AI: The Supporting Act or the Disruptor?
My honest take on AI
The digital age has brought writers all sorts of useful tools. Word processors, spell check, grammar check, and now, Artificial Intelligence. And while the arrival of AI has sparked lively debates, including here on Substack, I find myself sitting firmly on the side of curiosity and collaboration.
I often see comments like “People are losing their authenticity” or “AI is going to ruin it for us all.” I understand the concern. I really do. But I see things a little differently.
I see AI is a trusted assistant. Nothing more, nothing less.
About five years ago, I was writing for two American sports websites. I’d often spend just as long crafting SEO-friendly paragraphs as I did writing the actual article. I hated it. That dreaded red-to-amber-to-green traffic light on the SEO plug-in used to drive me round the bend. Now, I use AI to help with SEO. For Substack, I don’t even stress about it.
There’s a growing community of readers and I am more focused on telling stories. Let’s be honest, I could spend thousands on hiring an SEO expert, but my words aren’t going to break records on Google’s search engines.
In fact, as I write this, AI is helping me dig up facts on the Special Operations Executive in World War II, while I get on with stringing thoughts together in my own voice.
Because here’s the thing: we all have a voice. Each of us writes with a unique style. I’d argue that most people online are content consumers, not creators. That makes what we do as writers even more valuable.
When I first started out, anxiety would grip me like a wild animal every time I hovered over the Publish button. But over time, I found confidence to hit send. A freedom. AI hasn’t changed the thrill of writing or the hope that someone, somewhere, might enjoy our words.
Technology evolves. So do we. The rise of AI doesn’t dilute our authenticity. If anything, it gives us more time to focus on the thing that really matters, our own creativity.
I remember writing a story in primary school about a brave young pilot in a daring air battle. AI doesn’t know I wrote that. It doesn’t remember the pride I felt when I handed it in. And it never will, unless I tell it.
Authenticity isn’t going anywhere. Neither is AI. But let’s be clear: it’s a supporting act, not the star of the show. I’ll leave you wiht a comment made by our Chief Marketing Officer. “AI won’t take your job, but the person who knows how to use it might.’
How do you feel about using AI in your writing process?