“AI is creating additional income streams for me,” notes Sarah Skidd, a product marketing manager specializing in content for tech and start-up companies.
In May, Ms. Skidd was contracted by a content agency facing an urgent need to revise website copy that had been generated using AI for a hospitality client.
The initial attempt to economize through AI had backfired, leading to unforeseen complications.
“The copy was typical of AI-generated content – exceedingly basic and lacking in originality,” Ms. Skidd explained.
“It was intended to engage and entice, but instead, it came across as remarkably bland.”
Ms. Skidd dedicated approximately 20 hours to rewriting the content, billing at a rate of $100 per hour. Rather than simple edits, she found it necessary to “completely overhaul the entire piece.”
Ms. Skidd, based in Arizona, remains optimistic despite the increasing trend of businesses adopting AI solutions like ChatGPT, instead of relying on human copywriters.
“Perhaps I’m being idealistic, but I believe that exceptional talent will always be in demand.”
Currently, she observes a growing number of writers whose primary task involves refining content initially produced by AI.
“I’ve heard from colleagues who report that this constitutes 90% of their current workload. Therefore, I’m not the only one benefiting from these AI-related missteps; there are other writers experiencing similar opportunities.”
Ms. Skidd maintains a balanced perspective on AI, recognizing its potential as a valuable tool.
“My husband and son are dyslexic, and writing presents significant challenges for them. Any tool that can assist individuals with writing can be truly transformative.”
In recent years, generative AI has gained considerable traction, with businesses increasingly turning to systems like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google Gemini to optimize operations and reduce costs.
According to research by the Federation of Small Businesses, over a third (35%) of small enterprises intend to expand their use of AI within the next two years, with this figure rising to 60% among businesses prioritizing rapid sales growth.
However, some organizations are adopting AI prematurely, and as Ms. Skidd’s experience illustrates, this can often lead to increased workload and expenses.
Sophie Warner, co-owner of Create Designs, a digital marketing agency in Hampshire, UK, echoes this sentiment.
Over the past six to eight months, she has observed a significant rise in requests for assistance from clients who initially sought a quick solution through AI but encountered difficulties.
“Previously, clients would contact us when they experienced website issues or desired new features,” Ms. Warner explains. “Now, they are turning to ChatGPT first.”
Ms. Warner notes that this has resulted in clients implementing code suggested by ChatGPT on their websites, leading to crashes and increased vulnerability to cyberattacks.
She cites an example of a client who, instead of manually updating their event page (a task that would have taken approximately 15 minutes), opted to use ChatGPT for simpler instructions.
This error ultimately “cost them around £360, and their business was offline for three days.”
Ms. Warner emphasizes that these issues are not limited to smaller clients.
“We are dedicating more time to educating clients about the potential consequences of AI use.”
“We often charge an investigation fee to diagnose the problem, as clients are hesitant to admit their reliance on AI. The process of rectifying these errors invariably takes longer than if professional assistance had been sought from the outset.”
Prof. Feng Li, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation at Bayes Business School, suggests that some businesses hold overly optimistic expectations regarding the capabilities of current AI tools.
He emphasizes that AI is known to “hallucinate” – generating content that is irrelevant, fabricated, or inconsistent.
“Human oversight remains crucial,” he asserts.
“We have witnessed companies generating substandard website content or implementing flawed code that disrupts critical systems.”
“Suboptimal implementation can damage reputations, incur unexpected expenses, and even create significant liabilities, often necessitating remediation by qualified professionals.”
Kashish Barot, a copywriter based in Gujarat, India, reports that she has been editing AI-generated content for U.S.-based clients to enhance its human qualities and eliminate repetitive sentence structures that betray its AI origin.
Despite the often-questionable quality of the content, she notes that clients are becoming accustomed to the rapid turnaround times offered by AI, leading to unrealistic expectations.
“AI has created the perception that writing is a task that can be completed in mere minutes,” says Ms. Barot, noting that her clients are using OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
“However, effective copyediting, like writing itself, requires time for thoughtful consideration and not mere curation, as AI does. AI also struggles with understanding nuance, given its reliance on data curation.”
According to Prof. Li, the intense focus on AI has prompted numerous companies to experiment without well-defined objectives, appropriate infrastructure, or a realistic understanding of the technology’s capabilities.
“For instance, companies must evaluate whether they possess the necessary data infrastructure, governance processes, and in-house expertise to support AI adoption. Relying on readily available tools without comprehending their limitations can lead to undesirable outcomes,” he explains.
OpenAI states that ChatGPT can assist with a broad range of tasks, “but results may vary based on the specific model used, the user’s experience with AI, and the phrasing of the prompt.”
The company also emphasizes the existence of multiple versions of ChatGPT.
“Each of our models possesses unique capabilities for accomplishing different tasks.”
Does Ms. Warner harbor concerns about the potential impact of AI, assuming its continued rapid advancement?
“The answer is both yes and no,” she replies. “While AI may appear to be a quick and economical solution, it rarely considers unique brand identities, target demographics, or design principles that drive conversions. Consequently, much of the output appears generic and could potentially harm the brand’s reputation or effectiveness.”
She concludes: “While AI can serve as a valuable tool, it simply cannot replace the expertise and contextual understanding that human professionals bring to our industry.”
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