Last week, I had an interesting conversation about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in writing with someone who has worked in generative AI for ten years.
I was at a meetup for entrepreneurs in my area, and we were all discussing our businesses and bouncing ideas off of one another. After sharing about my business—book editing for entrepreneurs—I was instantly met with “That’s a terrible business model” by another attendee (no exaggeration).
“In what way?” I asked.
He went on to tell me that AI can edit just as well as a human can. I respectfully disagreed with him, explaining that there is a lot more to editing than just fixing grammatical errors. And even if that were the extent of editing, I’ve actually reviewed people’s writing after they’ve run it through AI software and found tons of problems it did not correct.
Eventually, the conversation moved to writing. This is where I became even more stunned by his stance. He essentially said there was no use in humans writing books because, and I quote, “There are no more stories left to tell. Every story has already been told.” He went so far as to suggest that I find a new career field.
Will AI Replace Humans in Writing and Editing?
For the record, I’m not concerned. I know what I have to offer as a writer and editor.
I know there are still plenty of stories to tell. Stories that AI will never be capable of inventing. And even if it could, I believe firmly and wholeheartedly that humans tell stories better than a computer ever could.
Because, as any good writer knows, what you write is only half of the equation. How you write it is just as vital.
When I work with entrepreneur-authors, we focus a great deal on their storytelling. Usually, someone has done what they’ve done before. They’re not the first person to ever open a successful restaurant. They’re not the first real estate agent to build a business through word of mouth.
So what sets them apart? Their story.
Where they started, where they are now, and the steps they took along the way. The dozen or so times they’ve fallen on their faces—and what they learned from it all.
Then, framing all of that in a way that’s accessible and relatable to the reader. Getting the reader to like and trust them. And giving the reader a unique, but clear path to replicate their success.
I just don’t think AI can do that. But you and me? We definitely can.
Humans Are Better Collaborators
There are admittedly a lot of things that artificial intelligence can do very well, maybe even better than humans. But writing? Editing? I don’t think so.
Collaboration is a crucial part of the writing process. There’s a miniscule percentage of writers who can plan, write, revise, edit, publish, and successfully sell their book without ever allowing another human to set eyes on it first.
I have yet to work with an author who did not express to me that their book was measurably improved at the end of our work together. And that’s not to toot my own horn; that’s just how writing works. Unless you’re writing for an audience of one, one being yourself, you need to work with another human. Maybe that’s an editor, maybe it’s beta readers—maybe it’s both.
Whatever you do, don’t rely on AI for writing or editing. I promise, readers can tell the difference. And they’re not looking for a regurgitation of words that have already been said. They want to hear your story.
P.S: I posted a poll on my Instagram story to see what other people think and got 34 responses:
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