How Does AI Work in Content Writing?

There are no two ways about it — AI content generation can be controversial. However, besides concerns about academic cheating and plagiarism, there are a lot of benefits to AI content generation. Although AI itself has limitations, and the content itself often requires verification, using AI makes a lot more sense once this powerful tool has been demystified.

That’s not to say that AI is perfect. In fact, this powerful tool has yet to reach its full potential. But once you understand the current capabilities, it’s easy to see why so many people are adopting its use. In short, the answer to how does AI work will ultimately help you use the tool appropriately.

How do AI writing tools work?

Understanding the answer to this question requires a brief discussion of how AI functions. Strictly speaking, you are almost certainly using AI at some level for your marketing efforts. That’s because a majority of marketing tools have some degree of AI capability. That’s because artificial intelligence technology is at the heart of most analytics and automation tools.

AI tools leverage neural networks and algorithms

Image Source: Influencer Marketing Hub

The term Algorithm in connection with AI should automatically jump out at you. Why? Because algorithms are at the heart of many tools we now take for granted. For example, search engines and social media networks rely on algorithms to serve up the best content for each user.

Briefly, an algorithm is a programmed set of variables that an AI application will navigate to determine the right answer to a question. Essentially, the machine makes a series of decisions about each input which are based on predetermined factors.

A neural network is the backbone of an algorithm. It is essentially the data and rules set that an algorithm uses to make decisions. An easy way to explain this is by saying that we all learn the order of operations in mathematics. This would be the algorithm used to solve your math problem. However, the neural networks would be your knowledge of your “math facts” such as multiplication tables and division rules. You would input the operation into your knowledge and produce results.

Ultimately, the best answer to “how does AI work” is that AI works by solving a small series of problems and then feeding back into the bigger picture.

AI content generation follows the algorithms

Ultimately, when you ask an AI program to write something for you, you are consulting the program’s neural networks, data sets, and algorithms. From here, the AI will determine what answers make the most sense. For instance, it probably won’t conclude that the earth is flat because the neural network would already know this. Instead, the AI tool would develop a plausible response to your question.

Of course, you don’t have to go so far as to ask a question that could require research. Instead, you can ask AI to do simpler tasks, such as indicate a correlation between two items. In other words, AI does not think independently. It can only work with the information it has access to.

How does AI work for content marketing?

There are several answers to this question. Strictly speaking, most aspects of modern marketing draw on AI capabilities to some extent. For example, an AI algorithm can help marketers narrow down consumer sentiment or accurately perform A/B testing. These insights can help marketers plan their campaigns with more accuracy than would be possible without the dispassionate machine-learning approach.

However, modern AI tools also have the capability to assist with content creation. There are several stages at which this can happen.

Content planning

Arguably, one of the hardest jobs in the marketing department is planning the next campaign and the content to go with it. Fortunately, this is one area where AI excels. Your AI-based marketing tools can help you find the best topics and keywords to reach your audience. Similarly, they can do a competitive analysis that will help boost the chances of your content rocketing to the top of Google.

AI content generation

There’s little question that AI content generation is not perfect — at least not yet. That’s because every AI tool remains dependent on its neural networks and data sets. It cannot think outside the box; it can only develop answers with its limited programmed resources.

With that said, the right tools can still do a lot to develop your content. For example, you can ask the AI tool to develop an outline for your next blog post. You can also let it help with content personalization, which is especially useful if you send a lot of newsletters or email marketing.

When used appropriately, AI can also do a good job with shorter written works like landing pages or product descriptions. To do this, you can give your program a list of attributes for each item. In return, you’ll get coherent text which you can edit and release.

Writing improvement

People who are afraid of how Chat GPT and similar tools might harm the writing profession may not be aware that they’re likely using AI for their writing already. One of the most important AI-based writing tools on the market these days is Grammarly. This uses a basic algorithm to determine if a piece needs some changes for better spelling, grammar, or even content. Of course, Grammarly isn’t the only show in town. There are other programs that can also help improve your existing writing.

AI content creation is best paired with human input

Now that you understand how does AI work, it’s easy to see that this technology still has a ways to go. Currently, AI-based content can look and sound good, but the product is rarely publication-ready out-of-the-box. For now, content should be carefully reviewed by a human editor to ensure that information is accurate and that the text is readable.

That’s where we come in. Here at WriterArmy, we are pleased to offer a service that combines AI content generation with human editing. Our editors will not only check for spelling and grammar issues, but they will also improve the flow of the rough draft content. They will also make sure that any material published on your website is factually accurate. Best of all, this service is very economical relative to content created completely by hand.

If you’re ready to elevate your content campaigns with AI, give us a call.