AI-Generated Content Backfires for Businesses, Boosting Demand for Skilled Human Copywriters

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses turning to generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT for content creation often find themselves facing unintended consequences that increase costs and workload. While Generative AI promises efficiency and savings, a growing number of companies are discovering critical flaws in AI-produced outputs, leading to a surge in demand for human copywriters and digital experts to rectify errors.

Generative AI Content: A Double-Edged Sword for Businesses

Sarah Skidd, a product marketing manager based in Arizona, recently found herself spending 20 hours rewriting website copy initially generated by an AI tool for a hospitality client. “It was the kind of copy you typically see from AI  very basic, uninspired, and generic,” Skidd explained. “It was supposed to sell and intrigue, but instead it came across as very vanilla.”

Skidd charged $100 an hour for the rewrite and noted, “I didn’t just tweak it; I had to redo the whole thing.” Rather than saving time and money as intended, the AI-generated content resulted in substantial additional costs and delays.

Despite her own success correcting these Generative AI missteps, Skidd remains optimistic about the technology’s long-term role. “Maybe I’m being naive, but I think if you’re very good, you won’t have trouble,” she said. “Right now, a lot of writers’ main job is fixing AI-generated copy gone wrong.”

Her experience mirrors wider trends as businesses experiment with AI to reduce overheads but often end up confronting unexpected challenges.

Surge in AI Use Amid Rising Small Business Adoption

Generative AI’s popularity has surged dramatically in recent years, with platforms such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini transforming how companies approach marketing, customer engagement, and operations. According to research from the Federation of Small Businesses, 35% of small businesses plan to increase their AI usage within two years, a figure that rises to 60% among firms targeting rapid sales growth.

While these statistics demonstrate AI’s growing foothold, experts and practitioners caution against overreliance on the technology without adequate human oversight and infrastructure.

Technical Glitches and Security Risks from Improper Generative AI Use

Sophie Warner, co-owner of Create Designs, a Hampshire-based digital marketing agency, has reported a sharp increase in clients seeking help after relying on AI-generated solutions for website updates and coding.

“Previously, clients would come to us first for site changes or new functionalities. Now, many consult ChatGPT first,” Warner said. “Some have added AI-suggested code that caused crashes or opened up vulnerabilities to hackers.”

In one instance, a client who used ChatGPT to update an event page experienced website downtime for three days, resulting in estimated losses of around £360. “It would have taken 15 minutes to update manually, but they tried to shortcut it,” Warner noted.

She added that educating clients about the risks of improper Generative AI use has become a significant part of her agency’s work. “We often have to charge an investigation fee to find out what went wrong, and fixing these errors takes far longer than if professionals had been involved from the start.”

AI Hallucinations and Low-Quality Outputs Demand Human Supervision

Academic voices underline the limitations of current AI models. Prof Feng Li, associate dean for research and innovation at Bayes Business School, warns against unrealistic expectations of AI capabilities.

“Generative AI is known to hallucinate that is, generate irrelevant, fabricated, or inconsistent content,” he explained. “Human oversight is absolutely essential. We’ve seen companies produce poor-quality website content or faulty code that irreparably damages systems.”

Prof Li highlighted the broader risks of poor AI implementation, such as reputational harm, unexpected expenses, and significant liabilities requiring costly professional intervention. “Many companies have not assessed whether they have the right data infrastructure, governance processes, or in-house skills to support AI. Using off-the-shelf AI tools without understanding their limitations can lead to suboptimal and costly outcomes.”

The Human Element: Copywriters’ Role in an AI-Driven World

In Gujarat, India, freelance copywriter Kashish Barot specializes in editing AI-generated content for US-based clients to ensure it sounds authentic and nuanced. “Clients expect quick turnaround because AI gives the impression it’s just minutes’ work,” she said.

“Good copyediting takes time because writing requires understanding nuance something AI cannot do well. AI curates existing data but doesn’t truly comprehend context or emotion.”

Barot’s observations underscore the growing need for experienced professionals who can refine AI output to meet quality standards and human sensibilities.

Balancing Generative AI Potential with Practical Realities

Despite these challenges, businesses and experts generally acknowledge AI’s considerable potential if used thoughtfully. OpenAI states that ChatGPT “can assist with a wide range of tasks,” but cautions that “results depend on the model version, user experience, and prompt quality.” Multiple ChatGPT versions with differing capabilities are currently available, further complicating user experience.

Warner offered a cautious but balanced view: “Yes, Generative AI is rapidly improving and offers quick, low-cost options, but it often overlooks unique brand identities, target demographics, and conversion goals. Much AI output tends to look generic and, if not managed well, can damage brand effectiveness.”

She concluded, “Generative AI can be a useful tool but cannot replace human expertise, understanding, and context especially in creative industries like ours.”

Conclusión

Generative AI technology undeniably holds promise for revolutionizing business processes, marketing, and communication. However, as the experiences of Sarah Skidd, Sophie Warner, Kashish Barot, and academic experts illustrate, premature or uncritical adoption can create new problems from substandard content and technical failures to security vulnerabilities and increased costs.

To harness AI’s benefits while mitigating risks, businesses must invest in professional human oversight, develop robust data and governance frameworks, and maintain realistic expectations about AI’s current capabilities. As AI continues to evolve, striking this balance will be critical for long-term success in an AI-driven economy.

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