March 21, 2022)
2. Reproducing typos and bloopers from across the internet: The AI program is not an editor, as Jonquil points out:
AI copywriting software runs off material it finds on the internet. As such, much of the content it produces comes riddled with all the human errors that are found on the internet. This includes misinformation, poor grammar, poor explanations, nonsensical sentences, and sometimes even bits of a writer’s notes or website code.
Jonquil, “Pros and Cons of Using AI Copywriting Tools” at Digital Media Monster (Feb 2, 2022)
3. Inaccurate information: Repeated often enough on the internet, a statement may be treated as factual when it is not. Business writer Julia McCoy recommends checking carefully any facts offered by an AI writing program:
Many AI writing tools are “trained” by feeding them with a massive amount of data and continuing this process to ensure it evolves.
In theory, this system should be able to generate written content accurately. However, these programs are not perfect.
Julia McCoy, “What Are the Risks of AI Writing? 5 Dangers To Avoid (At All Costs!)” at HyperWrite (August 26, 2021)
and lastly,
4. Lack of understanding of human emotions: Be seriously warned here. This defect is listed by a company that sells an AI writing tool:
One of the most obvious problems with AI tools is their lack of basic understanding of human complexities and emotions. They tend to be overly simplistic and can’t truly understand the nuances of human language. For example, most AI tools don’t understand sarcasm and tend to interpret it as a direct contradiction.
Stephanne, “Pros and Cons of AI Writing Tools” at WordHero (May 5, 2022)
In other words, if it really matters and it’s really personal, you’d better write it yourself and turn to AI tools just to see if you might have missed something.
You may also wish to read: Can a computer write your novel? Well, what do you want to say? AI writing tools are sure to become a staple in the hot and time-sensitive market for boutique formula fiction. If you struggle to express images and ideas that aren’t ceaselessly aired on the internet, such tools might be a drawback — that stuff’s what you’d be hearing.