Erwan Derlyn’s Post

My writing peers are sharing stories about former clients who have decided they’ll now be using AI to write their content. I’ve checked some of that content out and so far, the results are… well… Let’s put it this way: If you favor derivative, humorless, boring content that doesn’t compel people to engage emotionally, that is definitely the right move. For the rest of you: to inspire prospects to take action, never underestimate the power of humanity when it comes to thought leadership and creating “sticky” content that resonates with people.

I appreciated three things Ann Handley offered in her "What's in, what's out in 2024 [Ann's version]" newsletter: 1. "✅ IN: Writers ❌ OUT: AI cut-paste You can't give a generative AI tool to a terrible writer and expect ridiculously good results. Is AI powerful? Yes. But is it magical? No. "But you know who is magical...? Writers. We writers fueled with AI is why I call this period in history the Great Writing RenAIssance." 2. "✅ IN: Relatable brand voice ❌ OUT: Buttoned-up brand voice AI makes it easier to create mediocrity at scale. So content in 2024 has an opportunity: Signal clear human voices. Elevate the leaders behind your thought leadership. Hone and evolve your brand voice... FINALLY." 3. "✅ IN: Showing ❌ OUT: Telling Should the 'In' here be storytelling? Maybe. Because storytelling shows. Stories make your products and services come alive. They put them in the context of people's lives. They intrinsically answer the question: Why should I care?" None of this will shock anyone who knows me. The rest of her list (22 items total) reads just as warmly and timely, too. And as 2024 started with a wave of content saturated with generative AI this and AI that, Ann reminded me the AI wave isn't so gnarly that people aren't out there surfing on it. They even make it look fun. (To continue the metaphor, here are three folks surfing the AI wave I've found myself watching: Ahava Leibtag, Mario Garcia, Robert Rose. Feel free to recommend others in the comments.) #writing #generativeai #writingcommunity

Excellent points here. AI can’t be a replacement for the essential HUMAN element of writing and brand voice. Sure, it can help provide inspiration and maybe even be used as a starting point, but the people in your company *know* your customers and audience better than any computer could.