I was recently contacted by a client whose marketing agency had admitted using ChatGPT to write the copy.
You could spot this a mile off. The copy was truly shocking.
There’s no escaping the fact that AI tools are used in so many different ways now: influencer marketing, social media, blogs, lead generation, copywriting … the list goes on. According to the BCMA (Branded Content Marketing Association), content creation is the most popular reason for using Chat GPT and MidJourney. In fact, “over 82% of creators are using AI right now”.
But hang on … “creators”??? There’s a point to be made here. I’m not a creator but I am a creative. What’s the difference? Let’s ask ChatGPT …
Creator = Emphasis on producing something, often tied to a particular medium or platform.
Creative = Emphasis on original thought and imagination, not necessarily linked to specific output.
A person can be both a creator and a creative, but one term emphasizes the act of making while the other highlights the mindset behind the making.
A creative copywriter requires being imaginative, inventive and having original ideas – which ChatGPT and Gemini (which is meant to be better as it uses all Google extensions so the data is more relevant) can’t do.
Just yet.
(Though things have come a long way since my post in 2018: Could A Copywriter Ever Be Replaced By An AI Robot? when I pondered if Caroline Gibson could be replaced by Caroline Gibbot.)
AI isn’t perfect. ChatGPT relies on what’s been done and needs checking for grammar, ethics, copyright – oh, and spelling. Look at the American spelling in its definition above. A Sunday Times article this weekend mentioned that recruiters specifically look out for this as a telltale sign that graduates have used AI in job applications. I’ll throw in the Oxford comma as a red flag too.
But it’s undeniable that AI has opened doors for many creators, so let’s shove ChatGPT to one side and look at seven AI tools that can help “the act of making” become easier and simpler.
VEED
A video editing AI tool that lets you record, edit, review and share video without needing £££ software. You can create videos in any format using templates. It’s cloud-based, and you can also invite others to collaborate. There’s a free option but things get pricey the fancier you want to be.
Alternatives: Descript, Adobe Premiere Rush
Synthesia
Why use a real actor ever again?! Synthesia has a library of avatars: just chose who you want as your presenter (you can even create a custom avatar of yourself). Go global with your message too: there are 120 languages for voiceovers using text-to-speech technology.
Assets are royalty-free.
Midjourney
No more trawling through image libraries. Midjourney.com generates images based on text commands. Say what you want and, hey presto, you’ve got the photo or drawing you need.
All AI images are copyright-free but, of course, that also means any image you create on here swims into the public domain.
Alternatives: Adobe Firefly, DALL·E 2
Otter
I started using Otter.ai while conducting a series of lengthy interviews. I was frustrated by the amount of inaccuracies by the transcribers I used, and just how long it would take them to send the transcription.
This AI tool isn’t 100% foolproof, but it’s pretty good. It does clever things too, like in-meeting notes and summaries. BTW, the free option isn’t worth having if you think you’ll use it fairly regularly.
Alternatives: Read, Supernormal
Grammarly
I don’t use this but many do to check grammar, spelling (it’s more advanced than the spell-check tool on your laptop) and punctuation. Colour highlights flag up clarity and readability.
Alternatives: Hemingway, Slick Write
Hootsuite
Stuck for content? Can’t quite think of what to write on socials today? Plug your brain into Hootsuite and get instant captions and endless ideas.
Alternatives: Blaze, AI Social Content Generator
GuideGeek
Be a travel blogger without travelling anywhere. Well, almost. It’s like having your very own travel assistant.
Alternatives: EddyTravels, Layla
Written by Caroline Gibson, expert freelance creative copywriter based in London
E: caroline@carolinegibson.co.uk T: +44 (0) 7957 567766