In a nutshell? Eventually.
While that notion greatly impacts my career, it doesn't help to resist the inevitable. It was a good run for us, though. Copywriters have been reported to be around since the 15th century. What would the world be without copywriters? We create trends, establish personas, and inspire action. Without us, there would be no "Just Do It" or "Where's the Beef?" The internet would be rife with images, but without captions and copy blocks providing context, they'd just be pretty pictures. However, as AI tools continue to improve, copywriters around the globe seem to stand in one of two camps. They are either embracing the technology as simply a tool to complement their work or they are proclaiming utter doomsday upon the ancient craft of storytelling and scrambling to pivot into a new career. From subreddits to countless YouTube videos, copywriters and marketers at every skill level are chiming in on the future of copywriting as we know it.
I stand firmly in both camps. It would be completely arrogant and/or ignorant to say that AI won't replace copywriters someday. However, that day is not today. While AI technology continues to improve on a daily basis, there is still a massive need for copywriters, if for no other reason due to the lack of corporate adoption of AI tools.
Stefan Georgi, a successful direct-response copywriter, shares a similar sentiment that we are still safe for now:
As far as transitioning tools and platforms on an organizational level, there needs to be an abundance of two things that are hard to come by in a fast-paced environment: budget and time. If you've ever switched from one content management system to another, you know how long this can take. The planning and approval phases can take months. Then, integration takes just as long, if not longer. Adding AI technology will be even more challenging. Plus, after integration, teams would need to be trained on how to use the tools as well as how to avoid ethical breaches. According to Richard Yao of IPG Media Lab, this could be a road block on widespread adoption. "The challenge has been adapting to this new toolset within existing ways of working, as well as important ethical considerations around privacy and potential bias," said Yao.
The verdict? We're safe for now, but don't sleep on technology. There are many arguments saying that AI could never accurately mimic human emotion enough to replace copywriters. As a GenXer, I thought my collection of cassette tapes was pretty remarkable and downright irreplaceable...until CDs came out.
Never say never.
Source:
Joseph, A. (2023, December 13). Top advertising trends to watch in 2024 | AD Age. Adage.com. https://adage.com/article/year-review/top-advertising-trends-watch-2024/2533536