The evolving role of ChatGPT and content creation:
Insights from Ross Stuart, SEO Manager at Herd Agency
In an ever-changing digital landscape, businesses are constantly seeking ways to streamline the process of content creation. Well, who, or more aptly what, do they turn to?
One tool that springs to mind (and the word on everyone’s lips) is ChatGPT, an AI-powered content creator powered by OpenAI.
Ross Stuart, SEO Manager at Performance Marketing agency HerdHerd, shares valuable insights on the benefits and limitations of using ChatGPT. He explores the nuances of leveraging AI tools, whilst highlighting the importance of human expertise in the ever-evolving world of combining quality content with industry best-practice.
Streamlining surface-level content marketing
Ross Stuart says: “ChatGPT offers undeniable advantages when generating vast amounts of content quickly. Its ability to accelerate content creation has significant time-saving implications for businesses.”
However, Stuart emphasises the need for leveraging these time savings with thorough proofreading when deciding to use AI tools for content. Despite its capabilities, ChatGPT isn’t perfect and has been known to make mistakes, as demonstrated on numerous occasions in recent history.
The platform is improving itself every time it consumes data, whether that be from the person using it, or when it crawls the internet for information. However, it fails to understand logical reasoning through lack of unbiased context and basic common knowledge. If you wish to discover answers to personal situations, its response should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Ironically, one way to avoid “human errors”, would be for a human to simply fact check its findings. Remember that ChatGPT is scraping the internet for the content it provides, so undoubtedly, taking opinion-based information as gospel, could be problematic for businesses. Particularly if they are of a sensitive or complex nature.
Don’t let this tool override your own creative thinking and expertise. After all, it is only as reliable as the knowledge it can access, and therefore lacks the personal touch only a human can provide.
Navigating critical challenges within certain industries
Whilst ChatGPT excels in producing surface-level content, it can’t comprehend niche topics and complex definitions. Stuart advises against using AI tools for content that offers subjective opinions, recommendations, or statistical analysis of what is deemed “best” for customers. In these instances, the human approach remains necessary.
Stuart claims that: “industries falling under the “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) category, such as pharmaceuticals or finance, should exercise caution when using AI-generated content.”
The potential for misinformation in these sectors can have significant consequences for readers and businesses. Generalised advice given by AI tools can lead to serious outcomes in extreme cases. It is evident that AI is not a substitute for real-world experience and expertise, attributes that will increasingly be rewarded in the future of content creation.
For legal or medical advice, ChatGPT should not be relied upon. It does not have the expertise to navigate guidance in these sectors and you should always consult a professional for such situations. Equally, ethical or moral dilemmas require a vast amount of research and consideration, and therefore its limitations should be recognised.
Ethical decisions and opinions are essentially subjective judgments, which AI tools lack, so a human would evidently be the best ‘person’ for this job. Additionally, humans can be held accountable for their actions and take responsibility for the consequences of their decisions, robots can’t.
The future of ChatGPT and the human advantage
Using a human approach is essential for several reasons. Humans possess emotional intelligence, enabling them to empathise and understand the emotional implications of certain scenarios or personal circumstances.
While AI models like ChatGPT can offer insights, they should serve as tools to augment human decision-making rather than replacing human involvement entirely. Be aware of the severity of using a tool to help you make critical decisions.
If anything goes wrong, the line “AI made me do it” won’t hold up well in the court of law.
As AI evolves, it is crucial to recognise its role as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for human expertise. While ChatGPT and similar tools fast-forward the certain aspects of content creation, they cannot fully replicate real-world experience. Stuart predicts that human creativity, critical thinking, and subject matter expertise will become even more valuable in the future of content creation.
Closing thoughts
Stuart notes that AI tools like ChatGPT offer undeniable benefits in terms of efficiency and speed when it comes to creating content and researching ideas or topics. But businesses must proceed with caution and leverage these tools appropriately.
Recognising the limitations of ChatGPT, particularly when confiding in it for niche topics and professional content, is crucial. Industries falling under the YMYL category should think twice when looking to use the tool as a quick fix.
The future of content creation lies in the constructive collaboration between AI tools and human expertise, rewarding creativity and critical thinking.
