A slate of writing instruments powered by synthetic intelligence (AI) have lately made headlines as a brand new and simpler approach to produce content material. Most tech firms have even been implementing AI into their very own instruments as nicely, like we did earlier this 12 months after we launched our AI assistant.
I’ve written about my conflicted emotions about these very AI writing instruments, however I’ve been making an effort to push previous my hesitation and add AI into the articles I write for the Buffer weblog. The hope was that by doing so, I may pace up my writing course of.
So, regardless of my preliminary resistance, I went forward and used AI when outlining and drafting weblog posts. Right here’s what two weeks of incorporating AI regarded like and the way my ideas on AI writing instruments have modified.
When it got here to selecting which AI instruments to make use of, I opted for comfort. I’m continuously working in Notion and use it for outlining weblog posts, so it was very simple for me to include their lately launched instrument, Notion AI, into my planning.
Since we lately added Buffer’s AI assistant into our product, I’ve additionally been experimenting extra with this function and usually have the instrument open throughout the work day so I can simply simply change over to our concepts part and write. I didn’t use different extra common instruments like ChatGPT as a result of fairly than studying find out how to use a brand new product, I needed one thing that I may seamlessly embed into my current arsenal of instruments.
I used to be solely utilizing these instruments for outlining and brainstorming functions. I by no means prompted the AI to write down out a full weblog submit for me, however as an alternative simply requested it questions to assist me generate concepts and assist construct out the article. All through the course of two weeks, I ended up utilizing AI for:
- Outlines
- Interview questions
- Options for titles
- Brainstorming introductions
Proper off the bat, I may shortly define varied matters shortly with AI. Whereas I used to be nonetheless writing my very own outlines, I used to be in a position to fill them out a lot quicker than normal. To make clear, I by no means prompted the AI to “write a top level view.” As a substitute, I simply requested questions on my subject to see the important thing factors it will generate. This actually helped as a result of typically when beginning out a brand new submit, I can have a bout of author’s block and utilizing AI primarily fastened that.
For instance, when it got here to my article on LinkedIn analytics, I used AI to assist with the order of the submit in addition to a number of the details in every part. I did the identical factor when refreshing one among our older posts on Instagram Story templates, as I up to date the introduction and used AI to run by means of totally different variations.
I additionally discovered that these writing instruments had been a good way to spice up my productiveness once I was behind on work. At some point particularly, I used to be feeling beneath the climate and took a half-day. The subsequent morning, I used to be scheduled to have an interview with a TikToker about model offers, and was in a position to generate an inventory of ten considerate questions in seconds with AI. Whereas I did edit and tailor the questions to raised match my interviewee, this was an enormous assist at a second once I actually wanted it.
General, it felt like brainstorming was simpler due to AI. Writing is commonly a solitary act for me, so it was good to have a sounding board to bounce concepts off of.
As I began utilizing AI writing instruments extra, I started to concede that AI truly can produce fairly respectable content material. Nonetheless, the one important difficulty I nonetheless have is that the writing isn’t at all times correct. Like when it gave me the incorrect record of steps after I requested it find out how to activate LinkedIn Creator mode.
Equally, once I used it for my article on Instagrams collab posts function, the AI saved complicated the function with the precise act of collaboration. So, it was as an alternative giving me solutions about how folks may collaborate with one another on Instagram, which wasn’t the precise subject of the piece. I attempted to redirect it a number of occasions with no luck. However I could have to work on my prompting abilities. My colleagues Tami and Phil wrote in regards to the significance of good AI prompts and why including context is critical when asking the AI to provide work.
Even once I acquired again the appropriate outcomes, I wasn’t at all times proud of the ultimate copy. As a content material author myself, I personally felt just like the writing high quality from these instruments was good, however not nice, and that I wanted to edit it or spruce it up.
One other difficulty I had was that oftentimes the copy felt fairly repetitive. Whether or not it was the AI repeating the identical phrase over once more or simply the sentiment, this was a reminder that AI is solely regurgitating every thing that has already been written earlier than. Though that may typically make for respectable copy, it’s not authentic and groundbreaking work. This is the reason actual writers and their work ought to nonetheless be valued.
In the end, these instruments didn’t actually save me that a lot time ultimately. Whereas it was tremendous useful earlier than my interview, for essentially the most half I discovered that both I might nonetheless should appropriate the AI or rewrite the work.
With that being mentioned, I nonetheless discovered the AI helpful. Earlier than these two weeks, I wasn’t very snug integrating these instruments into my on a regular basis work routine, however now I plan to make use of them sometimes. Whereas I personally don’t really feel like I want these instruments on an on a regular basis foundation, I acknowledge the advantages of utilizing them on days I really feel particularly blocked.
Should you’re additionally focused on experimenting with AI, join Buffer totally free and check out our AI assistant as we speak!
