Emotions don’t happen just in our minds.
Emotions stimulate physiological responses… like changes in heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, facial expressions, and muscle tension.
These physical responses are mediated by the autonomic nervous system, and the release of hormones.
Long story short… any emotion you feel is accompanied by a physical response.
As humans, we live, touch and breathe emotions.
The question in the headline was asked by a good friend, and highly-regarded copywriter.
It’s a totally legitimate question. As professional copywriters we can write better than any AI, and we naturally infuse our work with emotion… because we know it works.
So… if we can do all that on our own, why do I recommend that people dive into AI, use tools like ChatGPT, and then infuse the AI output with Emotional Intelligence?
Why make it complicated? Why not just carry on as normal?
It’s easy for writers and copywriters to roll their eyes when they hear about AI writing tools.
At their current level of performance, these tools often produce generic, slightly robotic text that can’t entirely replicate that unique human touch in writing. The sentiment I hear a lot is, “Sure, AI can write, but it won’t write well.”
Here’s the thing… dismissing or ignoring AI writing tools outright because of their current limitations is a mistake. The trajectory of this technology is moving fast… and should have every writer paying close attention.
As a freelancer, I am my brand.
I’m me… the good, the bad and the less-than-perfect.
Human, through and through.
I do my best to keep the less-than-perfect parts to myself. But even if they peek out from behind the curtain from time to time, that’s not so bad.
It just shows I’m real.
More specifically, it shows I’m not an Artificial Intelligence.
Using AI to write copy and content offers incredible productivity benefits.
But… AI output can feel dry and generic. It packs no emotional punch.
That’s why I advocate leading with a high level of emotional intelligence. At every stage of using these AI writing tools, ask yourself how to make the copy more emotionally engaging.
One of the easiest and most powerful ways to do this is to use stories. Everyone loves stories. And in the world of marketing, some of the most powerful stories are the ones that include some kind of customer transformation.
This year we’ll see some significant advances in the field of AI. And yes, some of those advances will impact our work as freelance copywriters.
It’s time to lean in and get ahead of the curve.
You need a plan. And that plan can’t be “Sit tight and do nothing”. The way things are, you can get ahead and profit from the rise of AI. Or you can fall behind.
There’s no middle ground. Sitting tight means falling behind.