Successful copywriters recognize that knowing when to use AI versus human insight is the real competitive advantage.
The promise of AI-generated content is tempting: a multitude of articles created instantly, drastically reducing costs while scaling content production. Sounds awesome, but as major online publications are discovering, there’s a significant gap between AI’s promise vs. reality.
“AI Slop” is a growing phenomenon identified by the Reuters Institute. It represents low-quality text, images and video content proliferating across the internet. While not exactly disinformation, AI Slop lacks substance while mimicking human writing just enough to pass.
To make matters worse, AI is trained on online information – so how can writers use AI tools that learn from this additional infusion of subpar content? Skepticism around AI content reliability creates a strategic opportunity for skilled human copywriters.
CASE IN POINT: I used Gen AI to compile ideas for this article, help me work through them, and provide a first draft. Part of my prompt was to target solutions for copywriters going up against AI today. The original draft intro’d with a report about CNET pausing its AI content system due to plagiarism and errors, but it was two years ago in 2023! Two years is a millennium in terms of the potential of Generative AI.
From dealing with inaccuracies to figuring out SEO with AI, this guide will lead you through the existing AI drawbacks and provide strategies to stay ahead.
Key AI Content Weaknesses to Exploit
1. Factual Inaccuracies That Damage Trust
A December 2024 NewsGuard audit revealed that 10 leading AI chatbots produced false information in 40.33% of responses and non-answers in 21.67%, resulting in a 62% fail rate—the highest since July 2024. Misinformation was prevalent in claims about global events, often amplified by AI-generated sources.
A KPMG study further noted that 56% of workers made AI-related errors, with 48% uploading sensitive data to unverified public tools. These flaws emphasize the need for human copywriters to prioritize accuracy and critical oversight.
2. “Hallucinations” That Create Liability
In February 2025, lawyers at the law firm Morgan & Morgan faced potential sanctions in a Wyoming federal court after submitting a lawsuit against Walmart that included fictitious case citations generated by an AI program. One lawyer admitted that AI “hallucinated” the cases, leading to embarrassment and a risk of disciplinary action.
This incident underscores how AI-generated errors can mislead legal proceedings, erode professional credibility, and necessitate costly corrections. Human oversight remains essential to verify AI outputs and prevent such reputational and legal fallout.
3. SEO Performance Deficits
Recent studies reveal AI content struggles with “repetitive paragraphs, unclear references, or contradictory statements” that lack a consistent voice. AI Generated content often relies on outdated training data (especially with free plans), falling behind competitors with current information.
While Google’s AI Content Guide states: “Our focus on the quality of content, rather than how content is produced, is a useful guide,” search performance data tells a different story. 2025 research shows traditional organic listings suffered “a 34.5% drop in position-1 CTR (click-through rate)” when Google’s AI Overviews appeared, especially affecting informational, non-branded keywords where AI content typically competes.
AI-generated content specifically for SEO represents a seismic shift in digital marketing—similar to PBN sites but exponentially more scalable. Freelancers, startups and solopreneurs now have the quick, easy, cheap content to help boost their Internet presence as they go up against the sheer magnitude of content that can be created in seconds by AI. It will be interesting to see how the push and pull of AI-driven content vs. human strategy plays out.
(Stay tuned for an upcoming article on SEO strategies for AI!)
4. Over-Detection Issues
Writers like me have used AI detection tools to assure clients that the content was not AI generated. But AI detection tools frequently flag legitimate human content as machine-generated, creating a damaging false positive problem for companies relying heavily on AI.
I’ve been in the situation where a client wants to use an AI checker (like a plagiarism checker, tools we as writers are familiar with). But the AI checkers, in my experience, are getting more confused with the proliferance of AI content. Not only that, they often struggle with keeping up with fast-advancing and increasingly sophisticated Gen AI models like ChatGPT-4o.
CASE IN POINT – While using AI checkers in the past, I’ve found that some content, even though I wrote it personally, often shows up as AI generated. I’ve also experimented by loading an article written 8 years ago into the AI checker and it was “unsure” if AI content was used (I use gptzero.me). When finished, I loaded this article into gptzero and again it was unsure. Maybe that means I’ve effectively blended with AI!
If a copywriting gig requires you to pass an AI checker, it can take considerable skills to tweak the content to pass the detector, while still sounding informative, hitting SEO markers, and staying on brand.
5. Legal and Ethical Vulnerabilities
AI models can inadvertently reproduce copyrighted material or create “completely fabricated” content that appears credible but exposes publishers to potential legal action. Human writers provide accountability that algorithms cannot.
In February 2025, Thomson Reuters won against ROSS Intelligence when a court rejected the fair use defense for AI training, while the U.S. Copyright Office reaffirmed that “human authorship remains essential” for copyright protection. Ross Intelligence had used Reuters’ notes (which he maintained were copyrighted) to train an AI legal research search engine. Separately, the U.S. Copyright Office has reaffirmed that “human authorship remains essential” for copyright protection.
The liability landscape continues to evolve with major lawsuits highlighting the risks. In April 2025, a New York federal judge allowed The New York Times’ copyright infringement claims against OpenAI and Microsoft to proceed, citing “numerous” and “widely publicized” examples of ChatGPT producing material from its articles.
Publishers using AI face dual threats:
- Copyright infringement claims when systems reproduce protected material
- Potential legal action when AI generates fabricated yet convincing content presented as factual.
Human writers provide essential accountability and judgment that automated systems fundamentally lack.
Strategic Positioning Tactics for Copywriters
1. Create an “AI Audit” Service
Offer to review existing AI content for clients, highlighting errors, checking data and sources, and suggesting human-crafted improvements. Document the most damaging flaws to demonstrate your value.
2. Develop a “Human Touch” Portfolio
Build case studies contrasting AI and human-written content for the same brief, showcasing emotional resonance, brand voice accuracy, and factual reliability that AI still struggles with.
3. Offer “AI Supervision” Packages
Position yourself as an AI content supervisor who can maximize the efficiency of AI while eliminating its risks through expert human oversight – the best of both worlds.
4. Target High-Liability Niches
Financial services, healthcare, legal advice, and other regulated industries face severe consequences for publishing inaccurate information. Emphasize your understanding of compliance requirements that AI tools frequently miss.
5. Showcase Your Research Skills
AI tools struggle with “discerning truth from falsehood” and often present fabricated information with unwarranted confidence. Demonstrate your verification processes and research methodology as a key differentiator.
Success Scripts for Client Conversations
When Pitching New Clients:
“AI content may seem cost-effective initially, but have you calculated the potential cost of reputational damage from factual errors? My human oversight ensures accuracy while still leveraging AI efficiency where appropriate.”
When Approaching Former Clients:
“I noticed your recent content has some inconsistencies that suggest AI generation. I’d be happy to review your recent publications and identify potential liability issues – no charge for the initial assessment.”
When Negotiating Rates:
“While AI tools cost less upfront, they require significant human editing to reach publication quality. My rates include quality assurance, eliminating the hidden costs of AI content management.”
Action Steps for Copywriters
- Document AI Failures: Create a running collection of public AI content errors to reference in pitches.
- Develop a Hybrid Process: Learn to efficiently edit AI drafts while adding unique human insights.
- Build an AI Error Detection Checklist: Create a proprietary system for identifying common AI mistakes.
- Create Case Studies: Document clear examples where human writing outperformed AI for specific clients.
- Upskill in Critical Areas: Develop expertise in areas AI struggles with – original research, emotional storytelling, and brand voice consistency.
The AI revolution doesn’t spell the end for copywriters – it creates an opportunity for those who understand both its potential and limitations. The most successful writers will position themselves not as AI competitors but as essential human partners in an increasingly automated content landscape.