A few months ago, talk of AI was everywhere. These days, my sense is it’s getting less coverage, perhaps because we’re all too busy getting to grips with its possibilities.
Personally, I’m enjoying exploring how AI can help me be more efficient – for example, giving me an outline I can use as a jumping off point, coming up with suggestions when I’m stuck on something or being an eagle-eyed reader who’ll spot my silly errors.
Where I’m not finding it useful – yet – is in giving me drafts I can actually use.
To explain why, let me firstly take you back to a couple of weeks ago when I saw a LinkedIn post from a company I know.
The post celebrated a significant anniversary. It made all the right noises and said all the right things. But there was something about it that was a bit odd.
The US spelling was the first red flag (this is a British company I’m talking about). The second was that, well, it didn’t really sound like them. They’re down-to-earth people their customers trust to quietly get on with the job. The post was a bit too over-the-top and excitable for them.
My assumption is that the post was written by AI. The text the AI generated would have been a great starting point and a useful guide about the sort of things to talk about. But as something you could just cut and paste from the prompt? I’m not so sure.
I was reminded of this experience when I saw another post from a fellow copywriter suggesting that AI content need to be told to turn it down a notch.
To illustrate her point, she shared some AI-written text encouraging people to sign up for a newsletter:
“By signing up for our monthly newsletter, you’ll gain access to a world of exciting opportunities and valuable information. Be the first to hear about our latest news, stay updated on exclusive promotions, and participate in thrilling prize-draws. Our newsletter is packed with interesting content that will inspire and engage you.
Don’t let these amazing benefits pass you by. Join our newsletter community today and experience the joy of being in the know. Stay connected with us and let us continue to value and appreciate you as a member of our extended family. Sign up now and unlock a world of possibilities!”
As she so sagely noted: “Only a non-sentient being could get this excited about a newsletter. AI Rule #1 – don’t think its verbose over-enthusiasm will bring people onboard. Tone it down and edit the fluff.”
I’d agree with her on this.
But I also wondered if the AI had been set up to fail – had it, for example, been asked to write some exciting text to promote a newsletter? If it had, the AI would have answered the brief, so couldn’t be blamed for its misplaced enthusiasm.
To explore this idea, I conducted a quick experiment.
This was my first prompt for ChatGPT:
“You are a marketing manager in a B2B stationery company. You need to write some text to encourage people to sign up for your monthly newsletter. What would you say?”
Here’s its response:
“Unlock exclusive access to the latest trends, insider tips, and special offers tailored for your business needs! Our monthly newsletter is your go-to source for staying ahead in the world of stationery and office supplies. Sign up now to receive expert insights, product updates, and promotions delivered straight to your inbox. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to elevate your office environment and streamline your procurement process. Join our community today!”
So no, the AI seemingly hadn’t been set up to fail – its default mode is enthusiasm.
But not only is it too enthusiastic, it’s also worryingly similar to the output in the first example. Does this mean that if we all turn exclusively to AI, we will all end up sounding the same?
I then went through several more rounds to encourage it to dial it down a notch – I explained it needed to be suitable for UK audience and bear in mind UK culture. I asked for a more understated tone too. After four rounds of prompts, here’s what I had:
“Interested in staying updated with the latest trends and offers in stationery? Join our monthly newsletter for subtle insights, occasional updates, and exclusive promotions tailored for UK businesses. Simply sign up below to quietly elevate your office experience.”
Hmmm. I don’t know about you, but for me, it’s not quite there…
Personally, if I were asked to write copy to encourage people to sign up for a monthly newsletter for a UK B2B stationery company, I’d keep it very simple:
“For special offers, exclusive discounts, reviews and all the news about the latest in office supplies, sign up for our monthly email newsletter.”
So, to go full circle, I’m enjoying exploring how AI can help me. But I’m definitely seeing it as a helper or a co-pilot rather than a writer.
How are you using AI? What are its pros and cons? Do you have any top tips for getting the most from it? Let me know – I’d love to hear how you’re getting on with it.
