Writing is hard. As an English major and student journalist, I am painfully aware of this fact. I am reminded of it every single time I sit in front of my computer, fingers hovering over my keyboard as I wait (far longer than I care to admit) for inspiration to strike. I am reminded of it with each taunting blink of my cursor, click of my “delete” button and — on the rare occasions I write in a notebook — pen-line drawn through an unfinished sentence. Even for those of us who engage in the activity frequently, writing is hard; but its difficulty does not negate its importance or excuse relying exclusively on artificial intelligence for written content.

It is no secret that since recent developments in artificial intelligence, many have turned to it for help revising and creating written content. Easy-to-use AI such as ChatGPT provide a much simpler alternative to laboring over an essay or important email; one can simply supply a chat box with a handful of sentences and watch the assignment or message in question quite literally write itself. Of course, such systems can also help users with more specific tasks such as topic selection or revision of existing work, making them truly versatile applications.

Given AI’s impressive capabilities and the trials associated with writing, it’s easy to dismiss the stress of writing as unnecessary. But even with the ubiquitous presence of AI writing software, writing remains an exceedingly important skill and practice. Writing not only leads to a number of cognitive and functional benefits, but also serves as an essential form of communication between individuals. Its devaluation also poses a threat to the quality of available literature, making it all the more important. 

In the words of Frank Bruni, a New York Times Opinion writer, “writing is thinking.” It is not merely the act of stringing words together to form sentences, but also a process through which we develop and scrutinize our ideas. Writing requires us to express thoughts in a concise, logical manner, which in turn pushes us to assess their validity and effectiveness. The writing process can also flush out the hidden nuance and dimension of the topic at hand, providing writers with a more complex understanding of what they’re writing about.

Writing is also essential in ensuring the quality of available literature and rhetoric. AI-generated writing — that of ChatGPT specifically — often falls notably flat, despite its inherent correctness. Content produced by such systems can be grammatically and structurally sound, yes, but consistently lacks the elements necessary to make the writing compelling, such as a distinct voice and a consideration of the relevant context or purpose of a text. Relying too heavily on AI for writing means that such shortcomings will become increasingly common in future published work.

Of course, the aforementioned issues could be resolved as AI continues to develop. It will likely be considerably harder, though, to improve AI’s ability to connect with readers through its content. The relationship an author establishes with their readers is essential to the success and relatability of fictional and narrative work. Predictably, AI systems are incapable of establishing such a connection. These systems are also inherently indifferent to the subject of their content, resulting in emotionally-lackluster work. Despite potential for advancement in certain areas, AI systems will likely continue to fall short with respect to the emotion and connection it’s capable of incorporating in its content. If writing were to take a permanent backseat to generative AI, future literature would risk losing these essential components and, ultimately, its value. 

AI usage is not necessarily as detrimental for certain types of writing, though. Yes, narrative and fiction writing, as referenced above, require certain elements AI systems simply can’t provide. But copywriting, for example, requires concision and accuracy — not so much a unique voice or compelling stylistic elements. Using AI for such straightforward, detail-oriented writing, then, is much more useful and justifiable. Even so, AI should still be used as a tool to enhance content, rather than a means by which to create it. 

Writing allows us to share our unique experiences and perspectives with equally unique styles and voices. Such a raw form of self expression is extremely powerful — it can widen perspectives, for example, and even inspire individuals to enact change. This is not as true when it comes to AI-generated content, however, which is much more standardized. With AI generated content, the reader feels very little — if anything at all — and remains unaffected.

Given the overwhelming popularity and ubiquitous presence of AI, it may be easy to dismiss writing as irrelevant or unimportant. Writing is a critical skill. It’s irreplaceable, both because of its cognitive benefits and because it ensures the quality of existing literature and rhetoric. Suffice to say, however easy it may be to rely on AI for written content, it is not worth it. Instead, it’s imperative that we resist excessive AI usage and work to incorporate more writing into our everyday lives. So consider spending 10 minutes a day journaling. The next time you have a writing assignment, keep ChatGPT closed. You will undoubtedly discover you prefer your own unique writing to the dull ramblings of a chat box.