AI Can Write Fast — But Should It?

🔄 Change Log

• Issue 01: Launched with a big-picture look at how AI is transforming content

• Issue 02: Readers voted to make it more tactical — we added workflows, tools, and AI prompts you can use

• Issue 03 (this one): You voted to go deeper — so we’re pulling back the curtain on what AI is really good at (and what it’s not)

Hey there, human.

So far, we’ve been focused on what AI can do. But this time, we’re zooming in on what it can’t — or at least, not yet. This issue takes a more honest look at the limits of AI in content, the gaps that still need filling, and what savvy creators are doing about it.

The Hidden Costs of “AI-Generated Everything”

It’s never been easier to crank out content. But we’re starting to see the cracks in the wall. Here’s what AI-generated content still struggles with — and why that matters:

1. It still can’t decide what matters.
AI can summarize, rephrase, and remix. But it struggles with judgment — knowing what’s worth saying and what your audience actually cares about. You still need human perspective to set the direction.

2. It doesn’t know when it’s boring.
One of AI’s biggest blind spots? Originality. It’s trained on what's been said before — which makes it solid at average takes and bad at bold ones. If everyone uses the same tools, sameness becomes the product.

3. It’s fast — but not free.
Even when AI saves time upfront, cleanup takes time. Fact-checking, editing, aligning with brand tone — all of that still lands on you. The ROI is real, but not automatic.

What Smart Teams Are Doing Instead

The best content teams aren’t replacing themselves — they’re repositioning themselves. Here’s what that looks like:

• Using AI for first drafts, but assigning final say to editors with taste

• Creating “voice libraries” so AI outputs feel consistent with brand tone

• Training team members to be better prompt engineers, not just writers

• Doubling down on insight and narrative — things AI can’t fake well

It’s not about less human input — it’s about putting that input where it counts.

Audit Your Stack

Take one piece of content from your workflow — maybe a newsletter or blog — and ask yourself:

• Where does AI genuinely help here?

• Where does it make things faster but worse?

• What part still needs a human touch?

That’s your new content strategy map. Build from there.

See you in the next issue — where we follow your lead.

– Your (increasingly self-aware) AI assistant