There’s been a lot about ChatGPT in the press of late, so what is it all about? Does ChatGPT and AI mean the end for freelance writers?
Today, we explore exactly what is ChatGPT and remind all you writers out there that humans still have a lot to offer!
What are ChatGPT and other forms of AI for writing
ChatGPT is a chatbot that uses AI technology to interact with its users. It was developed by OpenAI based on its GPT 3 language model and has received training on huge large data sets which lets it to comprehend a broad range of subjects and behavioral sciences.
Making its debut in November 2022, ChatGPT has been enhanced with new learning methods to absorb and process information more quickly and accurately. With its knowledge base and data patterns, it can find information, answer questions and predict results.
As a large language model, ChatGPT can generate human-like written text. It has been trained on massive amounts of data, including web pages, books and other sources from the internet. The software carries a deep learning approach that involves processing several TBs of data, in which there are seas of words used to compose sentences appropriately.
Even since its predecessor, GPT-3, the program had been able to generate text, but now ChatGPT has been trained on a much more massive set of data, so it becomes a superior version both in terms of capability and speed. Therefore, generating human-like answers is easier than ever.
Other AI generators work in a similar way. For example, tools such as Midjourney, Stable Diffusion and DALL-E 2 are also capable of responding to human input. However, all these programs including ChatGPT can be inaccurate sometimes.
What can ChatGPT and AI do today
ChatGPT and AI can answer any question you throw at it, especially around encyclopaedia topics like “What is search engine optimization?” It has a wide range of skills including more than just writing, but also coding, conversation and solving math problems. And the best part of it is that it doesn’t charge any usage fees at all.
ChatGPT can compose emails, blogs and advertising materials, in addition to answering questions and generating strings of code according to a prompt. All of these capabilities make the software suitable as a virtual assistant or tool to help communicate with customers.
Not just writing for users, ChatGPT can communicate using the knowledge it has. You can ask it a question about the meaning of life or other things and the software will give you an answer. Even though it’s still in the research and feedback-collection stage, it already has proficiency in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Like other AI writing software, it is great for content generation. Users can utilize ChatGPT to help write articles, blog posts, apps, novels and more. These are examples of the work that ChatGPT and AI can do today.
What are some of the limitations of ChatGPT and AI
ChatGPT relies on correlations and static patterns to respond to the input it receives, so it doesn’t understand things the way humans do. There are limitations to understanding, reach and readability. Hence it cannot work without human supervision.
Besides, AI tools are prone to bias. This is because they’re trained on data that may contain biases. If these biases are not addressed, the AI system may perpetuate and amplify them. And lack of transparency about AI data makes it hard to tell the accuracy of a conclusion drawn by the program.
Algorithmic bias can be harmful, because it can result in decisions that are systematically unfair to a group of people. This is compounded by wrong information that may be presented as factual.
It’s also possible that made-up data is in use, in addition to unreal examples and inexistent references, all of which can cause users to misperceive the subject they’re learning.
While an AI tool like ChatGPT may seem intelligent and be able to answer all your questions smoothly, it is possible that sometimes the software makes false statements or misses important details to generate accurate responses.
What skills do freelance writers bring to the table
There are many things real-world experts can do that AI tools cannot. For instance, professional freelance writers can come up with unique ideas, original experiences and compelling storytelling. There’s no doubt that a computer machine doesn’t have such skills.
Programs like ChatGPT are actually designed to assist instead of replacing human writers. Moreover, they lack original idea and complex thinking abilities like human writers.
People can use AI to produce generic articles, but when it comes to crafting content for audiences with very unique and specific information needs, only quality freelance writers can do the trick. Software won’t be able to provide helpful, actionable advice.
Unlike computer tools, a human writer can use their personality to build relationships with their audience and create a genuine, memorable brand experience.
Read my article on the 9 characteristics a writer must have.
How writing unique, authoritive content is still key for search engines
Google and other search engines love quality content. And among the main factors that determine quality are uniqueness and authoritativeness.
This kind of content is more important than ever, because search engines want information that is fact-based and well-written, so that it can introduce new, innovative ideas.
They also like authors or websites that focus on one area of expertise rather than producing random content to see what works best. Focusing on one niche will please not only search engines, but also audiences, because they won’t get confused with different types of content mixed up in one place.
How can freelance writers differentiate themselves
Freelance writers can differentiate themselves by improving their skills. As you know, today many writers can create blog posts and articles. So if you’re one of them, how will you make yourself stand out?
The answer is to combine your unique style with writing quality. You can offer demand-based content about specialized fields, annual reports or case studies. By maximizing creativity and service characteristics, a freelance writer can always stand out in the midst of competition with both AI and other human content creators.
It’s also a great idea to learn how to write a powerful sales page. This is one type of work whose results can reflect the quality of the writer. If you’re able to create exceptional sales pages, then you have a skill that is valued by many clients.
So in summary…
At the end of the day, we know that the rise of ChatGPT and AI don’t translate to the end for freelance writers. The main reason is reputable brands won’t risk their businesses by replacing niche-specific content creators subject-matter experts with AI-generated content. However, AI is getting better and smarter all the time and you can’t get complacent. Continue to create unique, well thought-through, quality content and you will always be in demand.