The rise of AI content creation tools like ChatGPT has opened up exciting new possibilities for generating written content quickly and easily. However, these tools also have some potential pitfalls that can lead to low-quality or incorrect output if not carefully used. Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid when using AI to create content:
Not Providing Enough Context and Details
One of the biggest mistakes is not giving the AI assistant enough background information and context about the content you want generated. The AI has no inherent knowledge – it only knows what you tell it.
So you need to provide details like the goal and purpose of the content, the intended audience, the tone you want, any background research or sources to use, and specifics about what to cover. An extensive, thoughtful prompt will produce much better results than just saying “write a blog post about topic X”.
Not Reviewing and Editing the Output
It’s important to remember that AI content tools are not human writers. You still need to closely review whatever is generated and be prepared to do editing, rewriting, and polishing. Don’t just accept the initial draft verbatim. Look for inaccuracies, off-tone sections, repetitive or awkward phrases, and areas that need clarification or additional detail. Treat the AI output as an excellent starting point that likely needs some revision.
Overusing Trendy Phrases and Buzzwords
In an attempt to sound current, AI assistants can sometimes over-rely on trendy phrases and buzzwords that come across as insincere or forced. Be wary of overusing terms like “innovation”, “disruption”, “synergy”, and “value-add” just because they sound tech-savvy. The writing will flow better if you avoid shoehorning in trendy jargon when simpler language will do.
Failing to Vary Sentence Structure
One common AI writing pitfall is producing text with very formulaic, repetitive sentence structures. Large AI models are trained to extract patterns from vast datasets, which can lead to output with cookie-cutter syntax. Be sure to prompt the assistant to vary its sentences – for example by including complex and simple constructions, short punchy phrases, descriptive run-ons, and good punctuation. This makes for more engaging, human-sounding writing.
