“Fraudsters, fakes and phonies generate word soup using AI…And they are rubbish.” Wise words from John McCarthy, Opinion editor of The Drum, who in our opinion, often writes wise, great copy.
The world of generated content is not going anywhere fast. Where deepfake Zoom calls seals deals and bots scan your documents to give you an opinion, how can those wanting to create content, really stand out in the crowd?
There’s so much more to wordplay than playing with words. Sure there are a few rules to how to write like using simple language will broaden your readership, not using jargon or trade terminology, ensure it is your own words and not those already penned across the digital universe.
But there is also that golden thread of commentary – which is you. It’s your thoughts, how your experience, your life has formed what you think about that subject – which can’t be computed out of AI, but only progressed in the tiny caverns of your own mind.
Now that doesn’t mean that a PR or comms person can’t tell your story – we’d would be out of a job if that was the case. But really it is your story, all they can do is craft it to read well.
So be loud and proud, have an opinion and shout it from the rooftops. Someone doesn’t agree, don’t be shy, tell them why you think what you do, see if as an opportunity to open a conversation.
We have grown up in a world where opinion has become derisive. Where those who have opinions are seen as the outliers, as the crazies, as the ones standing on the edge. But if we all followed the crowd, were all one of the sheep, we’d all be going in the same direction, all the time.
Of course, we don’t believe you should be mouthy for the sake of it – or belligerent and bolshie because you can be. We believe you should have principles, have thoughts, have feelings and have a voice. Especially when it comes to your business – what you know, what you are the expert in.
We need to lose our sense of importance, give a damn, but don’t. What you say won’t be reported high and low (unless of course you are the President of the United States, an ex reality star or Greta Thunberg) but if you are lucky it will resonate with someone, might turn into a bigger discussion and generate a business lead/ a business contact or even a friendship.
So delete Wikipedia and ChatGPT, connect your brain and let’s get our thoughts back on the page again.
Pix with thanks to Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán, pexels.com