Don’t let AI make your writing sound fake
Artificial intelligence-assisted writing programs are indispensable for many businesses today. They are used to draft emails, social-media content, blog posts, and reports. However, despite the seemingly magical power of programs like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and others to spin prose out of thin air, business people have become wary of the often impersonal or flowery output that flows from many artificial intelligence programs.
Readers can usually sense it when the human touch is lacking–and they don’t like it. As one attorney said to me, “I can always tell when someone had Chat GPT write their email, and I think, ‘If they can’t even bother to write their own email, why should I deal with them?’” To avoid a backlash against robotic text, we must learn to work collaboratively with artificial intelligence programs to develop documents that contain the all-important human touch.
Although artificial intelligence seems to generate original prose, it cannot think, create, or make logical leaps. These programs can churn out novel combinations of words and phrases based on patterns it has learned from existing text, but they are fundamentally derivative, extrapolating from what has been written before. Thus, it inherently lacks human creativity, empathy, and nuanced understanding. This is good news: It means that humans are not expendable (yet).
The main source of the over-reliance on AI programs is the misconception that the program can produce a viable final draft. It cannot. It can create a serviceable first draft that you can edit, but the heavy lifting belongs in human hands. Here’s how to get the most out of your use of AI-assisted writing programs.
1. Prompt the program as thoroughly as possible
The more information you give the AI program, the better its output will be. When writing, let the program know the audience, main point, desired tone, and target word count. Address it as if you were talking to a young person who is new to the job and requires guidance. Explain your thinking.
If you are not satisfied with the program’s output, tell it to regenerate it or add more information to the prompt. Don’t worry–the program will not take the criticism personally.
2. Use a dual-screen technique
Put the AI-written document on one screen. Then, start a new blank document on another screen or split your screen if you have only one monitor. Then start writing the document yourself, referring to the AI document periodically for structural or phrasing inspiration. I find this technique enables me to gain the benefits of the AI’s broad knowledge while retaining creative control over my writing.
3. Avoid editing directly from the AI document
The program’s output is sufficiently acceptable that it might seem OK to you–even if you could do a much better job yourself. Don’t be lazy. Artificial intelligence is there to help you, not to do your work.
4. Edit enthusiastically
As the saying goes, “Writing is rewriting what has already been rewritten.” Every document deserves a second look, and AI-generated text deserves extra scrutiny. If you are unsure about the tone, read it aloud to hear if the language sounds fake or stilted. Ensure that your sentences vary in length and structure. Ask a trusted colleague to read your revised version and give you frank feedback. Whether you are crafting marketing copy, blog posts, or corporate communications, authenticity is key. Your audience wants to feel that they have connected with real people, not automated scripts.
By adopting a collaborative approach to AI-assisted writing, you can leverage the efficiency of these tools while preserving the human touch. Embrace the dual nature of this process: AI as a powerful assistant, and you as the guiding force behind the final product. With this mindset, you’ll be able to confidently declare, “I wrote this,” knowing that your authenticity shines through, even with the assistance of artificial intelligence.
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