AI Writing: Missing the Human Spark in the Story of Communication
I recently posted a video to LinkedIn about managing career transitions. I talked about networking, continuing education, and setting realistic goals. Here is one of the comments that was left:
The key to producing smooth transitions is highlighting connections between corresponding paragraphs. By referencing in one paragraph the relevant material from previous paragraphs, writers can develop important points for their readers. It is a good idea to continue one paragraph where another leaves off.
I agree that using smooth transitions is a hallmark of good writing. So is having a logical flow, impeccable grammar and spelling, and solid introductions and closing paragraphs. Excellent mechanics can improve your writing and make it crisp, clear, and cohesive.
But that’s not what my video was about. Clearly, the person who left this comment did not watch the video and merely wanted to comment. Further, it seems that this comment was generated using ChatGPT. I imagine that someone asked ChatGPT to write three sentences about transitions, which is what the AI generated.
There is a lot of talk about how ChatGPT and other AI tools can easily and cheaply replace humans. Undoubtedly, this is true. And for many people, ChatGPT is good enough. But that’s just it. It’s “good enough,” which means mediocre or barely passable. Written material that ChatGPT produces is easy to spot—it’s bland, has no voice, and is not compelling. In other words, it lacks a human element.
The use of AI to replace screenwriters was at the heart of the Writer’s Guild of America’s lengthy strike. Studio executives looking to cut costs and boost profits want to leverage AI tools to script your favorite movies and TV shows. There was also a debate about copyrights and intellectual property rights to materials produced by AI versus those created by actual humans. This comes at a time when audiences are more sophisticated than ever and want in-depth character development and thick plotlines. Right now, AI cannot come close to what the nexus between the human mind and creative expression can do. What would an AI-scripted Walter White, Don Draper, or Tony Soprano look like? Each of those shows, arguably among the best of the last 20 years, was underpinned by two critical elements: phenomenal acting and great writing. Both of these are fundamentally human.
In my line of work, I am seeing more AI-generated resumes, emails, and other career documents. The one thing they all have in common is their overall banality. There is no personality, no human voice, no differentiators. These materials read as unauthentic, robotic, and soulless. People hire people. People work with people. If you want your resume to get you interviews, your product to sell, or your copy to engage and entertain, it must be genuine. From cave paintings to stage productions to podcasts, humans are storytellers. It is how we communicate and how we understand the world. And that is the key difference between human writing and AI-generated writing. Only a human mind can use metaphor, foreshadowing, and symbolism. Only a human mind can create a new mythology (think Star Trek or Game of Thrones). If you want to connect with people, you need to use language to convey value and emotion and create meaningful narratives. AI isn’t there yet. Don’t rely fully or use a machine as a replacement to help you with a very human condition.