With the advancement of AI technology, many industries have witnessed major transformations. And while there are plenty of advantages to be seen, you might be wondering about the lasting impact of AI on content creation.
In this post, we’ll take a look at AI content creation. Then, we’ll discuss how AI tools are being used today, and evaluate whether the technology is capable of replacing human creators. Let’s get started!
An Introduction to AI and Its Role in Content Creation
Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized many industries. And, with advancements in natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning, one of the main ways that AI is being used is for content creation.
Launched in 2022, ChatGPT is an open-source AI system that can be used to suggest ideas, write blog posts, and carry out a range of other communication-based tasks:
This has led to the emergence of other WordPress AI plugins that go beyond content generators. For instance, here are the main ways that AI is being used across the content creation industry:
- Efficiency: AI can automate repetitive tasks like content ideation, creation, and publication, which enables you to save time. In fact, according to U.S. marketers, this is the leading AI benefit.
- Personalization: AI tools can analyze large amounts of data to provide tailored recommendations at scale.
- Analytics: AI algorithms can analyze and interpret data from a wide range of sources to provide valuable insights to improve campaigns.
- E-commerce: AI in e-commerce can improve search functionality, optimize product prices, and enhance customer service.
On the whole, AI tools are great for streamlining your workflows, managing repetitive tasks, and making more informed decisions.
How AI Tools Are Being Used Today
Now that you know a bit more about AI content creation, let’s take a look at some of the main ways that AI tools are being used today.
1. SEO Planning and Keyword Research
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies enable you to gain higher search rankings, and drive more traffic to your website as a result. However, SEO can be time-consuming to do manually.
So, you might prefer to use SEO AI tools (like Surfer) to identify relevant keywords and phrases for your content:
These tools can analyze vast amounts of data very quickly, like search trends, user behavior, and competitor activity. In this scenario, AI speeds up the process and can help you find more effective terms for your campaigns.
It’s important to note that there’s recently been a shift from keywords to semantic searches. This encompasses the meaning behind a search query to help you match the exact user intent.
So, you should be able to create content that’s highly relevant to your target audience. This aligns closely with Google’s guidance about AI-generated content, which focuses on rewarding high-quality content (no matter how it’s produced).
2. Automated Writing
As we’ve discussed, you can use AI to write blog posts, news articles, product descriptions, and more. Therefore, AI is changing the way content is produced, distributed, and consumed.
In fact, 54% of global marketers reported using AI to create first drafts. Meanwhile, 42% of respondents used the technology for spelling and grammar purposes.
There are plenty of benefits to using AI for the sake of creating online content. In particular, it can be useful for news stories, since you can access and analyze lots of data to deliver breaking news articles, or uncover trends and insights.
It’s also great if you lack a natural flair for writing, or you’re worried about making spelling and grammar errors. But, it’s important to be aware of the drawbacks of using AI content in your campaigns.
Primarily, AI content creation may display biases since AI systems are trained on data that’s usually produced by human writers. For example, Bloomberg found that AI images associated with higher-paying job titles featured people with lighter skin tones, and that most of the professional roles were male-donimated.
Additionally, Rest of the World conducted an analysis of text-to-image AI generators and found a tendency towards stereotypes and reductionism. Although this is hugely problematic in itself, there’s also the compounding issue that people might wrongly assume that AI content is more objective.
3. AI for Social Media
As we look into the impact of AI on content creation, we can’t ignore the effect on social media. Although some marketing materials may require more nuance and creativity, AI tools are great at generating text that fulfills specific goals.
With the rising popularity of prompt-based AI systems, you can automatically create content designed for specific audiences, platforms, industries, and objectives. For example, you may want to create a LinkedIn post to encourage people to subscribe to your mailing list:
Or, you can transform an existing caption into a new Instagram post to build brand awareness.
In fact, 30% of global marketers admitted to using AI to repurpose content so that it can be used across different platforms. And, since some AI systems enable you to define a brand voice and writing tone, you can even use AI to handle social messages.
4. Video and Audio Content
There have been several advancements in AI technology that are changing how audio and video content is produced and consumed. So, besides speeding up certain tasks, it’s also opening up new creative possibilities.
AI can make platforms more accessible to those that lack technical skills. For example, it’s had a significant impact on post-production software (like Descript), with its ability to analyze footage, identify best shots, and improve overall quality:
Additionally, AI can be used to enhance visual and audio elements. You might use it to remove noise from videos, heighten color contrasts, and stabilize shaky footage. Additionally, you can even use AI-powered tools to generate synthetic voices that mimic your own.
In terms of video and audio consumption, AI is also taking effect with personalized content recommendations that are tailored to a user’s preferences. This can help increase engagement, build brand loyalty, and generate revenue streams through targeted advertising.
Will AI Replace Human Content Creators?
There is evidence to suggest that our reliance on AI will increase beyond the point we’re at now. For example, a new report from Europol revealed that generative AI experts estimate that up to 90% of online content may be synthetically generated by 2026.
Naturally, this would have significant implications for human content creators. In fact, a report from Goldman Sachs estimates that AI could do a quarter of the work currently done by humans, and that 300 million jobs could be lost to the technology.
Of course, there are many drawbacks to relying solely on AI content. As we’ve discussed, it’s difficult to remove prejudice and bias from AI content because of the data it’s trained on. As such, it increases the likelihood of algorithmic discrimination.
What’s more, Authority Hacker states that 63% of marketers that use AI tools worry about inaccuracies. Again, because of the data it’s trained on, AI can make mistakes and false claims, which is why it’s so important to edit AI content before it’s distributed.
Therefore, despite some extreme predictions, the general consensus is that AI content creators should not be relied on exclusively. In terms of content creation, it’s best to use AI as a way to draft content or provide content outlines/briefs. Then, a human writer can correct mistakes and add nuances that synthetic generators aren’t capable of.
Conclusion
In recent years, AI has made massive strides from basic automation to a range of complex tasks. For instance, in terms of SEO, it’s shifted the focus from keywords to a more semantic search. Plus, it has enabled sophisticated video editing software, enhanced social media messaging, and optimized content workflows.
Do you have any questions about the impact of AI on content creation? Ask us in the comments below!
Image credit: Unsplash.