To AI or To Not AI: That is the Question

bySteveO324

453 followers

4 months ago

This is obviously a play on words from Shakespear’s Hamlet but very relevant to this subject matter.

Over my vast 1 1/2 years of experience with online marketing (pause for laughter), this seems to be a perpetual debate. AI was here from the very beginning of my content writing journey, so as a complete newbie, I honestly didn’t know any other way.

After publishing for months, it finally dawned on me that nothing these LLMs were giving me was original. It‘s just regurgitated, pieced-together information found from a variety of sources, that’s blended up nice, neat, and digestible. But, this is where your human brain comes into play.

Over my short blogging career so far, this debate of whether to use AI or not rages on. Some fully embrace it, others avoid it like the plague.

To Use AI or Not to Use AI: A Balanced Look at the Debate

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere, from powering your Netflix and Spotify recommendations to the very chatbots that you're using for research. But as AI reshapes our world, the question looms: should you embrace it or keep it at arm’s length? Let’s break down both sides of the argument to help you decide.

Why You Should Use AI

AI can be a game-changer.

First, it saves time. My typing skills are pretty deplorable so this is a plus for me. Tools like AI writing assistants can churn out drafts, brainstorm ideas, or summarize research in minutes, letting you focus on refining your work.

For businesses, AI streamlines operations, think automated customer service or data analysis that spots trends humans might miss. A 2024 study from McKinsey found that companies using AI for tasks like inventory management saw efficiency gains of up to 30%.

Second, AI equalizes skills. Can’t code? No problem, AI tools like GitHub Copilot can help you build apps. Struggling with design? Platforms like Google AI Studio create stunning visuals with a few prompts.

This levels the playing field for creators and entrepreneurs who might not have specialized training. Now, you don’t have to hire someone to design a logo or create compelling visuals.

Finally, AI’s predictive power is unmatched. From catching fraud in banking to forecasting weather patterns, AI processes massive datasets faster than any human could. It’s like having a super-smart sidekick who never sleeps.

Why You Might Want to Avoid AI

On the flip side, AI isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.

One big concern is ethics. AI can amplify biases, think facial recognition systems that misidentify certain groups or hiring algorithms that favor men because they were trained on skewed data. A 2023 report from the AI Ethics Institute flagged that 60% of AI systems in use still lack transparent bias mitigation strategies. Yikes!

Plus, there’s job displacement: the World Economic Forum estimated in 2025 that AI could disrupt 85 million jobs by 2030. While new roles will emerge, the transition could be tough.

AI isn’t flawless. A major drawback is its lack of true originality. Large Language Models(LLMs) don’t create from a blank slate, they’re trained on vast datasets scraped from the web, books, and other sources. Every sentence they generate is a remix of patterns and phrases they’ve seen before.

For example, if you ask for a blog post, the AI might blend tones from popular blogs or mimic trending phrases from social media posts, but it’s not inventing something wholly new. This can lead to content that feels formulaic or “uninspiring”, lacking the spark of a human’s unique perspective.

Originality takes a hit if you don’t add your unique voice.

If you’re a writer or artist aiming for groundbreaking work, over-relying on AI risks producing something that sounds like it came from the internet’s greatest hits album. Adding your personal experiences or unconventional ideas is very important if you want your content to stand out.

Does Google Penalize AI Content?

Here’s what Google's AI Overview said:

“No, Google does not penalize content solely for being AI-generated; instead, it focuses on the quality and helpfulness of the content itself, regardless of whether it's human or AI-written. Sites may be penalized if their content, even if AI-assisted, is low-quality, unhelpful, or created primarily to manipulate search engine rankings rather than to provide value to users. Google's guidelines emphasize that content should demonstrate experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) and be satisfying for the user.”

Sources:

• https://xponent21.com/insights/the-truth-about-ai-content-and-seo-why-strategy-and-expertise-matter-more-than-ever/
• https://searchatlas.com/blog/does-google-penalize-ai-content/
• https://www.brainz.digital/blog/does-google-penalize-ai-content/
• https://gravitywrite.com/blog/does-google-penalize-ai-generated-content
• https://viserx.com/blog/seo/does-google-penalize-ai-content

So, What’s the Verdict?

AI is a tool, not a magic wand. It’s not about choosing a side but finding balance. Use AI to boost efficiency and spark ideas, but don’t let it drown out your creativity or critical thinking. Vet AI outputs for accuracy and bias, and stay human in a world increasingly powered by code.

What’s your take, are you an AI enthusiast or skeptic? Share your thoughts in the comments!

**Author’s Note:

For those that read articles with a jeweler’s loupe on their head, the average online searcher is looking for answers to their questions and not overanalyzing whether or not they detect AI generated content. I think we, as “pro bloggers,” tend to overthink this.