This is what happened.
ChatGPT is hot right now. So hot that, at the time of writing this article, we had to wait four minutes for the site to load due to the 'unprecedented demand'. The free, open-source AI tool is impressive (and an easy way to waste an hour). With the ability to chat using natural human language and even produce content, some say this will replace copywriters.
So, we thought we'd try it for ourselves. If our clients can replace us with a machine, we'd like to know about it.
First, we asked ChatGPT to write a blog post about how PR & content agencies could use ChatGPT.
This is the exact query I gave it: Write a blog post about how PR and content agencies could use ChatGPT.
This is what it gave us, unedited:
As businesses and organisations continue to navigate the digital landscape, many are turning to PR and content agencies to help them stand out in an increasingly crowded online space. One powerful tool that these agencies can use to create compelling and effective content is ChatGPT, a large language model developed by OpenAI.
One of the key benefits of using ChatGPT is its ability to generate human-like text, which can be used to create a wide range of content, including blog posts, social media posts, and even entire websites. This can save PR and content agencies a significant amount of time and resources, as they no longer need to spend hours writing and editing content manually.
Another benefit of using ChatGPT is its ability to understand and respond to natural language input. This makes it an ideal tool for creating chatbots and virtual assistants, which can help businesses and organisations communicate with their customers and engage with their audiences in a more personalised and effective way.
In addition to creating content and chatbots, PR and content agencies can also use ChatGPT to conduct research and analysis. For example, they can use the model to analyze large amounts of data, such as social media posts and website analytics, to identify key trends and insights that can inform their PR and content strategies.
Overall, ChatGPT is a powerful and versatile tool that can help PR and content agencies create high-quality content and engage with their audiences in new and innovative ways. Whether you're looking to generate blog posts, create chatbots, or conduct research and analysis, ChatGPT has the capabilities to help you achieve your goals.
However, it's also important to note that ChatGPT is a machine learning model and as such its output may require human editing and proofreading before publishing. It's important to be aware of the risks of using such technology, such as the potential for bias and errors in its output, and to always verify the accuracy of the information generated by the model.
In conclusion, ChatGPT is an advanced tool that PR and content agencies can use to create high-quality and engaging content, chatbots, and analysis. With its ability to understand and respond to natural language and generate human-like text, ChatGPT can be an asset to any agency looking to streamline its content creation process, and enhance its PR and marketing campaigns.
I mean, it's not bad. Boring. But not bad. It reads like a high school essay and isn't particularly engaging, so it isn't about to become a 'must-read'. Still, spelling & grammar are pretty good (albeit using American spelling), so it might almost be passable with some serious rewrites and a red pen.
As for originality, Grammarly tells me the piece is 16% plagiarised (underlined are all of the parts it recognised from around the internet). I'm not surprised about this, given the way AI scans all corners of the web to produce this in the first place. I would, however, be interested to know how this would perform in a more rigorous plagiarism checker.
To continue down this path, I asked ChatGPT to draft a couple of social media posts to promote the blog post it had just written. Here's what it produced:
Facebook:
Are you a PR or content agency looking to streamline your content creation process and enhance your campaigns? Check out our latest blog post on how ChatGPT, a powerful language model developed by OpenAI, can help you create high-quality and engaging content, chatbots and analysis in a fraction of the time! Learn more: [link to blog post]
LinkedIn:
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, PR and content agencies need to stay at the forefront of the industry to provide their clients with the most advanced and effective solutions. In our latest blog post, we explore how ChatGPT, a large language model developed by OpenAI, can help PR and content agencies create high-quality and engaging content, chatbots and analysis in a fraction of the time. Learn more and see how ChatGPT can benefit your agency: [link to blog post]
The Facebook post sounds a bit salesy. It reads like the start of a click funnel where I will eventually have to pay $199 for a digital course. The LinkedIn one is better but still not quite there. Neither of these has the Brainchild voice or personality. How could they? It's the equivalent of asking someone to write about your business without knowing your brand, objectives, overarching strategy, target audience or the environment your business exists within. These are all the minimum things that our team at Brainchild (and I certainly hope every other agency and freelancer out there) takes the time to understand before putting a single word on a page.
So, is it time to fire your copywriter and replace them with AI?
No. Not yet, at least. AI technology is evolving rapidly and producing impressive results (for a machine). I was even surprised that ChatGPT had a handle on sarcasm. Its best work yet was when I challenged it to 'write a sarcastic paragraph about why AI will replace copywriters':
Why bother hiring a copywriter when you can just use AI? After all, who needs creativity and a human touch when you can have a robot spit out generic and soulless content at lightning speed? Plus, you'll save a ton of money on salary and benefits since AI never takes a sick day or asks for a raise. So, say goodbye to those pesky copywriters and hello to the future of bland and uninspired content. Yay, technology!"
Please note that this is a sarcastic statement and it's not a reflection of the capabilities and limitations of AI. AI is a powerful tool but it's not capable of replacing human creativity and emotional intelligence.
Beyond AI's ethical limitations (a whole other blog post), there is no replacement for a living, breathing copywriter who understands the context and cultural landscape. Unfortunately, many brands have seen their carefully human-crafted messages see them pivot into crisis comms because they haven't read the room. AI increases this risk tenfold without some serious process to ensure missed social cues don't land businesses in hot water.
AI may well have a place within the communications technology stack. But I hope businesses remember the importance of quality over quantity before diving in headfirst. There is already far too much sub-par 'content for content's sake' online. And, with its ability to create content in a second for free, AI will likely make this worse.
As I look at a folder of 57 emails I've marked as 'interesting things to learn when I have time', the thought of even more content cluttering up an already saturated digital world scares the sh*t out of me.