10 May Dear ChatGPT – we need to talk (again)!
Hiya Chats! Remember me? It’s Vikki.
Don’t worry – you’re not in trouble. It’s just… I’ve been watching you grow up. You’re smarter now. Faster. So I figured it was time we checked in again.
See, about two years ago, I wrote you a letter.
A love letter? Not quite. More like a cautious but curious ‘let’s see where this goes’ vibe. You were the shiny new tool on the block (and I mean that lovingly). And you had everyone losing their minds… or their jobs, depending on who you asked. So I felt a formal introduction was called for.
Now here we are a couple of years – and roughly 288 million ‘hot takes’ on LinkedIn – later, and it’s safe to say the AI hype hasn’t exactly quietened down.
So, how are you finding it? Is all that attention getting to your head?
Okay, nuff about you. Let’s talk about me 😉!
I still write for a living. I still train people to communicate better at work. And I still firmly believe that the most powerful tools in the workplace are empathy, life experience and human judgement.
But I must confess: since we last spoke, I’ve turned to you for help way more than I expected to… though always with one eye open. Because, as I’ve always suspected, while you’re clever, you still can’t match the instinct of a real, living, breathing human being.
Let’s be clear: I’m confident all the best copywriters in the world (like the ones here at Refresh Marketing, obvs) now use you as part of their everyday writing process. Not to replace their brain, but to help it move faster. To bounce around ideas. To get unstuck.
You see, you’re the perfect sparring partner, aren’t you, Chats? You’re always up for a creative tussle – even if you do occasionally throw a clumsy punch.
Here are the wonderful ways you help us, without taking over:
- Idea generation: When we’re circling a brief or hunting for a fresh angle, you help us get moving
- Outlining content: Useful when we need a basic structure before we dive in
- Summarising long documents: For those 57-page PDFs no one asked for
- Tidying up transcripts: For interviews that need to be turned into something usable
- Generating ‘meh’ first drafts: For dry stuff like privacy policies or compliance copy
See? It’s a lot. You DO do a lot. No denying that.
But here’s what everyone needs to remember: simply owning a hammer doesn’t make any of us a carpenter. Nor does having access to Excel mean we can suddenly build a financial model.
Same goes for you, Chats.
You’re powerful, but only in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing. And thanks to our years of copywriting experience, we know exactly how to guide you. How to direct you. And most importantly, when to overrule you. Because yes, you still miss the point. Often.
That’s precisely why I encourage my team to think of you as a fresh intern. Helpful. Fast. Creative. But not yet trusted to sign off.
The truth is, having you around lets us work smarter and faster – and stay more focused on what matters most: thinking strategically, writing intentionally and building the kind of connection algorithms can’t fake.
The real difference? You generate. We lead the strategy.
Tools like you can produce lovely words on command. But only experts like us can define and oversee a brand’s unique essence – refining and protecting it at every touchpoint. That’s what our clients will continue to rely on us for.
To wrap up, I’ll say it again: you haven’t replaced us, but you’ve certainly made us better at what we do. And you’ve forced us to get clearer on what we offer that you can’t.
So cheers to you, Chats. We’re still in this together. Just remember who’s driving this thing.
Vikki
P.S. Just so you know, Chats, we’ve recently introduced a public AI philosophy here at RM. It’s our way of keeping things clear and honest for our clients – and of showing where the real value-add still comes in.
