I, like many freelance writers, have encountered my fair share of artificial intelligence (AI) tools over the years. These tools claim to streamline simple tasks like article writing – but often fall short. Most of us remember the “article spinner” era (I was hired to rewrite countless “spun” articles that were nearly unintelligible.) Now there is ChatGPT.
There’s no denying the advantages that AI tools like ChatGPT bring to the table. This innovative tool can be used to write and reply to emails, generate social media posts, create cover letters, look for job opportunities, and even compose songs and poems. You can even count on ChatGPT to give you solid relationship advice.
Where AI tools like ChatGPT fall short is their human component. Sure, you can ask ChatGPT to write you an article about tree frogs and the results will be easily comprehended and perhaps you’ll even learn some interesting facts about these tiny amphibians. However, these tools can never fully replace humans, and here’s why.
A Brief Overview of ChatGPT and Its Capabilities
ChatGPT is defined as an artificial intelligence chatbot created by OpenAI. The popular tool was released in November 2022 and was designed to generate text after a user enters a prompt. Currently, ChatGPT uses GPT-4, which is a language model that relies on deep learning to produce human-like text.
While countless chatbots and AI tools have been created throughout the years, ChatGPT is among the most intelligent. The language model is capable of responding to questions with great accuracy and can write passable articles, essays, code, email, and social media content. It can even create human-like images and videos.
The GPT in ChatGPT stands for “Generative Pre-trained Transformer,” which is how this tool processes requests and generates responses. The technology is similar to automated chatbots that have been used on customer service websites for years. ChatGPT is trained using human feedback to rank responses for greater accuracy.
The reason why AI tools like ChatGPT are not yet able to completely replace human jobs relates to emotional intelligence. ChatGPT cannot understand or respond to emotions in the same way that a human can. Only human freelance writers can understand and manage both their own emotions and the emotions of online readers.
Freelance Writers Losing Gigs to ChatGPT
While I can appreciate what ChatGPT can do and how it has helped millions of people across all sectors, I can’t help but be saddened about the opportunities it has taken away. I started freelancing in 2009 and have since built a business that has given me steady clients and a reliable income. Unfortunately, ChatGPT has me unsure of what the future holds.
Many freelance writing platforms are cracking down on writers that use ChatGPT to write their articles. WriterAccess by RockContent is currently in the process of implementing an AI detector which has proven to be highly unreliable, causing mass concerns amongst its writers.
Clients who once depended on freelance writers to provide them with quality content are now turning to ChatGPT to save money. Many claim that ChatGPT provides content that is comparable to human-written content, although that has yet to be proven. Clients that have stuck around thus far are becoming apprehensive due to a slew of new writers attempting to cheat the system by submitting AI-generated content, creating widespread mistrust between writers and clients.
Even with more than a decade of experience in the industry and a pre-established writing business, my skills cannot compete with the affordability of ChatGPT. I, like many other freelance writers, am concerned about my financial future and what will happen in the upcoming months as more clients choose ChatGPT over human creators.
How ChatGPT Can Be Advantageous for Freelancers
While ChatGPT is taking away freelance writing jobs, there’s no denying the advantages this technology offers to online workers. As a freelancer, ChatGPT can be used for a wide range of purposes, such as the following:
- Connect with potential clients
- Generate lists of content ideas
- Perform research
- Automate customer service
- Make placeholder content
- Write cover letters
- Provide text for ads
- Assist with email copy
- Overcome writer’s block
- Manage projects more efficiently
If you are a freelance writer, share how your career has been influenced by ChatGPT and other AI tools in the comments below!
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