How to Shift Your Mindset About Writing with AI

The TL;DR version: YouTuber Rhett Shull goes on a rant. He laments the idea of bands choosing to use backing tracks instead of musicians while on tour purely for financial gain.

Here’s what he says at the 2:42 mark:

I think this is part of the race to the bottom that we’re all starting to see…where people’s main concern seems to be how do I do this as cheaply and as easily as possible, not how can I put on the best show possible with the limitations and resources that I have. It comes across as, “What’s the bare minimum I can do before my audience starts to notice and starts to care.”

In my mind, I made an immediate connection to AI.

AI is all about attitude

I’m an editor and writer. I make my living in the Content Creation space. I try to keep a close eye on AI.

And I’ve noticed that most of what using AI comes down to is attitude.

There are two prevailing mindsets among those who choose to make use of AI tools in their writing.

The “bare minimum” mindset

The first is the group that says, “How can I create content cheaply and as easily as possible?”

These are the people who choose the path of least resistance. They don’t really care about the quality of their content. Nor do they concern themselves with trifles like user experience or readability.

Rather, they think AI is a cheat code that’s going to help them succeed without the hassle of, you know, actually putting in the work. Using AI for them is as simple as copying and pasting.

“What’s the least I can do before my audience starts to notice and care?”

The “limitations and resources” mindset

The second are those who think, “How can I put out the best content possible with the limitations and resources that I have?”

They aren’t looking for cheat codes or shortcuts to success. They tend to find ways to incorporate AI into their creative/writing processes. They may use it to help with research. It might be a tool to quickly repurpose some content.

But they always review and edit the results. They make sure their voice is still present. They add personal touches.

They know what “quality” looks like in their writing—and it’s a nonnegotiable.

“How can AI help me create valuable, engaging, authentic content for my audience in a more efficient, sustainable way?”

Ask yourself these two questions

I’ll be honest—I don’t have much use for the first type of content creators. As soon as I realize I’m reading computer-generated fluff, they’ve lost me.

The second type? I can respect them, even if they choose to use AI more frequently than I do. (I actually enjoy writing, and I’m not interested in outsourcing the fun parts of my job.)

So the next time you sit down to write and are tempted to immediately run to AI, ask yourself these two questions:

• What’s my intent with using AI in my content creation? Is it just to make my life easier or to not have to think about my content anymore? Or is it because it takes me a long time to come up with ideas, and I need help?
• What are my limitations? Do I actually suck at writing, or is English not my native tongue? Do budget constraints prevent me from utilizing a human editor or writer? Or am I really just trying to get it done as quickly and cheaply as possible, quality be damned?

One of these mindsets leads to mediocrity; the other leads to growth. I know which one I want to choose. How about you?