What Makes Great Writing ‘Un-Automatable’ and Why Can’t AI Learn?

Today’s best artificial intelligence (AI) systems can churn out thousands of words of content in minutes.

How are you, a human writer, supposed to compete with that?

If you’re like me, there isn’t enough caffeine in the world to keep up with that pace. Let’s be honest; no one alive could come close to writing as fast as AI.

But that’s only part of the story (literally).

As polished as automated writing may appear, it lacks an essential ingredient: humanity.

Sure, that sounds great on paper. We’d all love to believe that no companies are going to outsource their content writing to a faceless bot and hire us instead. While that isn’t reality, the future is also more hopeful than doomers would have you believe.

No, not all writing is going to be taken over by AI.

Because not all writing can be automated.

Human-first writing—writing infused with empathy, perspective, and personal connection—stands apart from AI-generated content in multitudinous ways.

If you also want to stand out, you need to learn how to write un-automatable content. Here’s how.

The Hallmarks of Human-First Writing

Elsewhere on the blog, we’ve explored ways you can market yourself as a human-first writer. This is a great strategy for winning over clients and showcasing your value in a hyper-competitive market.

But what does human-first writing look like?

There are a few key distinctions to look for.

1. Empathy and Connection

When you instruct an AI to write content that connects with the reader, it will certainly do its best. However, all it has to go on is words and algorithmic connections between them.

There’s no feeling behind it.

When we humans write, we bring a level of emotional awareness and sensitivity that AI simply can’t match. We put ourselves in the reader’s shoes and build an emotional bridge that fosters deeper understanding and trust.

This connection resonates with readers in a way that AI-generated writing doesn’t. It’s also a crucial reason why AI can’t be used to write all content.

Imagine writing a blog article aimed at cancer patients with tips for making the most of life in this dark time. Do you think readers would rather consume content about their most personal moment written by an AI, or by a human who knows what they’re going through because they did also?

Yeah, not close.

Any client worth their salt knows this too.

2. Personal Experience and Perspective

No two people have the same experiences, which means that no two writers do either. This allows each of us to bring unique perspectives to the content we write.

Personal experience makes writing singular. Audiences resonate with content that feels fresh and insightful—not the same thing they’ve seen hundreds of times.

While writers draw on memories, personal stories, and individual interpretations of the world to spin a narrative, AI is stuck trying to replicate things it has seen before. There are only so many ways to piece those things together—and most of them aren’t good.

3. A Strong Understanding of Nuance

Another essential aspect that separates human writing from AI is our intuitive grasp of cultural context. Good writers have an innate ability to adjust our language, style, and voice based on our audience.

For instance, you wouldn’t write an article reviewing the newest video camera drone the same way you’d write a case study detailing the results of a marketing firm’s social media strategy.

One caters to a casual audience of hobby enthusiasts who want to know why this drone is the best. The other speaks to professionals who care deeply about how the information being presented can help them find business success.

While AI can string together sentences with accurate grammar and syntax, great writing goes beyond technical precision.

Examples of AI Not Doing it Well

Okay. We’ve discussed some ways that human writing stands out from AI-generated copy. But what does this look like in reality?

AI content, though often technically accurate, commonly misses the mark on key elements that define “great” writing. Whether it’s snappy email copy or long-form blog content, here are a few areas where AI tends to fall short.

Missed Context in Headlines

A great headline grabs attention by appealing directly to the reader’s needs or curiosity. While AI can generate catchy phrases, it often lacks the nuanced understanding needed to craft a truly compelling headline.

Using keywords to add urgency to a message isn’t enough. Neither is adding out-of-context keywords to try and relate to the reader.

The result?

Headlines that fall flat, lacking the subtle intrigue that draws readers in and makes content memorable.

Bad AI Headline: “How to Write a Good Headline That People Will Read”

Good, Human Headline: “The Headline Writing Formula That Turns Browsers Into Readers Every Time”

Forgetting to Focus on the Audience

What turns one group of readers into a cult-like followering might fail to resonate with another. Understanding the need to tailor content to different audiences is something AI often fails at.

This can be mitigated somewhat with the right user input. For instance, you can tell ChatGPT to write an article aimed at “busy executives with decision-making power in healthcare startups.”

The AI will respond with writing featuring industry buzzwords and a more specific tone than its generic output. But even that is still a one-size-fits-all approach.

Readers often feel this type of content is impersonal or not genuine. Yikes. Two words you never want to hear if you’re a marketer.

Fortunately, human writers have the knowledge and intuition needed to adjust tone, terminology, and depth of explanation based on the target audience. For writers who are experts in a narrow niche, these skills become invaluable selling points.

Bad AI Example: “Marketing is very important for businesses, students, teachers, and everyone who wants to learn about it. Here are some tips that anyone can use, no matter who you are, to be successful in marketing.”

(Notice the repetition and lack of specifics. This could be an article about anything, and the person reading it will see the piece as generic and uninspired.)

Good, Human Example: “Running a successful healthcare PPC campaign depends on every ad communicating trust and credibility. Your copy should offer solutions to the pain points your patients experience and motivate them to take action. Doing so will drive clicks and build a solid foundation for the patient-provider relationship.”

(Note the narrow subject focus and the specific tone used to speak to a healthcare marketer who wants to learn more about a topic but have some adjacent knowledge. As a result, the reader views this content as trustworthy and valuable to their needs.)

Lacking Emotional Resonance

One defining trait of un-automatable writing is the ability to connect with the reader on an emotional level. Humans writers have a natural understanding of when adding a touch of humor or an empathetic undertone transforms content from ordinary to extraordinary.

Learning how to write emotionally resonant content can transform your career and change the trajectory of your life.

Better yet, AI can’t learn this skill.

AI lacks the capability of understanding genuine emotion. It only sees examples and tries to emulate them. But true emotional connection is far deeper.

When an AI adds words it associates with emotion, it does so without depth, creating a hollow feeling in the text. It’s why so many people perceive AI writing as sterile or overly formal.

Bad AI Example: “Why Emotions Are Important in Writing and How You Can Use Them”

Good, Human Example: “Master the Art of Writing with Emotion If You Want to Future-Proof Your Career”

(Oh hey look ↓↓)

Master These Skills to Make Your Writing Un-Automatable

As AI becomes a tempting option for businesses to quickly write content, profitable freelancers must learn to compete on a different axis.

Fortunately, writing mastery isn’t the domain of robots. This skill belongs to people (and it always will).

It’s the human touch—the context, empathy, and valuable perspectives defined by a life well lived—that makes content unforgettable. Mastering these un-automatable skills is your path to standing out.

So go forth and infuse your writing with depth in every word and use your lovely human brain to form genuine connections with readers.

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