Over 60% of Writers Already Use AI in Their Writing Workflow

Most of us are familiar with ChatGPT. If you’re not, it is a new AI writing tool that has revolutionized the way we write. The number of uses for these tools is jaw dropping, with the most obvious being general content writing, research, spelling and grammar checks, list generating, and summarization. One thing that is for certain is that history repeats itself.

When the world is granted new unique ideas and tools, we often see polarizing views and pushback. We wanted to see where the HackerNoon community stands, so we polled our readers and writers.

Polarizing Views on AI Tools

The Naysayers:

Not everyone is happy about these new tools and are skeptical about their widespread use. Pushback is good! It highlights concerns and potential weakness and can lead to positive adaptations.

Early critics highlight the potential for job loss in various industries, issues around ownership, and a deluge of glitchy and lackluster content. Some prophesize the bias and discrimination that AI tools can hold have the potential to lead us into a “cyberpunk dystopia”.

Everyone Else:

Folks who are open to the idea of AI tools are having fun exploring. Use ChatGPT to write a customer support email, provide cooking instructions, or even get help writing a Google Sheets VLOOKUP formula. Just don’t expect it to write a joke as well as the comedy writers from The Office 🙂.

Human writers are seeing the advantage of using AI for the more mundane writing tasks like keyword extraction, writing TL;DR excerpts, and spelling/grammar checks. And they’re even stating the “AI apocalypse is a good thing for writers”.

An early look into AI powered Bing search shows some strengths and weaknesses compared to ChatGPT. One compelling feature is the addition of information sources which is a glaring caveat of ChatGPT.

The Statistics:

We polled over 300 people from 27/2/2023 to 5/3/2023 to assess how widespread AI usage in writing had truly become. We asked the HackerNoon community if they use AI in their writing/copywriting workflow. The results can be seen in the image below:

HackerNoon readers and writers are largely comprised of professionals in technology, so chances are, many of them have been exposed to AI tools. Upon first glance, HackerNoon readers have a fairly spread out opinion on the topic. But let’s break it down into groups that are for or against AI writing tools.

14% answered they will never use these tools and that they consider it taboo.

On the other hand, the remaining 86% are open to the idea of using AI writing tools.

Within this group, 20% have not used the tools yet, but plan to.

28% use these tools sometimes and 19% use the tools just for research and planning.

On the other end of the spectrum, 17% have already adopted the tools into their writing/copywriting workflow 100% of the time.

What Does ChatGPT Have to Say?

So far, we polled the HackerNoon community and we have highlighted some polarized views on AI writing tools. Why not include ChatGPT into this discussion?

ChatGPT’s Self-proclaimed Pros and Cons:

Response:

Sure, here are the pros and cons of using ChatGPT:

Overall, ChatGPT can be a useful tool for answering questions and automating customer support, but its limitations should be taken into consideration when using it.

ChatGPT’s Thoughts on Using AI Tools for Writing/Copywriting:

Response:

1. Increased efficiency: AI tools can help writers generate ideas, suggest improvements, and identify errors quickly and efficiently, saving time and streamlining the writing process.
2. Improved accuracy: AI tools can provide valuable feedback and suggestions that can improve the accuracy and quality of writing. This can be particularly useful for writers who are not native speakers of a particular language or who need to write technical or specialized content.
3. Consistency: AI tools can help ensure consistency in tone, style, and terminology across different pieces of content, helping to establish a strong brand voice and identity. This can be particularly useful for businesses that produce large volumes of content across different platforms and channels.

Overall, AI tools can be a valuable asset to writers and copywriters, helping them save time, improve quality, and make more informed decisions about their content.

Response:

1. Lack of creativity: AI tools may not be able to replicate the creativity and originality of human writers, resulting in generic or formulaic content that lacks a unique voice or perspective. This could be a significant disadvantage for writers or businesses that prioritize creativity and originality in their content.
2. Limited context and understanding: AI tools may not always be able to fully understand the context or nuances of a particular topic or industry, leading to errors or inappropriate suggestions. Human writers can provide valuable insights and perspective that AI tools may not be able to replicate.
3. Overreliance on technology: Depending too much on AI tools could lead to a loss of important writing skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication. It's important for writers to maintain these fundamental skills in order to produce high-quality content that resonates with their audience.

Overall, AI tools can be a valuable tool for writers and copywriters, but they should not be relied on exclusively. It's important to strike a balance between using AI tools and maintaining important writing skills and perspectives.

Final Thoughts

Our poll revealed that most of the HackerNoon community already uses AI writing tools in their workflow or they intend to in the future. But this isn’t all that surprising given that the community is made up of technology professionals and enthusiasts. These AI tools are still in their infancy, but their use as an assistance tool is promising. Even ChatGPT suggests these tools “should not be relied on exclusively”. We still need humans to provide great ideas and creativity.

Please share your thoughts in the comments and keep an eye out for other HackerNoon Polls to participate.