4 Reasons I’m Not on the AI Bandwagon

I’m using AI less than ever now.

When AI first came out, it was going to change everything. It was going to write novels at a pace of a thousand a day. It was going to render blogs and traditional SEO obsolete. It was going to put every writer out of work within a few years.

But so far, the expectations surrounding AI haven’t matched reality.

When AI first came out, it was going to change everything.

Yes, AI can write certain things well—with a lot of human input and iteration. It is changing the search engine landscape, but AI-generated content tends not to perform as well as human-generated content. And I’m still getting plenty of clients who specifically want to work with real, actual editors and writers—and not machines.

As for me personally, I do use AI tools occasionally—mainly for research and organization—but as time goes on, they continue to lose their luster. I’m learning that when it comes to writing content, I prefer the old-fashioned way. Does that mean I am sacrificing efficiency? Yes. Am I okay with that trade-off? Also yes, because there is more to life than maximizing ROI.

To that end, here are four reasons why I leave AI out of the mix when it comes to writing content.

I Simply Enjoy Writing

Honestly, this is the biggest reason of them all.

I like the process of writing. It forces me to think through and organize my thoughts and ideas. Are they good? Are they bad? Do they have merit? Writing helps me answer these questions.

I didn’t get into this field to manage a team of nonhuman employees. I got into it because I love words.

Writing is also a bit like a puzzle to me; I enjoy finding the right pieces and assembling them into a coherent whole. Some people prefer jigsaws, others like Wordle—I love writing blog posts like this one!

Even for something as simple as a YouTube video description—which could easily be created by an AI tool—I’d rather write it myself. I want to know that I can come up with something that resonates. I want that connection point with the reader.

I also didn’t get into this field to manage a team of nonhuman employees. I got into it because I love words. And I don’t want to put an artificial barrier between myself and something that gives me such joy.

AI Content Has Massive Copyright Issues

Copy-and-paste AI-generated content cannot be copyrighted. I bet you didn’t know that, did you? But the ramifications for me as a content creator are troubling.

If I were to rely on an AI tool to generate, for example, blog posts en masse, over time, most of the material on my website would be free for anyone to steal and use as they see fit. I literally would not own my own writing—because a machine actually did the work.

Without substantial after-the-fact editing on your part, any AI-generated content you publish is fair game.

And if I went further and used AI to write a book whole-cloth, that, too, could be stolen and sold by someone else, and I would have zero legal recourse.

This is one of those areas most people don’t consider when they use AI to write their content. But without substantial after-the-fact editing on your part, any AI-generated content you publish is fair game.

AI Isn’t Helpful for “Thought Leadership” Content

I am working hard to become an expert in the Content Creation space. That means bringing new, fresh ideas to the table.

But this is the one thing AI can never do.

Using AI for “thought leadership” content is like using a hammer to tighten a screw.

By its very nature, AI is derivative. It cannot think of a new idea or put a new spin on an old topic. It can only regurgitate what’s already out there.

Using AI for “thought leadership” content is like using a hammer to tighten a screw. It’s almost the right tool for the job, but unlike horseshoes and hand grenades, close doesn’t count here.

If I want to be a leader in my industry, the one thing I cannot do is outsource the hard work of thinking.

I Want to Get Better at My Craft

Here’s the ugly underbelly of AI (well, one of them): If you want to get good at using it, you have to learn prompting.

But if all I’m doing is getting better at prompting, am I really getting better at writing?

I care about expressing myself—and the struggle that necessarily entails.

The problem is, however, that what I really want is to become a better writer. I don’t have any desire to become a better conversationalist with a machine. I don’t care about refining a set of prompts to fabricate my own voice. I care about expressing myself—and the struggle that necessarily entails.

If that means being less efficient, so be it. Yes, it takes me longer to write and repurpose content without an AI helper. And that means I’m never going to win the battle of quantity. But I think I have a shot at winning the war of quality.

The Pressure to Use AI Is Real

Please don’t misinterpret my argument in this post.

I’m not saying AI is terrible and that you should never use it. I am telling you why I personally don’t use it for writing content.

So why am I telling you this? Why should you care?

Don’t fall victim to the belief that you can only succeed in the future by integrating AI into every aspect of your business.

Because I want to be among the growing number of voices who are pushing back against the AI evangelists. The people who confidently proclaim that “if you’re not using AI, you’re making yourself obsolete.” The influencers who make you feel bad for wanting to express yourself using words of your own creation.

I want you to know that this is hogwash. Use AI if you want, or don’t. It may make sense for you in ways that don’t make sense for me—and that’s okay. But don’t fall victim to the belief that you can only succeed in the future by integrating AI into every aspect of your business. Despite the hype, this just isn’t true.

Take it from me—someone who makes his living writing and editing words. There is still plenty of value in human-created content. And in a vast sea of AI-induced mediocrity, it perhaps has more value now than ever.