How Writers Can Use A.I. to Improve Their Writing
A.I. creation tools are advancing at a rapid pace. Machine learning advancements have led to exponential leaps in automation in multiple areas.
More recently, A.I. has started to showcase its creative potential. Programs like Dall-e can produce incredible visuals based on user input. But another area where A.I. is intersecting with creativity is writing.
There seems to be an ever-increasing number of A.I. writing tools on the market harnessing the language processing advancements of GPT-3. These companies offer a wide range of promises, ranging from effortless copy for e-commerce to total long-form writing of white papers.
There are two types of writers when it comes to A.I., those that scoff at the thought of a machine ever being able to replicate the prose of human writers and those who are worried easy-to-use A.I. software will replace them.
Personally, I see A.I. writing programs as a tool to augment my writing. First, it’s important to give credit where credit is due; the engineers behind these programs have really created some powerful tools.
But it’s also important to acknowledge their limitations. Many are clunky or lack the ability to write contextually. Most of the output of these programs also lacks a “voice.”
Writing voice is something that readers often overlook, but it’s an important part of any writer’s process. We try and write in a certain voice and tone.
However, what these programs are really useful for is helping create ideas, outlines, and brainstorms. They’re really helpful in coming up with ideas. You input some keywords or topics, and they’ll toss out prompts to help you get started.
I see this as a really advanced version of the old writing prompt books that would help with writer’s block.
Ofcourse they offer more robust applications as well, and for non-writers and marketers, they might be helpful. But writers can use them as brainstorming tools to help jump-start your writing and help you when you get stuck.
I think the better application is with tools like Grammarly, which doesn’t replace the writing process but rather helps improve grammar and structure.
To me, the biggest benefit is how they cut down editing time. Again, the writing suggestions usually aren’t that useful, but they can quickly correct grammar and reduce typos.
While the market for these programs is only going to get more saturated, I think experimenting and learning about them is useful for writers and will help us stay up to date with advances in writing tools and technology.
