5 Ways Creative Professionals Can Compete Against ChatGPT
How can writers and other creative professionals stay relevant in the age of AI? Here are 5 ways to maintain your competitive advantage.
A couple of months ago, a friend who’s a small business owner in Singapore shared about how she had used ChatGPT to write an article for her business blog. Make an argument for same-sex marriage in Singapore, she keyed into the ChatGPT system.
She further shared that the first few iterations were problematic and riddled with errors and contradictions. She kept refining her instructional input and eventually, the system churned out a version that met her satisfaction.
At her insistence, I read the article.
As a professional writer and journalist for over 20 years, truth be told, I was hesitant. It’s common knowledge that the first jobs that AI will render obsolete are to be found in the writing profession. So my relationship with AI has been not without friction from day one.
But knowing thy enemy is key in the art of war, and so I relented.
What I read gave me the chills.
The output was remarkably coherent, its argument compelling in the sense of information presented, and points raised.
But I did note that it read very much like an academic paper. The article lacked colour, it did nothing to uplift the reader with inspiring prose, sentence structure was rudimentary with an absence of cadence, and there was zero personality throughout. Frankly, it was basic. But it did the job – if that’s what you’re looking for.
As someone with over two decades of insight and expertise in the writing craft, I was not impressed at the quality of writing, and I could tell that the article was probably written by a bot. But pick a person off the street and they would probably not be able to make that distinction.
Regardless, we know that the irreversible age of AI is upon us and the accelerated adoption of its use – albeit some involving questionable use cases – in the past few weeks alone has been prodigious, to say the least.
The age of AI is upon us and it would be futile to try to fight the future. Instead, we should find ways that we as, creative professionals, can stay relevant and maintain our competitive edge.
The writing is on the wall and as a writing professional who’s found themselves right smack in the middle of middle age on the precipice of an impending technological revolution, I’ve been forced to face some very critical existential questions.
Topmost is how we, as creative professionals, can stay relevant and competitive in the age of AI. And I thought it would be interesting to get AI to argue against itself.
Here’s what it came up with:
As an AI language model, ChatGPT is capable of generating text that is often indistinguishable from that produced by human writers. This means that creative professionals, such as writers, copywriters, and content creators, are facing a new level of competition. However, there are several ways that creative professionals can stay relevant and competitive in the age of AI.
1) FOCUS ON CREATIVITY
While AI can generate text that is grammatically correct and coherent, it still lacks the creativity and innovation that humans can bring to their work. Creative professionals can leverage this advantage by focusing on their ability to come up with fresh ideas and unique perspectives. By continuing to innovate and push boundaries, they can differentiate themselves from the output of AI language models.
Current AI language models learn and adapt from content already available across the internet. This means content generated by AI is a rehash of existing content out there. The way to distinguish yourself thus lies in bringing fresh perspectives to the playing field.
2) DEVELOP A NICHE
AI language models are designed to be versatile and adaptable, able to generate text on a wide range of topics and in various styles. However, they may not be as effective at developing a niche or specialisation. By honing in on a particular area of expertise, creative professionals can position themselves as the go-to source for that specific subject matter. This can make them more valuable to clients and increase their competitiveness.
3) EMPHASISE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
While AI language models are highly advanced, they lack the emotional intelligence and empathy that human writers can bring to their work. Creative professionals can leverage this advantage by emphasising their ability to connect with audiences on an emotional level. By creating content that resonates with readers and taps into their emotions, they can differentiate themselves from the output of AI language models.
It is my view that non-sentient AI models will never be able to fully replicate the level of emotional intelligence and empathy that human beings are capable of possessing, though this gap will narrow in future. In the meantime, creative professionals would do well to focus on creating content that engages on an emotional level.
4) CONTINUOUSLY LEARN AND ADAPT
AI technology is constantly evolving, and creative professionals must keep up with the latest trends and techniques to stay relevant. By continuously learning and adapting, they can stay ahead of the curve and offer clients the latest and most innovative solutions. This can involve attending conferences, networking with peers, and taking courses to develop new skills.
5) COLLABORATE WITH AI
Rather than seeing AI as a threat, creative professionals can collaborate with AI to enhance their work. By using AI language models to automate repetitive tasks such as proofreading and grammar checking, they can free up time to focus on the more creative aspects of their work. Additionally, by using AI tools to analyse data and gain insights into audience behaviour, they can create more effective content that resonates with readers.
In conclusion, while AI language models like ChatGPT are increasingly sophisticated, creative professionals can stay relevant and competitive by emphasising their creativity, developing a niche, emphasising emotional intelligence, continuously learning and adapting, and collaborating with AI. By leveraging their unique human abilities, creative professionals can differentiate themselves from the output of AI language models and continue to offer clients innovative and effective solutions.
Ultimately, we will all have to learn to work alongside AI, not just creative professionals. It’s important to understand both the benefits and the pitfalls of such game-changing technology.
Now here’s my critique:
For transparency, I’ve left the full run of AI’s work above intact and unedited.
While it’s certainly coherent and offers fair points in the general direction that I would also take, my biggest critique is that the “solutions” offered really only scratch the surface. It lacks nuance and depth, in addition to the same critiques outlined earlier regarding the article on same-sex marriage in Singapore spat out by ChatGPT.
I also found it a little repetitive, and I am perhaps not surprised that the bot neglected to mention a most incisive point that poses the greatest threat to its own existence: Critical thinking.
Furthermore, to the trained eye, it reads like a student essay – dull and uninspiring. Or something written by an intern at best.