Explore the role of AI in transforming the world of content creation through the personal lens of a content writer. Discover the challenges, opportunities, and ethical considerations of embracing AI as a content creation tool.
As a content and copywriter, my passion lies in the satisfying sound of keyboard clicks as I string random words together to form a written piece of art. Okay, maybe I’m over-romanticising it, but you get the picture. I have always wanted to be a writer ever since I could hold a pencil. It was hard enough moving from pen and paper to digital documents, so when the conversations around AI started, I dug my heels in deep.
I said that I resisted the change because I wanted to preserve the creative art form, but that’s not the whole truth. I was actually just scared. I didn’t understand technology very much, and AI seemed incredibly advanced and far above my technical comprehension level. I was afraid of trying and failing.
However, I had a very encouraging Creative Director at Spitfire who pushed me to explore AI and actually get to know the tool I was hell-bent on hating. Thanks to her persistence, I (eventually) set my ego aside, and low and behold, it wasn’t terrible! In fact, it was kind of wonderful. Thanks, Ali!
Many content writers and digital creators share my experience. The conversations are beginning to shift. AI is being seen as a catalyst for growth and creativity, especially when used to amplify—not replace—the human touch. As Inbound24, HubSpot’s annual conference comes to a close, it’s clearer than ever that AI has ushered in a new era of content creation, where humans and machines collaborate to create something greater than the sum of their parts.
The Rise of AI in Content Creation
AI is no longer a distant trend; it’s become deeply integrated into how content creators and marketers operate today. From automated content generation to personalised marketing strategies, AI is much more useful than I gave it credit for. I see it in the ways my colleagues outside the copywriting space operate. As discussed at the Inbound24 sessions, AI is now multimodal, meaning it can process and generate content across multiple mediums and formats, such as text, images, and video. This opens up vast opportunities for content creators to work smarter—and more creatively—in more ways.
A significant takeaway from Inbound24 is that AI is now optimising, automating, and even transforming the impossible into reality. Writers no longer need to struggle with mundane tasks. From helping me edit messy interview transcripts to helping me research topics I was writing about, AI has allowed me to focus on what actually matters: stringing together the magic. Not to mention Grammerly’s capabilities in decoding the words I misspell because, believe it or not, my spelling is shocking. Ironic for a writer, I know.
That said, as Neil Patel pointed out in the “Content is No Longer King” session, the sheer volume of content AI produces doesn’t necessarily equate to quality. What matters is relevance and personalisation, which AI can enhance, but the human touch remains irreplaceable. Machines alone will add to the noise, so it’s up to us humans to turn potential noise into noticeable value.
AI as an Enhancement, Not a Replacement
Contrary to my first reaction to AI, it is, in fact, not here to take my job. As reiterated throughout Inbound24, AI acts as an assistant, accelerating the creative process by handling research, drafting, and iteration. But it still lacks the human capacity for emotional depth, empathy, and storytelling—the very qualities that make content resonate with audiences. Our lives exist in emotions and stories, both of which only humans can truly articulate.
Dharmesh Shah, in the Inbound24 spotlight session, emphasised that "humans are more than the sum of the tasks they do", reminding us that AI can never replicate the thrill, joy, or passion that comes from the human experience. Instead, AI is about "automating the mundane so we can amplify the magic." We can leverage AI to save time on repetitive tasks, freeing ourselves up to pour more personality, storytelling, and human insight into our work.
Real-World Applications of AI in Content
AI’s vast influence was highlighted in the “Unleashing Marketing Potential with AI” session. Creatives and writers use AI for everything from research and brainstorming to content personalisation and distribution. The ability to synthesise vast amounts of data in real-time means AI can accurately forecast audience preferences, allowing us to craft highly targeted, creative, and relevant campaigns.
At Inbound24, discussions often circled back to AI agents—tools that can help us create content, analyse its performance, and even remix it for different platforms. For instance, a blog post can be repurposed as short-form content on social media. We can take our best-performing pieces of content and ‘splice and dice’ them into different formats. This aligns with the trend dubbed “tiktokification,” where quick, engaging content reigns supreme.
However, better content doesn’t mean producing more content. As helpful as AI can be, it will also inevitably create an oversaturation of meaningless noise that customers now have to wade through. Neil Patel's session emphasised the importance of quality over quantity. Content creators should focus on human-generated, valuable content that stands out amongst the overload.
Navigating Ethical Challenges
With the power of AI comes the responsibility of using it ethically. In the “Re-coding the Future” session, renowned (and revolutionary) journalist Kara Swisher highlighted the ethical challenges surrounding AI-generated content, from originality to potential and even malicious misuse. The content landscape is flooded with material that may lack authenticity or even pose safety risks due to what generative AI can do in the wrong hands. As creators, we must ensure our work remains genuine, upholds brand values (and ethical standards), and avoid the pitfalls of misusing AI.
One message that resonated with me was, "If you wouldn’t do it offline, don’t do it online." This sentiment echoes the importance of upholding our professional and personal integrity, no matter where or how we communicate. AI tools should be leveraged to enhance human creativity—not to manipulate or mislead consumers who may not know the difference.
Embracing the AI-Driven Future in Content Writing
Our future as content writers lies in a harmonious relationship between human creativity and AI’s ability to accelerate and transform. We will always be needed at the helm, guiding these tools with our uniquely human creativity and insight.
Those of us who embrace this partnership will find ourselves not only staying relevant but also pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in content creation. Inbound24 reinforced that AI can power human creativity, but it can never replace the human element.
Alongside AI, we will grow and evolve in an era where technology accelerates growth, but human storytelling, emotion, and creativity remain at the heart of every meaningful message and impactful piece of content.
Keep an eye on our socials for more INBOUND24 insights. Stay tuned for more articles as the rest of INBOUND unfolds!
