So you’re wondering, is AI copywriting worth it? I get why you’re asking. It’s cheap, fast, and you barely have to think. Sounds like a dream, right?!
I’m a copywriter, and over the last couple of years, a huge chunk of my client requests have been some version of “please fix this AI copy because it’s not working.” They’ve tried AI tools, watched their conversions tank, and essentially had to run back to a human.
My personal stance is that I don’t touch AI with a ten-foot pole. I genuinely believe it makes our brains rot. When we use it for our writing process, we stop thinking critically and being creative, and I don’t want that for myself.
But look, I don’t live under a rock. There are a few situations where AI can be helpful, like drafting a VERY initial outline. But even then, you need a clearly defined brand voice already locked in, or you’re just teaching the robot to sound like every other generic brand on the internet.
Now, let’s not get too ahead of ourselves! In this post, I’m breaking down my 10 reasons why you need a human writer instead of letting ChatGPT run your marketing. Let’s go!
What Is AI Copywriting?
AI copywriting is when you use artificial intelligence tools (like ChatGPT) to generate marketing copy for you. For example, you may try to use AI to write your web copy.
People use it because it promises to save time and money. You don’t have to hire a writer and wait weeks for deliverables. You can, theoretically, crank out blog posts, emails, and social media copy in minutes instead of hours.
The appeal is obvious. Who wouldn’t want faster, cheaper content?
The problem is that faster and cheaper doesn’t mean better. And when it comes to copy that needs to connect with real humans and make them want to buy from you, AI falls embarrassingly short.
10 Reasons Why AI Copywriting Tools Fail
1. It’s not funny
AI jokes are so painfully cringy that they make dad jokes look sophisticated.
And humor matters. It’s one of the most important ways we relate to other people. In fact, being funny is a sign of intelligence according to science. It shows you can think quickly, understand nuance, and read the room.
AI can be many things, such as fast and efficient. But funny isn’t one of them.
When you strip humor out of your copy, you strip out personality. And personality is what makes people like you enough to hand over their credit card.
2. It can’t tell stories
Storytelling is the backbone of good marketing. It’s how you make people feel something, which is how you make them remember you.
Brands that consistently tell their story see a 20% increase in brand value. That’s not small potatoes!
But AI doesn’t tell stories the way a human writer does. It can summarize facts, sure. It can spit out a chronological sequence of events. But it doesn’t know how to build tension, create stakes, or land an emotional punch.
It just regurgitates information in the blandest possible way.
Stories need soul, and AI doesn’t have one.
3. It doesn’t understand psychology
Writing is actually a pretty small part of the copywriting process. The real work is the research and understanding of what’s going on in the subconscious mind of your customer.
Good copywriters spend hours on this. They dig through customer reviews, Reddit threads, Facebook groups, survey responses…anywhere your audience is talking candidly!
They also know psychological tricks and formulas that make human brains react, such as FOMO, social proof, and anchoring.
AI doesn’t fully get any of this because it’s not human. When it comes to understanding human quirks, it falls flat. So yeah, it might string together some words, but it’s not triggering your audience’s brain the way a human copywriter does.
Learn more about psychological tactics in marketing.
4. It kills your brain voice
AI copy feels flat and repetitive. It sounds like it could belong to literally anyone in your industry. There’s no edge, quirks, or unique point of view. It’s the marketing equivalent of beige wallpaper.
And when your copy sounds like everyone else’s, there’s no emotional connection. Your audience scrolls right past because nothing about you stands out, even if you tell AI to “write in your tone of voice.”
5. People can spot it
Yes, pretty much everyone can tell when you’re using AI to write your content or website. The signs are plenty:
- A million em dashes
- Fluffy sentences that say nothing
- Statements that sound smart at first but fall apart the second you think about them
- Generic writing constructions like “it’s not just X, it’s Y”
- Weird metaphors
- Robotic phrasing that no human would ever say out loud
And yes, it’s embarrassing. It tells people you wanted to put in minimal effort or that you don’t have your own ideas.
Is AI copy passable? I mean, sure. It’s words on a page. But it breaks trust.
Over 86% of consumers, especially Gen Z, are more likely to try new products from brands they perceive as honest, authentic, and transparent.
When people can tell you’re phoning it in with AI, they assume you’ll phone it in everywhere else too. And nope, they won’t buy from you if they don’t trust you!
6. It has no personality
Like, actually zero.
AI agrees with everything you say. It’s incapable of critical thinking. It’ll just churn out stuff based on your prompt, and it won’t help you craft a brand personality that connects with your target audience.
And brand personality doesn’t have to mean funny or punchy, by the way. Sometimes it does, like with my client Marisa, whose brand is bold and playful:
But for my other client, Zestiny Wealth, the personality is completely different. Her website needed to come across as confident, friendly, and well-informed. The tone is warm and approachable, but also professional:
AI doesn’t understand this. It can’t help you figure out what your brand personality should be, and it definitely can’t execute it right. Most of the time, you end up with generic robot writing mush that could belong to anyone.
If you want to see more examples of good writing by a real human, take a look at my portfolio!
7. Google isn’t fooled
AI-generated content with no unique expertise can and will tank your SEO.
Google is cracking down on AI content that adds no value. They’re prioritizing E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), which means they want content written by real humans with real knowledge.
Sure, you can maybe use AI to help create an outline or overcome writer’s block. But if you’re publishing straight AI content with no human insight, it won’t rank. In some cases, it might even get removed from search results altogether.
So if you were thinking AI would help you dominate Google because it helps you write more blog articles faster…think again!
8. It regurgitates
AI doesn’t say anything new. It just repackages what already exists on the internet and spits it back out in slightly different words.
It’s repetitive, both within a single piece of content and across everything it generates. You’ll notice the same phrases and sentence structures over and over. There are no “huh, I never thought about it that way” moments.
And if your content doesn’t bring something new to the table, why would anyone read it?
9. It’s soulless
This one’s honestly just a little sad, IMO.
Our ability to express our thoughts and be creative is one of the greatest things about being human. And we’re just going to outsource that to a mindless robot?
Copy is supposed to connect. It’s supposed to make people feel something, whether that’s excitement, relief, curiosity, or trust. AI doesn’t feel anything. It doesn’t care about your brand, your mission, or the people you’re trying to reach. It just generates words very fast.
Your audience can feel this lack of soul when you’re creating content, and I may be a little old school, but it just makes it so much harder to feel anything at all when it comes to brands.
10. Fixing it takes longer
Yes, you can write your website using ChatGPT, but I’ll give my arm and leg that all the reasons why AI copy is not worth it above will apply. Even with the most beautiful website design in the world, it’ll still reflect poorly on your brand and won’t emotionally connect with your audience.
So you’ll most likely end up hiring a copywriter anyway.
And they’ll either have to write your copy from scratch (that’s what I prefer) or try to edit your AI copy, which honestly might cost you more because it’s harder and takes longer.
Meanwhile, you’ve already wasted all the time when your website, emails, or social content could have been generating you money. And now you have to pay for professional human help anyway.
So overall, you may have saved a few bucks upfront, but lost way more in the long run.
When AI Can Be Useful
Look, I’m not a complete hater (even though I come pretty close). There are a couple of instances where you can maybe use AI:
- Writing meta descriptions
- Writing ALT text
- Creating an outline
Anything more creative than that, you absolutely need human oversight. And honestly, even these tasks benefit from a human touch and writing skills.
What Are You Trying to Accomplish with AI Copy?
Now, let me just be completely transparent about my opinion:
- If you want cheap content fast, AI might work, but expect cheap results. Your audience will notice, and your conversions will suffer.
- If you want copy that converts, you need a human copywriter. And not just anyone, but someone who understands your audience and knows how to tap into buyer psychology.
- If you want to build a brand people remember, definitely do NOT use AI. Memorable brands have personality, voice, and soul, and AI has none of those things.
Ultimately, the long-term cost of mediocre messaging is way higher than the upfront investment in quality. Mediocre copy means fewer conversions and more time spent fixing stuff that should have been done right from the start!
Sooo, Is AI Copywriting Worth It?
No!! AI is a tool, and barely even a useful tool for copywriting.
You may be able to use it in very specific, limited applications with heavy human editing. But for anything client-facing, brand-building, or conversion-focused (such as your website, sales pages, and emails), keep AI far away from all of it.
In the future, AI will likely get better, but your target audience will also get better at spotting it. The bar for what feels robotic will just keep rising.
In my opinion, your brand voice is too valuable to hand over to a machine. You’ve worked hard to build something that stands out and makes a difference. Do you really want AI to flatten it into forgettable mush?
If you’re ready to invest in copy that connects, converts, and sounds like you, check out my copywriting services or get in touch.
Let’s make your AI-using competitors jealous! 😉
