"Lost all my content writing contracts: Feeling hopeless as an author"
“If there are enough job losses, it will upend that system. The open question is, what will replace it?”
Are you a writer or marketer? Has Chat GPT killed your pipeline and affected your job security? Or maybe you’re simply worried about the future.
GPT4 has only been out for a few months but it is already affecting the careers of freelance writers and marketing consultants. I went deep into the anecdotes and found a range of different experiences.
Some writers are losing work to the free alternative. Many businesses simply don’t care that articles written by GPT aren’t as engaging. The dollars are driving the decision.
In contrast, some writers are seeing an increase in business. With a sea of mediocre AI-written marketing content, some companies realize in order to stand out from the competition and get noticed by Google they need humans to either properly direct GPT4, edit its output or actually write the content themselves. Marketing content needs to connect unique business capabilities with client needs, and at the moment GPT4 is incapable of doing this on its own.
Below I’ve shared a couple personal stories that I found:
Case Study: The Pool Dries Up
Losing all my content writing projects: Feeling uncertain about my future as a writer.
I've worked with some of these clients for a decade, but they're all gone now. Even though some acknowledged that my work is superior to Chat GPT, the appeal of zero overhead costs and acceptable quality has won them over.
As an independent author working on my new series, I can't shake the feeling that within a few years, writing will be dominated by AI, with only the most renowned and recognized names surviving.
What stings the most is when people say, "You just need to adapt, and everything will be okay."
Adapt to what exactly? I'm competing with an entity that has already taken over my role and is rapidly evolving at a pace no human could ever match.
I'm 34 years old, have a degree in writing, and have published numerous articles and several novels. I once believed that my writing would support my family and me, but that dream has faded. Now, I'm seriously considering a career change, such as plumbing, hoping it will remain immune to automation for a while longer.
Many believe the government will implement Universal Basic Income. But let's be realistic—they haven't even managed to provide basic healthcare for everyone or guarantee minimal maternity leave. They failed to ensure the availability of baby formula during a shortage, leading to infant fatalities. How can we trust them to pass a UBI?
Response 1:
If you genuinely want to be a plumber, go for it. But first, consider this: Could AI potentially replace at least 26% of jobs in the United States?
If so, AI could lead to even more job losses than the Great Depression or the COVID-19 pandemic. Unemployment during the Great Depression skyrocketed from 0.04% in August 1929 to 25.59%, while during the pandemic, it rose from 3.5% in February 2020 to 14.7% in April 2020. Another metric showed an increase from 7% to 22.9% during the same period.
If AI does indeed cause massive job losses and replaces at least 26% of US jobs, it would result in a long-term Great Depression-like situation. Even if traditional economic growth indicators like GDP increase, the job market would be completely restructured. Even if plumbing jobs remain untouched by AI, the demand for plumbers could decrease. Here's why:
Out of 266.4 million Americans aged 16 or older, 166.7 million have jobs, resulting in a 3.5% unemployment rate. In 2021, there were 469,000 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, with a median pay of $59,880.
If AI causes 26% of job losses, 43.3 million Americans would become unemployed, potentially reducing the number of workers using restrooms by 25%. Consequently, the demand for plumbers would decline, possibly leading to a 25% job loss for plumbers.
Furthermore, if job losses decrease by 25%, college enrollment may drop equally or more. If job losses primarily affect college-educated individuals, enrollment numbers could plummet. If high school graduates stop attending college or joining the workforce, AI could threaten millions of teaching jobs as local and state governments might try to reduce spending by replacing teachers with AI.
Additionally, self-driving cars by companies like Waymo and Cruise could soon expand to more metro areas, and Waymo could apply this technology to trucking. Driver jobs, which are ten times more numerous than plumbing jobs, might be at risk.
In short, even without AI directly replacing plumbing jobs, they may not be as safe as you think.
Unlike the Great Depression or the COVID pandemic, this shift doesn't have to be disastrous, though it likely will be. The real challenge is political, social, and cultural. While AI could lead to fewer people working and more products being produced, we must rethink how we distribute resources. The current system rewards hard work, but massive job losses will challenge this notion. The real question is, what system will replace it? Ideally, we'd create a utopian society, but it seems like we're heading towards a dystopian future instead.
Response 2:
As a marketing and SEO copywriter with five years of experience, I have never been busier. My rates have increased, and I am fully booked months in advance. My clients value my ability to deeply understand their company, brand, and operations, and effectively communicate that through writing. Additionally, I possess the technical expertise required to deliver SEO-driven results, which in turn boost their revenue, with a portion coming to me.
You likely possess similar marketable skills, and the original poster's response may not be entirely accurate.
For instance, I am currently working with a cloud computing MSP that recently hired three new marketing professionals for their 20-person company, including a marketing executive, videographer, and in-house SEO strategist. They are eager to engage my services for the next three months, but I must balance their needs with my other clients' demands.
In my work, I collaborate closely with company personnel who possess deep technical knowledge of cloud technology and can articulate what works best. This particular company aims to differentiate themselves by creating an interesting brand. They are aware that I utilize AI writing tools and have even sought my assistance in optimizing AI-generated content for their marketing team. Although they are skilled marketers, their writing abilities fall short.
Effective writing requires a balance of technical and human understanding, as well as the ability to convey complex ideas in a manner suitable for public consumption. AI-generated content still requires careful review to ensure technical accuracy and alignment with the brand's values.
Writing is not merely about typing; it involves research, critical thinking, and editing. As a copywriter, I can produce a maximum of 1500-2000 words per day. This is because each word, whether AI-generated or my own, must be meticulously scrutinized for accuracy and alignment with the brand's core message.
Despite advancements in AI, it is still unable to fully comprehend the intricate interpersonal aspects of business and brand-building. Many freelancers in the industry continue to thrive, even in the age of AI text generation.
It is unlikely that an entire marketing department would be replaced by automation. After all, who would instruct the AI, interact with customers, or craft the CEO's thoughts into a press release that resonates with the current cultural climate?
Adapting your skills to work alongside AI and demonstrating your value to employers will increase your chances of success in this evolving landscape. Alternatively, you could consider a career change, such as plumbing. The choice is yours.
Response 3:
As a freelance writer, my experience has been quite the opposite - my services have never been more sought after.
My clientele consists of two groups: corporate clients who need website content, and private individuals who typically request fictional works. Over the past two months, I have seen a surge in demand from both types of clients, leading me to close commissions for the first time ever last month due to the overwhelming workload.
A significant number of companies now rely on ChatGPT to generate content for them, perhaps even excessively so. However, this has resulted in Google ranking websites with original, organically-written content much higher than those featuring AI-generated text. How Google distinguishes between the two is unclear, but one of my top clients from a prominent review website confirmed this trend. Consequently, organic content has become more valuable than ever in a sea of AI-generated text.
As for private clients, it's true that ChatGPT can produce stories at no cost, which is difficult to compete with. However, those who are satisfied with AI-generated stories might not have been inclined to commission a professional writer in the first place. By investing a small amount in a professional writer, clients receive a story tailored to their specific preferences. They can also avoid the limitations of AI-generated content, which often shies away from addressing certain sensitive topics and may apply increasingly strict content restrictions with each update. Moreover, there is an undeniable allure to having another person engage with your story, offering constructive feedback and insights on narrative flow.
What else could generative AI eventually replace? Personal relationships. First virtually, then physically. (And you KNOW there’s a market for that.)