Intro
Hello, and welcome back to the Talktoscribe blog! Today we're discussing the future of AI — the expectations, the predictions, and the reality.
A Common Mistake
The most common prediction for AI's future is that it will replace people. Not just a few, and not just by increasing efficiency. Those who love it and those who fear it agree that it will take over complete industries. I'm sure you've seen people claiming this, whether you hold it yourself or not.
It's a mistake.
It may be true to a small extent in specific industries. But for most of us — especially those in content creation, writing, or visual arts — these predictions are looking in the wrong direction.
Why do we say that? What's wrong with that prediction? To answer those questions, we have to dive into the reason for the prediction.
"Generative" AI
One word that's often thrown around in discussions of AI is "generative." This term has become increasingly common as the use of AI to generate content becomes more widespread. On the internet, content = money = attention, or so the common wisdom goes. Why use AI to make your content, though?
The first reason is quantity. AI can generate lots of content, fast. What would take a writer days, ChatGPT can mimic in seconds. And since there's such a high limit on requests, it becomes possible to post more than ever before.
The second reason is cost. AI content generation is far, far cheaper than hiring a professional, even at entry level, for the same job.
Now, these seem like pretty strong reasons to see the future of AI as content generation. So what's the problem?
The Reality
AI isn't human. It's also not original. We have to remember what AI is. Then we'll see why "content generation" isn't its future.
AI is an averaging machine. You give it inputs, tell it which are important, and rate the outputs. Then the AI tries to make you happy, balancing all that info. AI content is created out of averages for averages.
Here's the problem with that.
The average person doesn't exist. Content generated by AI targets a nonexistent audience. Truly effective content, whether for business or pleasure, targets a specific audience. And that specific audience will always want something more than just average.
Here's a second problem. Audiences want humanity.
Averages and machines are not human. Real art, whatever its purpose, has a paradoxically rough polish that AI simply cannot produce. For better or worse, the real artists are irreplaceable.
And so, because we know that profit will be what drives the future of AI, and because authenticity will drive profit more than averages ever can, we know that the future of AI is not generative.
The future of AI is supportive.
User-Centric
The real future of AI is as an assistant, a supportive tool. The future of AI is user-centric.
My own relationship with AI as a tool has been along these lines, and it's been invaluable. Instead of generating mediocre content, it's helped me research. Instead of filling the internet with slop, it's helped me add real value.
AI can replace content mills. It replace the writer only interested in quantity, or mediocrity. But, if you're the kind of person I'm writing for, it can't replace you. It can, however, support you.
It's hard to tell how common this already is, because when AI is used in the background, it doesn't show up in the foreground. And that's exactly as it should be. I can't tell if a LinkedIn post was written in notepad or Word. Good tools fade into the background, and bring the writer to the front.
Good tools are user-centric.
Full Integration
All this, it's real integration. Bringing AI into your workflow, in the proper place. Making it a part of the process, not the whole process. The best AI will be user-centric, will be easily integrated. They'll be designed for that exactly.
That's what we built Scribe for. For the planning, the brainstorming, the moments when there's nothing more valuable than the clarity you get from a good question. Not to splatter your blog with ChatGPT's droolings. Scribe is the future of AI, now.
Final Note
Ultimately, our actions as creators aren't what finally guides AI. The real leader here is the consumer, the final person in the chain, the one who reads our ads, blogs, marketing materials, or essays. And those people know. They know when AI is used to generate instead of being used to create.
So stay ahead of the curve. Work hard, plan well, and use this tool like it's meant to be used. Seek quality over quantity.