It makes perfect sense that a hungry pool of achievers like executives, small business owners, job-search candidates and professionals of all kinds would like to learn AI quickly and use it to advantage. We’ve seen both advocacy and warnings from every corner of business and government on how to use specific AI tools to make work and life better, i.e., more effective, efficient and innovative. I endorse all forward-thinking models of artificial intelligence to help us progress. But here is my issue with use of AI as a personal writing assistant: it doesn’t work as a remedy for poor writing skills. And it absolutely doesn’t work as a transformative tool to showcase what should be your unique voice and brand messaging. Here’s why:
I’ve reviewed the output from some of the most popular AI tools, such as http://www.ChatGPT.com where the prompt is to rewrite copy that might seem stale, or not aligned with a purpose, such as sales or marketing. The inherent problem is that if you’re not a trained writer and you are asking for a more polished message, you may very well be in the dark about the rules of good-excellent writing. Authenticity rests on the idea of “good writing always elevates.” Do you want to shape it uniquely to your voice? If you ask AI, the result might be an example of something that sounds a bit like you. But most of the time you will get a generic blend of words that sound like a sales and marketing expert without factoring in your personal brand.
Importantly, the best business and career writing should incorporate elements that attract attention. Borrowing from devices used in fiction, high quality writing has rhythm, tone, varying length, emotional pull, resonance and more. In some examples that I’ve seen, each sentence in a sales and marketing pitch began with the word “the” and was styled as a simple, declarative statement. Ultimately, it is a buyer beware situation if you want to write with an interesting and very personal voice. Increasingly, you can find red-flag warnings that you can expect a basic result that requires editing. Even the most elegant writer will tell you that the process involves deep skill and experience, especially when capturing someone else’s voice. All of this applies to resumes, speeches, case studies, essays, presentations and other vehicles that define you. Don’t settle for boilerplate.