Top tips is a weekly column where we highlight what’s trending in the tech world today and list out ways to explore these trends. In this week’s edition, we’re going over how generative AI can help content creators improve the quality of the content they put out.
ChatGPT’s release in November 2022 launched generative AI to the very forefront of the technological landscape. For a few months after that, it seemed like all people were talking about was generative AI (GenAI). Yet, amid discussions of its potential applications, there have also been concerns voiced about it replacing human content creators.
Yes, GenAI is incredible technology. The fact that we’ve been able to create LLM models that can have natural conversations and create art, videos, and even code on the fly is staggering. However, the main problem with this technology is its inability to create truly original content, which is why it doesn’t make sense to view it as a replacement for human content creators but rather as a tool that can assist in the creative process. Here are four ways GenAI can help content creators enhance their content:
1. Conceptualization and ideation
Conceptualization can sometimes be the most challenging aspect of content creation. It’s impossible to always be able to think outside the box and come up with interesting and engaging content ideas. LLM models like ChatGPT have access to large volumes of information about quite literally every subject under the sun. These tools can help you come up with new topics for written content (full disclosure, I’ve used ChatGPT to find new topics to write about more times than I’d like to admit), themes for visual media, and even ideas for social media campaigns. By using GenAI to come up with new ideas, you’re still making sure that the meat of the content creation is done by you.
2. Research
Let’s say you want to write a blog about the latest tech trend but you don’t quite understand the topic all that well, and unfortunately, all the content resources you find online describing this topic are way too advanced. The good news is, GenAI models are really useful when it comes to summarizing and paraphrasing content. You can even ask the model to give you a simplified explanation of the topic you’re researching to give you a better grasp on it.
But here’s the catch: these models are not reliable enough to be your only source of information. Sure, they may be good at simplifying complicated concepts, but they are also known for sometimes being confidently incorrect. In fact, most GenAI models also have disclaimers stating that the information shared may not always be accurate.
3. Enhancing existing content
Think of GenAI as your very own personal proofreader or reviewer. Once you’re done with a rough draft of an article or the first version of a static design or video, it doesn’t hurt to have a GenAI model take a look at it for you. These tools can point out errors and areas of improvement. Of course, it’s also a good idea to get a second human opinion, but these tools do often provide helpful feedback. I’ve seen it myself.
4. Creating visual art
The progress that’s been made in AI image and video generation tools perfectly encapsulates just how far GenAI has come. It’s getting increasingly harder to tell original and AI-generated content apart. Sure, it’s still possible if you know exactly what to look for, but we’re very soon going to reach a point where AI-generated art is indistinguishable from original human-created work, and this can greatly help when you need a video or a design done on short notice. All you need is to input your idea, and voila, you’ve got yourself a work of art in no time at all.
Enhancement over replacement
Admittedly, I find the very idea of AI-generated content slightly off-putting. I’ll always prefer any content or art I see to be created by a human as opposed to AI-generated alternatives.
As impressive as this tech is, GenAI is simply a tool that draws heavily from existing content and creative work; it isn’t capable of creating something truly original from scratch. The output of a GenAI model can be accurately described as regurgitation of already existing original work.
This tech isn’t going to replace us, as it cannot match the complexity and creativity of the human brain. But this doesn’t mean it can’t assist us during the creative process, and the examples I’ve outlined above are just a few among many that demonstrate this technology’s capabilities when it comes to helping us create better content.
