19,99 €
Mehr erfahren.
- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fachliteratur
- Sprache: Englisch
Learn how to generate high quality, business documents with AI
This essential guide helps business writers and other professionals learn the strengths and weaknesses of AI as a writing assistant. You'll discover how AI can help you by chopping through writer's block, drafting an outline, generating headlines and titles, producing meaningful text, maintaining consistency, proofreading and editing, and optimizing content for search engines. Employees in all industries spend enormous amounts of energy writing, editing, and proofreading documents of all kinds. Now, you can improve your efficiency and boost the quality of your work, thanks to AI writing tools like ChatGPT, Jaspar, Grammarly, and beyond. With clear instructions and simple tips, Business Writing with AI For Dummies guides you through the process of using AI for common business writing tasks.
- Produce high quality, specialized writing quicker and at a lower cost
- Use AI to draft business-related content like emails, articles, business plans, grant proposals, bios, websites, and many others
- Incorporate AI into your writing process to make your workday more efficient
- Take advantage of AI so you can focus your human creativity on going beyond the basics
For business professionals facing tight deadlines or large volumes of writing tasks, this easy-to-use Dummies guide will be a game changer.
Sie lesen das E-Book in den Legimi-Apps auf:
Seitenzahl: 494
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024
Ähnliche
Business Writing with AI For Dummies®
To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Business Writing with AI For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Harnessing the Potential of AI in Business Writing
Chapter 1: Recognizing the Need for Writer Intelligence (WI)
AI is Already Part of Your Everyday Life
Using AI to Assist WI
Enhancing Business Writing, Not Replacing Writers
Writing Fields that Will Thrive, Not Just Survive
Panacea, Snake Oil, or Somewhere Between?
Chapter 2: Embracing AI as Your Business Writing Assistant
Introducing a Buffet of AI Lingo
Targeting the Right Audience
Cutting Through Writer’s Block
Generating Content
Creating Visuals
Enhancing the Tone
Researching and Fact-Checking
Enhancing SEO
Creating Language Bridges
Preparing Abstracts and Executive Summaries
Extracting TOCs, Glossaries, and Indexes
Helping with Proofreading and Editing
Determining Readability
Collaborating in Real Time
Detecting Plagiarism
Chapter 3: Navigating the World of AI at Your Own Pace
Absorbing Wisdom from the Backseat
Dipping One Toe in the Chatbot Water
Playing with the Pros
Choosing an AI Writing Tool
Summarizing the Synergy between WI and AI
Considering Copyright Laws
Part 2: The Write Stuff
Chapter 4: Discovering All You Can About Your Reader
Using AI as Your Assistant to Understanding the Audience
Kick-Starting Your Writing Success
Bridging Generational Differences
Looking at a Case Study
Chapter 5: Taking Your Reader on a Storied Journey
Using AI as Your Assistant to Craft Compelling Stories
Understanding the Power of the Narrative
Generating Precise Prompts
Creating Tales of Success and Transformation
Making Readers Part of the Journey
Including the Four Pillars of Storytelling
Creating the Story Arc
Sharing Stories in the First Person, Present Tense
Embellishing Stories
Infusing Your Docs with a Dash of Personality
Chapter 6: Demystifying Writer’s Block and Writing a Draft
Using AI as Your Assistant to Chop Through Writer’s Block and Write a Draft
Venturing Beyond Chatbots
Karate Chopping Through Writer’s Block without AI
Unleashing the Power of WI
Jumping in and Writing the Draft
Sequencing for Maximum Impact
Polishing the Draft
Chapter 7: Designing Visuals to Enhance the Reader’s Experience
Using AI as Your Assistant for Dynamic Visuals
Generating Precise Prompts
Peeking Into the World of Infographics
Adding Tables and Charts
Coloring Your Way to Clarity
Digging into Visuals Beyond Graphics
Chapter 8: Honing the Tone
Using AI as Your Assistant for the Proper Tone
Tone: The Secret to Captivating Your Audience
Choosing Positive Words
Being Active or Passive
Remembering It’s Not All About You
Being Consistent and Clear
Using Gender-Neutral Pronouns
Using Industry-Related Jargon Appropriately
Thinking Seriously about Being Funny
Chapter 9: Polishing the Prose
Using AI as Your Assistant for Proofreading and Editing
Not Getting Lost in Translation
Editing for Content
Proofreading for Accuracy and Consistency
Turning Your Brain Off when Turning Your Computer On
Making a List and Checking It Twice
Determining the Readability of Your Documents
Part 3: Writing Click-Worthy E-Content
Chapter 10: Turning Emails from Blah to Brilliant
Using AI as Your Assistant for Writing Emails
Generating Precise Prompts
Navigating Email Boundaries
Crafting Seductive Subject Lines
Using Cc and Bcc Appropriately
Creating Visual Appeal
Starting and Ending your Message Professionally
Replying to Messages
Eliminating Spam
Applying the Art of Email Finesse
Chapter 11: Unlocking the Power of E-Marketing
Using AI as Your Assistant for Email Campaigns
Generating Precise Prompts
Leveraging the Benefits of E-Marketing
Delving into the Different Types of E-Marketing
Learning the Lingo
Strategizing a Successful Campaign
Getting the Writing Right
Using Digital Marketing
Chapter 12: Enhancing Web Content
Being Web Word Wise (WWW)
Using AI as Your Assistant for Writing Web Content
Generating Precise Prompts
Fashioning a Homepage
Knowing the Anatomy of a Landing Page
Optimizing for SEO
Standing Above Your Competitors
Being Sensitive to International Visitors
Writing for Comprehension
Keeping ‘em Coming Back for More
Part 4: Crafting Noteworthy Professional Documents
Chapter 13: Writing Instructions and Procedures: Step by Step
Using AI as Your Assistant in Writing Instructions Procedures
Generating Precise Prompts
Working Collaboratively
Transforming Documents from Sidekicks to Superstars
Inspiring Action with a Quick Tip Sheet
Identifying Questions Readers May Need Answered
Understanding How People Process Information
Moving On to the Instructional Stuff
Highlighting Dangers
Testing, Testing
Determining FAQs
Preparing an Instructional Video
Chapter 14: Articles: From Headline to Byline
Using AI as Your Assistant for Writing Articles
Generating Precise Prompts
Writing Academic or Non-Academic Articles
Unraveling Hypothetical Threads
Delving Into the Perks of Writing an Article
Reading the Masthead
Following the Publisher’s Guidelines
Composing a Meaningful and Compelling Title
Composing a Persuasive Query Letter
Understanding the Blogosphere
Chapter 15: Reports: “Elementary, My Dear Writer”
Using AI as Your Assistant for Writing Reports
Generating Precise Prompts
Positioning for Maximum Impact
Sequencing Formal Reports from Top to Bottom
Writing Informal Reports
Chapter 16: Being Concise: Abstracts and Executive Summaries
Using AI as Your Assistant in Writing Abstracts and Executive Summaries
Generating Precise Prompts
Writing an Abstract
Writing an Executive Summary
Chapter 17: Grant Proposals: The Funding Frenzy
Using AI as Your Assistant for Writing Grant Applications
Generating Precise Prompts
Realizing the Human Touch is Crucial
Doing the Preliminaries
Taking Your Readers on a Journey
Knowing What to Include in the Grant Proposal
Understanding the Review Process
Reaching the Finals
Following Up if Your Application is Denied
Part 5: Producing Personalized and Targeted Writing
Chapter 18: Bios: Being a Shameless Self-Promoter
Using AI as Your Assistant for Writing Bios
Generating Precise Prompts
Letting Your Inner Rock Star Shine
Showing You Have a Personality, Not Just a Pulse
Crafting a One-Page Bio
Creating a One-or Two-Paragraph Bio
Fashioning a Pithy Elevator Pitch
Chapter 19: Letters: Forging a Personal Connection
Using AI as Your Assistant for Letter Writing
Generating Precise Prompts
Why Write a Letter?
Writing Salutations and Closings
Fundraising: Capturing Hearts and Opening Wallets
Collection Letters: Payback Time
Making Complaints: Grin, Don’t Grunt
Chapter 20: Storyboarding: Bringing Your Presentations to Life
Using AI as Your Assistant for Creating Storyboards
Generating Precise Prompts
Getting to Know Your Audience
Getting Ready to Storyboard
Types of Storyboard
Storyboarding in Other Business Contexts
Working Step by Step, Frame by Frame
Naming Your Presentation
Chapter 21: Business Plans: Preparing Blueprints for a Thriving Business
Using AI as Your Assistant for Writing Business Plans
Generating Precise Prompts
Brainstorming the Plan and Determining Content
Writing a Simple Business Plan
Creating a Robust Business Plan
Knowing What to Avoid
Chapter 22: Nonfiction Books: Establishing Bragging “Writes”
Use AI as Your Assistant to Writing a Nonfiction Book
Generating Precise Prompts
Knowing Who Your Readers Will Be
Getting to Know the Marketplace
Selecting a Title
Creating a Roadmap
Writing Copy for the Back Cover
Writing the Draft
Part 6: The Part of Tens
Chapter 23: Ten Tips for Writing Powerful Prompts
Appreciating the Importance of Prompts
Understanding the Capabilities of Chatbots
Communicating with AI as You Would a Person
Asking for One Single Task at a Time
Providing Specific Guidelines and Instructions
Asking Open-Ended Questions
Using Specific Keywords or Phrases
Encouraging Research
Using a Checklist
Making the Document Your Own
Chapter 24: Ten Reasons Why Business Writing Fails
Not Using AI as Your Writing Assistant
Failing to Address the Target Reader
Poor Planning
Lacking Clear Objectives
Where’s the Beef?
Lacking Visual Interest
Inconsistent Tone
Spelling and Grammatical Errors
Insufficient Supporting Evidence
Management-speak, Buzz Words, and Jargon
Index
About the Author
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
List of Tables
Chapter 4
TABLE 4-1 Understanding the Generation Gap
Chapter 13
TABLE 13-1 Questions Readers May Need Answered
TABLE 13-2 Structuring Documents for the Most Impact
List of Illustrations
Chapter 1
FIGURE 1-1: AI reveals why it can’t replace writers.
Chapter 2
FIGURE 2-1: Breaking down barriers with AI translation services.
Chapter 3
FIGURE 3-1: Data from the chatbot Copilot (formerly Bing).
FIGURE 3-2: Data from the chatbot You.com.
FIGURE 3-3: Data from the chatbot Perplexity AI.
FIGURE 3-4: Accessing You.com from a browser.
FIGURE 3-5: Asking the You.com chatbot for assistance.
FIGURE 3-6: You.com’s immediate answer.
FIGURE 3-7: Using YouWrite to generate text by imputing certain guidelines.
Chapter 4
FIGURE 4-1: The Kick-Start Brief.
FIGURE 4-2: “Before”: Weekly status report with excruciating detail.
FIGURE 4-3: “After”: Weekly status report with key information at a glance.
Chapter 5
FIGURE 5-1: The four pillars of storytelling.
FIGURE 5-2: The story arc.
Chapter 6
FIGURE 6-1: Ideas for topics on health food document.
FIGURE 6-2: Draft for a document on superfoods in maintaining a healthy diet.
FIGURE 6-3: Images for maintaining a healthy diet.
FIGURE 6-4: Mind mapping.
Chapter 7
FIGURE 7-1: Steps in a process.
FIGURE 7-2: Word cloud.
FIGURE 7-3: Table with key elements: header row, data rows, and columns.
FIGURE 7-4: “Before” grid displays the distribution of weight.
FIGURE 7-5: “After” histogram successfully displays the distribution of weight....
FIGURE 7-6: Pie chart.
FIGURE 7-7: Line chart.
FIGURE 7-8: Flowchart.
FIGURE 7-9: Creative chatbot-generated headlines.
Chapter 8
FIGURE 8-1: Formal, scientific tone delivered by chatbot.
FIGURE 8-2: Informal, simplified tone delivered by chatbot.
FIGURE 8-3: A two-sentence example in conversational, formal, and persuasive fo...
FIGURE 8-4: It’s all about the reader. Not you.
Chapter 9
FIGURE 9-1: Cleaning up the text.
FIGURE 9-2: The English version of this delish dish.
FIGURE 9-3: The Spanish version of this delish dish.
FIGURE 9-4: Proofreading and editing checklist.
Chapter 10
FIGURE 10-1: AI to the rescue.
FIGURE 10-2: Title options generated by AI.
FIGURE 10-3: “Before” email where nothing stands out.
FIGURE 10-4: “After” email with a subject line and headlines that tell the stor...
Chapter 11
FIGURE 11-1: The e-marketing cycle.
Chapter 12
FIGURE 12-1: A photo can create a sense of trust.
FIGURE 12-2: Homepage of 2M Architecture showcasing an astounding home.
FIGURE 12-3: Landing page for Essential Family Chiropractic where the special o...
Chapter 13
FIGURE 13-1: Use pictures to show step-by-step assembly.
FIGURE 13-2: “Before”: Not effective and unclear.
FIGURE 13-3: “After”: Clear and concise with key information appearing at a gla...
FIGURE 13-4: Scaling the size of a microcontroller chip.
FIGURE 13-5: “Before”: The steps don’t start with action words and not all the ...
FIGURE 13-6: “After”: The steps start with action words and additional details ...
FIGURE 13-7: Sample video script storyboard.
Chapter 14
FIGURE 14-1: Topics about trees generated from a chatbot.
FIGURE 14-2: Then the chatbot spewed out the benefits of trees.
FIGURE 14-3: Now for some visuals.
FIGURE 14-4: Query letter example.
Chapter 15
FIGURE 15-1: In the case of business reports, it’s “Elementary, my dear writer....
FIGURE 15-2: AI-generated paragraph using advanced vocabulary words.
FIGURE 15-3: AI-generated paragraph using simplified vocabulary words.
FIGURE 15-4: Letter of transmittal for email or hard-copy reports.
FIGURE 15-5: Lists of figures and tables.
FIGURE 15-6: Informal report using strong headlines and strategic sequencing.
Chapter 16
FIGURE 16-1: Highlights in abstract form.
FIGURE 16-2: The “Before” executive summary where nothing pops out.
FIGURE 16-3: The “After” executive summary where key information pops at a glan...
Chapter 17
FIGURE 17-1: Start-Up Sheet for grant proposals.
FIGURE 17-2: Two (of many) ways to present a title page.
Chapter 18
FIGURE 18-1: My bio with hook, humor, accomplishments, and interests.
Chapter 20
FIGURE 20-1: Questions you need to address before storyboarding.
FIGURE 20-2: Traditional storyboard for a presentation.
FIGURE 20-3: Traditional storyboard for a business meeting.
FIGURE 20-4: Thumbnail storyboard for arranging flow.
FIGURE 20-5: Digital storyboard using an AI generator.
FIGURE 20-6: UX storyboard showing emotions.
Chapter 21
FIGURE 21-1: Using Post-it notes to brainstorm the plan.
FIGURE 21-2: Simple two-page business plan.
Chapter 22
FIGURE 22-1: AI-generated titles.
FIGURE 22-2: AI-generated chapter outline.
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Begin Reading
Index
About the Author
Pages
i
ii
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
Business Writing with AI For Dummies®
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial technologies or similar technologies.
Media and software compilation copyright © 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial technologies or similar technologies.
Published simultaneously in Canada
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Trademarks: Wiley, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ.
For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002. For technical support, please visit https://hub.wiley.com/community/support/dummies.
Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.
Library of Congress Control Number is available from the publisher.
ISBN 978-1-394-26173-4 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-394-26174-1 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-394-26175-8 (ebk)
Introduction
Artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to impress us with its efficiency, knowledge, and accessibility … but realize that it won’t replace writer intelligence (WI). While AI can process large amounts of data and generate coherent text, it lacks the creative and emotional depth that human writers bring to their work. Writing should reflect human experiences, emotions, and perspectives. It requires the intuition, empathy, and understanding that AI can’t replicate.
AI and WI can work together, with AI enhancing the writing process and humans providing the unique qualities that make writing a deeply human experience. As AI continues to evolve, it’s important to stay abreast of the latest developments so you maximize its benefits and mitigate potential risks.
By the way, WI are initials I coined because writer intelligence has been ingrained in human culture since the dawn of civilization. The origins of writing date back to prehistoric times, perhaps when Sumerian texts were used for communication, storytelling, and recording significant events. From ancient civilizations to modern times, skilled writers have been able to capture the imagination of readers and leave a lasting impact — just as they’re doing today and will continue to do in the foreseeable future.
About This Book
Get ready to embark on a captivating journey that showcases the transformative potential of AI. Every chapter vividly illustrates how AI can be a valuable assistant throughout the entire document creation process — leaving no stage untouched. You’ll find alphabetic lists of AI tools as they relate to each topic as well as how to write prompts so you get the results you want. To ensure easy accessibility, this book is divided into six parts, making it effortless to navigate and implement the insights gained from each:
Part 1
: Harnessing the Potential of AI in Business Writing.
This part provides an introduction to AI and its role as a writing assistant. It explains how AI can assist in your writing journey, whether you prefer to observe and learn, begin with a user-friendly chatbot, or dive right into a comprehensive AI tool. It emphasizes that while AI can be helpful, human skills are still essential as they’re necessary to express emotions and make ethical judgments, and validate accuracy of the content — aspects that can’t be replicated by AI.
Part 2
: The Write Stuff.
I strongly suggest that you immerse yourself in this part completely. It serves as a fundamental guide for composing any business document you’ll ever write. Within this section, you’ll be introduced to the Kick-Start Brief, which equips you with the tools to understand your audience to the fullest extent. It delves into the art of creating stories to captivate your readers, guiding them on engaging journeys that will ultimately persuade them to take the desired action. Additionally, you’ll discover invaluable ways to craft compelling visuals, refine the tone, and perfect the text. To top it off, this section is brimming with trailblazing AI tips that can enhance your business writing savvy.
Part 3
: Writing Click-Worthy E-Content.
With email being a significant means of communicating for both general use and e-marketing, this part walks you through the pros and woes of using email like a guru, including how to create dynamic subject lines, compelling messages, and gain customers. It also walks you through how to enhance your website (one of your biggest marketing tools) for search engine optimization (SEO).
Part 4
: Crafting Noteworthy Professional Documents.
This book wouldn’t be complete without focusing on how AI can be your sidekick for writing a wide array of documents including easy-to-read instructions and procedures, articles that can boost your personal brand, reports written with keen observation and reasoning, abstracts and executive summaries to distill complex ideas into bite-sized brilliance, and grant proposals that can win vital funding.
Part 5
: Producing Personalized and Targeted Writing.
This part gets a little more personal. It’s not often you get to write about yourself, but you’ll learn how to effectively self-promote by writing a captivating bio. Also included are how to write letters that drive action, storyboards that bring presentations to life, business plans for a thriving enterprise, and how to write a nonfiction book for bragging “writes.”
Part 6
: The Part of Tens.
This section is a beloved staple in the
For Dummies
series. It offers valuable insights for writing prompts to get you the results you want, along with an exploration of ten common pitfalls in business writing and smart strategies to transform them into triumphs.
Foolish Assumptions
Before I began writing this book, I made some assumptions about you — the reader. (I don’t normally make assumptions because we all know what happens when we ass-u-me.) However, I threw caution to the wind and let the AI genie out of the bottle. I figured that this book is for you if you’re:
Intrigued by the world of AI and want to journey through the labyrinth of AI knowledge to discover how it can assist you in the future.
Ready to dip a toe into the water and use a chatbot to karate chop through writer’s block, craft a draft, jazz up headlines and titles, proofread and edit, and more.
Prepared to take the plunge and use a comprehensive AI tool as a writing assistant that provides a wide range of features and functionalities such as data visualization, sentiment analysis, predictive modeling, and anomaly detection.
So, whether you’re a professional business writer, you’re starting a business and have to generate a business plan, you need to write a dynamite bio, you’re applying for a grant, you want to gain recognition in your field and write an article, or you send out a countless number of emails each day — or wherever you are on the continuum — this book offers practical advice and guidance, insights and perspectives, and motivation and inspiration. It will resonate with your specific interests, needs, and goals and it can be invaluable to your professional growth and survival.
And that’s a sensible assumption!
Icons Used in This Book
Begin an icon-hunting expedition as you search through the margins, where mischievous icons call attention to precious nuggets of information, eagerly beckoning for your attention! Here are the icons you’ll see and a description of each:
This icon trumpets AI as your personal writing assistant.
This prompts you to recall important information, similar to tying a string around your finger so you don’t forget.
If I had a chance to speak with you personally, these are the things I’d share.
Nifty tips that may be time-savers, frustration savers, lifesavers, or just about anything else you’ll find useful.
Ouch! Avoid these pitfalls to save yourself headaches, heartburn, embarrassments … or worse.
Beyond the Book
In addition to the material in the print or e-book you’re reading right now, you can access some additional perks on the web. Check out the free access-anywhere Cheat Sheet that includes tips and advice. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and type “Business Writing with AI For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box. I’ve also included a bonus online chapter about collaborative writing — you can access it here: www.dummies.com/go/businesswritingwithaifd.
Where to Go from Here
I realize you won’t read this book like a suspenseful mystery novel from cover to cover — but I strongly suggest that you read Part 2 (Chapters 4 to 9) sequentially. Writing mastery is a process of understanding your readers, crafting compelling stories, writing the draft, designing for visual impact, honing the tone, and polishing the prose. After that, feel free to jump around to whatever topic interests you or applies to the writing challenge you face.
A word of caution … If you lend your printed copy to anyone, take some safeguards. One way is to write your name in large letters in an obvious place to ensure that it’s clearly identifiable as your property. Another way is to request something valuable as collateral. This serves as a form of insurance because borrowers may be so absorbed by the book’s treasure trove of wisdom, they might be reluctant to return it.
I hope you’ll appreciate the value of this book as you journey through it and will recommend it to others who are entering the world of AI or want to unleash AI’s full potential for business writing.
Part 1
Harnessing the Potential of AI in Business Writing
IN THIS PART …
Discover the indispensable role of writing professionals in the AI realm — the ones who have distinct attributes such as creativity, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and adaptability to evolving trends and audience preferences.
Embrace AI as your trusty writing assistant to overcome writer’s block, effortlessly generate captivating content, craft amazing visuals, refine the tone, and optimize your search engine rankings.
Enter the realm of AI by absorbing knowledge from the sidelines, dipping your toe into the water with the help of a chatbot, or boldly diving into the depths to play alongside the seasoned professionals.
Chapter 1
Recognizing the Need for Writer Intelligence (WI)
IN THIS CHAPTER
Realizing that AI is already part of your life
Discovering how AI assists business writers
Understanding that AI helps, not replaces, writers
Identifying writing fields that will continue to thrive
Exploring the limitations of AI
We’re hearing so much about artificial intelligence (AI) and all its wonders, yet we don’t hear nearly enough about writer intelligence (WI). Remember that without human intelligence there would be no artificial intelligence. Humans would never create anything to replace themselves, only to make life easier. That’s what AI does for business writers; it makes writing easier.
As business writers, it’s crucial to stay informed about the latest advancements in AI writing technology and use it responsibly. Striking a balance between human creativity and technological innovation will be pivotal for the success of writers and writing. Never underestimate the lasting significance of genuine human communication — it’s paramount. Business writers stand to gain significantly by learning about AI and integrating it into their work to enhance the creative process and improve efficiency. This chapter delves into how writers can benefit from using AI as a writing assistant.
AI is Already Part of Your Everyday Life
If you think you’re a newcomer to AI, think again. Apple’s Siri and Google’s Alexa are powered by AI. They rely on natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning. Every day most of us send and receive emails, many powered by AI (find out more about using AI in your own emails in Chapter 10). And all the annoying pop-up ads we see while searching the Internet are AI enabled. They’re based on our search history that’s personalized with the goal of getting items in front of us via algorithms and to sell us goods and services.
GPS uses AI for route optimization, historical data, and real-time traffic updates such as congestion and road closures, as well as suggest workarounds to avoid gridlock. If you scan checks with your phone to make deposits, AI is at work behind the scenes. From drug discovery to clinical decision support, AI is transforming the way the medical profession approaches healthcare. AI is used in self-driving cars, trucks, and buses, as well as smart home devices such as thermostats, lighting systems, and security systems. And when we kick back to relax in the evening, many of us turn to streaming services. These services use AI to recommend programming we may like based on our past viewing history.
AI is fast becoming the cornerstone of innovation. Yet AI isn’t new. It dates back to the 1950s when Alan Turing published “Computer Machinery and Intelligence” in the academic journal Mind, which proposed a test of machine intelligence called The Imitation Game. However, it wasn’t until 2022 when AI was brought into the mainstream through familiarity with OpenAI’s application ChatGPT (Generative Pre-Training Transformer). By incorporating true AI into live chat features, businesses are merging human intelligence with machine intelligence.
REMEMBERING HAL
Perhaps you recall the story of HAL 9000, the killer AI supercomputer in Stanley Kubrick’s landmark film 2001: A Space Odyssey. It tells the story of the struggle of humans faced with extinction by a methodical program of extermination led by HAL, an errant, sentient supercomputer. Since this movie premiered in 1968, AI has been discussed, explored, and is a frequent subject of ongoing conversation. Can this serve as harbinger of contemporary AI issues?
A little-known factoid about HAL: HAL is a one-letter shift from IBM. Supposedly Kubrick sent a letter to Polaris Productions stating his intention to use an IBM supercomputer in the movie. The studio felt it wasn’t the best idea to use IBM as a psychotic computer, so Kubrick shifted one letter down from IBM and got HAL. People associated with Kubrick have always denied that there was any significance to the coincidence, but the rumor persists. True or false? Ask AI.
Using AI to Assist WI
As you journey through this book, you’ll gain familiarity with AI tools that can be applied to a wide array of business writing scenarios. Whether you’re new to AI and are simply exploring its capabilities, you’re interested in using a simple chatbot, or you’re prepared to embrace comprehensive AI tools, this book equips you with the knowledge and skills you need for each stage of your journey.
As you navigate the chapters of this book, a recurring theme emerges: the importance of generating precise prompts. From a general discussion in Chapter 23 to detailed applications in Parts 3, 4, and 5, the significance of this artistry is underscored. Embracing the art of prompt generation becomes paramount, for it’s through these meticulously selected words that dynamic documents come to life, ideas flourish, and minds expand.
AI can assist you with some of the writing you normally do, but there are other aspects of business writing that only humans can do. AI excels at chopping through writer’s block, preparing outlines and drafts, summarizing topics, analyzing data, presenting numbers and statistics, maintaining consistency in writing style, proofreading and editing, and optimizing writing for search engine optimization (SEO). AI tools will have a big impact on the future of writers, but here’s why WI will never disappear.
Business writing goes beyond merely assembling words. It requires a deep understanding of human emotions, strategic insights, and perspectives. This is where human writers have a unique advantage. Only humans have the innate ability to create personal connections with readers by sharing relatable stories, personal experiences, nuanced details, and thought-provoking analogies — something that AI technology is incapable of. Additionally, AI lacks the ability to differentiate between emotionally impactful phrases and mundane ones. Readers often rely on their instincts, desires, emotions, and morals when forming judgments, aspects that are detached from logic and analytics.
Another limitation of AI is the absence of original insights. AI can only summarize and reproduce information from existing databases. It can’t generate its own thoughts on a subject. Furthermore, AI has limited capabilities to infer the consequences of a particular action. Only human writers possess the higher-level causal thinking required to analyze why things happened and address hypothetical “what if” scenarios.
If you strive to be a thought-leader in your industry (an authority whose innovative ideas and insights influence and guide others), it’s WI that will get you there, not AI. Only human writers have the ability to provide original insights and opinions on the most crucial topics — topics that are beyond the current grasp of AI technology.
Enhancing Business Writing, Not Replacing Writers
Who will survive? Who will thrive? Here are my WI thoughts on why business writers will not only survive, but thrive, and why we can’t be replaced by AI:
AI writing is robotic. To get a reader’s attention, good writers bring text to life with perspective and creativity as we’ve done since we first showed an ability to put words together.
Computers haven’t lived our life or the life of the reader. So they can’t humanize writing with examples and stories to enliven a document and drive key points home.
While lightheartedness in business writing is tricky, it’s where we can separate ourselves from machines. The right remark at the right time can help make a point in a way AI can’t.
Emotional intelligence is necessary to understand and convey emotions effectively. We can tap into the intricacies of human experience, capturing the nuances of feelings and experiences in our writing.
AI can mimic human writing, understand complex queries, deliver nuanced responses, and generate text resembling human style. However, only humans can adapt writing style, tone, and voice for different genres, audiences, and purposes, and make revisions and improvements.
Humans possess moral reasoning and ethical judgment, which allows us to make conscious decisions about what we write and how we present information.
I asked my AI sidekick You.com why it can never replace writers. Figure 1-1 shows what it “humbly” wrote:
FIGURE 1-1: AI reveals why it can’t replace writers.
Writing Fields that Will Thrive, Not Just Survive
AI is not a replacement for human creativity, but rather a tool to augment and inspire the business writing process. By providing writers with tools to automate tasks such as research and data analysis writers can spend more time focusing on the creative aspects. So before you start studying for that real estate license, know that AI isn’t going to replace good business writers who keep their skills current.
No one can predict with certainty what AI might look like in the future, but AI is far from being able to reach the standards set by human writers. Tools such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, Jasper, Copilot (formerly Bing), You.com, and a host of others are professional writing tools powered by AI to write drafts, achieve the right tone and length, ensure that writing is error-free, and proofread and edit. These programs can’t think independently of human intervention because they’re utilitarian — merely meant to serve a purpose and get a job done quickly and efficiently. AI doesn’t have the ability to collaborate, take suggestions, or critically analyze its work. This means that AI in its current iteration can’t produce the same engaging and nuanced content that humans can.
Although it’s difficult to identify specific fields of writing that are truly AI-proof, certain types of writing require higher levels of creativity, subtlety, and human interaction. These may include fields (but aren’t limited to) the areas of business writing detailed in the following sections.
In most chapters, URLs for the AI tools mentioned are enclosed in parentheses for easy reference. However, in this particular chapter, I introduce a few tools as general references without explicitly providing the URLs. Rest assured, you’ll find them again in their applicable sections throughout the book.
Copywriting and advertising writers
Tools such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, Copy.ai, Jasper, and others offer a range of features to help business writers create high-quality content and boost their content writing. While AI can automate certain parts of the creative process, there’s much it can’t do. Therefore, it’s unlikely to completely replace copywriters. Copywriting skills require a high level of creativity to craft engaging, persuasive messages that resonate with customers. In addition to creativity, it requires empathy and an understanding of human emotions and behavior. These skills are unique to humans and can’t be replicated by machines.
However, AI systems have been introduced in some companies to work alongside copywriters to streamline processes. AI can generate large amounts of copy, which can then be fact-checked, amended, and approved by humans. This can help to speed up the copywriting process and make it more efficient.
Public relations writers
Public relations writers create messages and content that shape and maintain the reputation of a person, company, or brand. The aim is to build relationships, generate publicity, and manage public perception through strategic communication such as media relations and crisis communication. While AI has the potential to routinely automate these tasks and speed up certain processes within public relations campaigns, it’s unlikely that PR professionals will be replaced by AI anytime soon.
AI systems such as Looka, ChatGPT, Canva, Bandwidth, and others gather, interpret, and create efficiencies in the process. But agencies won’t be letting AI do the pitching or replace human expertise. AI can aid PR professionals to manage communications, identify crises, and provide strategic recommendations. But it won’t replace the need for human creativity, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking in PR. And AI can’t ensure that the messaging aligns with the company’s brand and values.
Journalists and reporters
The news industry is feeling the pinch of social media and AI. Social media outlets are the fastest growing ways for news to reach people. And many newspapers are now turning to AI for featured news stories. However, it’s important to note that journalists and reporters add dimension and depth to a story. They interview people with well-crafted questions. They access facts to present the reality of a situation beyond what they read on social media sites. Their writing should captivate readers while concisely presenting the “real” story. Additionally, journalists may work in television and radio broadcasting, print journalism, or online media outlets.
Tools such as ChatGPT, Automated Insights, Wordsmith, and Articoolo offer a range of customizable templates that can help journalists and reporters write news stories, headlines, and summaries. AI writing can analyze data and generate insights that can aid journalists in their research. By using AI, journalists can save time and focus on other important tasks and stories.
One of the key challenges with AI-generated news is ensuring that the content is accurate and trustworthy. Small-town newspapers are disappearing and running with reduced staffing. Local newspapers are turning to AI for stories. However, they’re realizing that journalism isn’t just about facts. Newspapers will always need human journalists for creativity and analysis, accurate and unbiased stories, and adaptability.
Journalists and news writers must be aware that AI has been known to go rogue and deliver misinformation and disinformation. So before distributing any news stories, fact-check, fact-check, fact-check. Also, it’s important to address the ethical and societal implications to ensure that the content generated by AI is accurate, reliable, and in line with journalistic standards.
Marketing writers
In contrast to public relations writers, marketing writing centers around selling products, services, and ideas. Writers focus on sales, promotional messaging, paid media, branding and positioning, targeted communications, and measurable matrixes. Using AI tools such as Jasper.ai, Copy.ai, GrowthBar, Copysmith, Hypoitenuse AI, Rytr, and Writesonic, marketing writers can generate original, engaging content faster and more efficiently than ever before.
Freelance writers
Freelance writers have the particular challenge of positioning themselves as valuable assets to businesses that seek authentic and impactful content. They must hone their skills in the areas of strategic planning, persuasive copywriting, and storytelling. Tools such as ChatGPT, Jasper, Grammarly, Writesonic, and Jasper can be valuable writing assistants. Freelance writers must develop selling skills and be able to boast of a high return on investment (ROI).
Whether you’re a newbie, certified or degree holder, or highly skilled freelancer, always have a current portfolio to showcase your writing talents. In addition to a paper portfolio, store your portfolio on your blog and/or on sites such as Contently and LinkedIn.
Proposal writers
Crafting a persuasive proposal is challenging at best. Tasks include structuring the proposal, writing an engaging introduction, considering format and design, specifying deliverables, creating a timeline, preparing a budget, using a persuasive tone, and more.
While Grammarly, Proposify, GetAccept, HyperWrite AI, Texta.ai, and ChatGPT are a few of the AI tools to help writers nail dynamic proposals, it’s the proposal writers who must provide the relatable human element that includes creating persuasive narratives, being flexible and adaptable, and building trust and credibility — all of which will influence a yea or nay.
Grant proposal writing is a subset of proposal writing. This often involves advocating for a cause or project the writer or organization is passionate about. The writer’s emotions, empathy, and storytelling savvy can drive their commitment to the cause and influence the way they communicate the project’s importance and impact. This is an area AI can’t help. (Check out Chapter 17 to learn more about grant writing and Chapter 20 for great stuff about storytelling.)
Technical writers
It’s possible for AI to generate technical materials, but it’s unlikely that AI will completely replace people in this field. AI generators such as Jasper, LongShot AI, Copysmith, ChatGPT, Scalenut, Frase AI, and others can be a useful tool for assisting writers, but it may not be able to replace the creativity and expertise that people bring to the table. Additionally, user manuals, process documents, statements of work, standard operating procedures, and such often require a high degree of accuracy and clarity, which may be difficult for AI to achieve. Therefore, AI can be used to augment writing rather than replace technical writers. Also, there are bourgeoning fields for technical writers such as:
UX writers:
Focuses on the way users interact with and experience products, services, interfaces, and systems. They write microcopy with an eye on notifications, calls to action, in-app tool tips and tutorials, produce and service descriptions, UI button text, form fields, troubleshooting, and much more.
Scrum Masters:
Scrum stands for systematic customer resolution unraveling meeting. It’s a framework centered around the principles of continuous improvement, flexibility, and respectful teamwork. Many mundane chores such as organizing meetings, monitoring progress, and producing reports, can be automated by AI. However, the human touch, empathy, and leadership abilities of the Scrum Master cannot be replaced by AI.
Translators: Although AI can translate in a host of languages, many companies prefer the human element to convey accuracy, meaning, and nuances across languages and cultures. AI translators have a low level of accuracy and can make mistakes, some of which can be costly.
Here’s an example of a translation gone awry: I’m a member of the patient advisory committee (PAC) of my medical group. We meet monthly to discuss key issues. While many people participate in person, I’m one of several who joins the meeting on Microsoft Teams. The acoustics in the meeting room are poor, so I turn on the closed captions. One of the doctors said “We need to keep our patients on track.” The caption read, “We need to keep our patients on crack.” (Yikes! Imagine if that doctor was “quoted” in a public forum.)
Medical writers
Research is a big part of medical writing. AI tools such as AutoGPT, Agent GPT, BabyAGI, and other similar tools are being developed to complete complex tasks such as literature reviews. Tools such as Assistant by Scite and Jenni can help you get started with writing. They can collaborate on essays and research papers and find evidence to support claims. Others such as ChatPDF and HeyGPT allow you to chat with documents, summarize papers, search for specific information, and suggest the next logical questions.
However, human medical writers are critical to checking all writing to ensure accuracy, originality, factual correctness, and maintaining the high standards required in the field of medical writing. And the human eye is still needed to discern between medical terms such as cyt/o and cyst/o, artheri/o and arteri/o, and others where mistakes can be quite costly.
Legal writers
Tools such as Casetext, HighQ, and Due Diligence are being widely used in the legal profession to create, review, and send various documents. They assist with document processing and classification for a wide range of matters, including due diligence, document and contract review, compliance, contract management, knowledge management, and deal analysis. By automating these tasks using AI technology, significant workflow benefits can be achieved, particularly with improved efficiency and productivity as well as greater accuracy. None of these systems are infallible. They do make mistakes that only WI can find.
SPECIALIZED AI TRAINING
As the AI wave has turned into a tsunami, people in all walks of life are trying to figure out where they’ll fit in. Will they remain unscathed? Lose their jobs? Need additional training?
If you’re willing to adapt, the journey to becoming an AI content writer is within your reach. Expand your knowledge beyond writing by acquiring a fundamental understanding of data analytics, SEO strategies, content marketing, and aspects of NLP. You’ll develop skills in content planning, keyword research, and optimization techniques. There are many online courses to teach the basics. Some are free, some for a fee, and some for certifications. Here are a few to check out:
Introduction to ChatGPT (edX): https://www.edx.org/learn/chatgpt/edx-introduction-to-chatgptPrompt Engineering and Advanced ChatGPT (edX): https://www.edx.org/learn/computer-programming/edx-advanced-chatgptWriting Blog Posts Using AI offered by Skillshare: https://www.skillshare.com/en/classes/AI-for-Online-Content-Creation-Automating-Workflows-for-Blog-Posts-Videos-and-Social-Media/1160987333Learn content writing using AI and start freelancing offered by Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/course/ai-content-writing/Unleash your Storytelling with AI offered by Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/course/chatgpt-ai-/AI Writing Courses for Bloggers and Digital Marketers offered by DDIY: https://ddiy.co/ai-writing-course/AI Technical Writing Certification Course offered by Technical Writer HQ: https://technicalwriter.teachable.com/p/ai-writing-certification-courseSo, if you’re looking to delve into the world of AI writing and become a pro, there’s something for everyone.
Academic and research writers
AI tools such as SciSpace, Scholarcy, Jenni AI, ChatPDF, Paperpal, Grammarly, and others can work hand in hand with researchers and academics by analyzing large amounts of data, summarizing research findings, locating citations and references, generating structured academic papers, and more. This can save tremendous amounts of time and improve the quality of research output. Some tools can also detect plagiarism and suggest replacement information.
Human writers are still needed for content expertise, ethical considerations and bias, subjective understanding, creativity and originality, and collaboration with other researchers.
Web content writers
As the competition among AI generators becomes more and more fierce, the need for web content writers is more critical than ever. Tools such as SEO.ai, HubSpot AI Writer, ChatGPT, Quillbot, Grammarly, Jasper, and others can streamline the writing process, but only humans can understand the target audience, convey the brand’s message effectively, bring creativity and emotional intelligence, and optimize content for search engine rankings. Synergy between WI and AI can result in powerful and effective content. (Check out Chapter 12 for more about writing for the web.)
Panacea, Snake Oil, or Somewhere Between?
Decide for yourself … OpenAI founder Sam Altman, creator of ChatGPT, warned against relying solely on ChatGPT for research purposes because AI writing detectors are not as reliable as once thought. He said, “Sometimes, ChatGPT sounds convincing, but it might give you incorrect or misleading information (often called a ‘hallucination’ in the literature).” This warning comes on the heels of an incident where a lawyer cited six non-existent cases sourced from ChatGPT.
To further underscore Altman’s concern, February 2024 headlines across major publications were sharing stories of how ChatGPT went “haywire,” went “crazy,” and “began to speak Spanglish.” The uncertainty of AI’s reliability isn’t just with ChatGPT but with all chatbots. That’s why WI will always be critical.
While AI tools are undoubtedly revolutionizing the way we create content, they’re also ushering in many other worries. As the arms of AI reach greater lengths, its dark cloud becomes more concerning. The following sections address some of the reasons why.
Quality of output
Regardless of how sophisticated these tools are, they can’t fully replicate the nuance and complexity of human writing. Over-reliance on these tools puts quality at risk. AI writing tools should be viewed as a tool to assist writers, rather than as a replacement for them.
Plagiarism and copyright infringement
Plagiarism and copyright infringement are major concerns. AI tools can generate content quickly and easily, but they also can infringe on someone’s content and intellectual property. There are AI-based text analysis tools to help create and protect original content. However, that’s like a rookie pilot teaching another rookie pilot how to fly an airplane.
Doesn’t evoke human emotions
In all aspects of writing — and yes, even in business writing — storytelling is paramount to quality and understanding. Any AI writing tool can string together random information from the Internet, but only a skilled business writer can create compelling, engaging copy. Your content has to resonate with your target reader and hold their interest.
Errors
Technology has come a long way, but AI content tools do produce errors, including punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, and incoherent phrases. It will require human analysis to assess the content before it goes out into the world. It may also produce outdated or incorrect information. In the following comparison, wouldn’t you like to have the first set of bills?
Twenty five-dollar bills ($100)
Twenty-five dollar bills ($25)
Ethical considerations
AI systems are trained on massive amounts of data, and embedded in that data are societal biases. There’s a lack of transparency, questioning how the information is collected, stored, and utilized. It can distribute harmful content, violate data privacy, disclose sensitive information, amplify biases, and raise other ethical considerations.
Hallucinations
In the AI world, hallucinations are high-tech speak making things up. For example, you may ask AI to list five reasons for [whatever]. If only three reasons exist, the AI tool may still provide five reasons; the last two of which will be hallucinations (bogus). Hallucinations can range from minor inconsistencies to completely fabricated or contradictory information. Always fact-check what AI generates.
Chapter 2
Embracing AI as Your Business Writing Assistant
IN THIS CHAPTER
Getting to know AI vocabulary
Providing insight on your audience
Discovering how AI enhances content, visuals, and tone
Using AI to check facts, spot plagiarism, and improve SEO
Getting help with proofreading, editing, translations, and readability
Improving collaboration with AI tools
In the ever-evolving world of business, where competition is fierce and change is constant, effective communication remains key. Whether crafting persuasive emails or creating impactful reports, being able to convey ideas clearly and precisely can truly make a difference. That’s where AI tools come in. They’re the latest innovation shaking things up in the writing world. With AI’s knack for automating mundane writing tasks, boosting language proficiency, and providing invaluable insights, these tools have become must-haves for professionals looking to take their business writing to new heights. So, say goodbye to the struggles of yesteryear and embrace the power of AI for a brighter writing future!
AI tools won’t replace people, but together AI and writer intelligence (WI) can be a winning combination as discussed in Chapter 1. By using AI as an assistant, you can unlock new levels of clarity, creativity, efficiency, and innovation. AI can offer fresh ideas, suggestions, and inspiration. Leveraging AI’s ability, you can explore new directions and push your boundaries of creativity.
While AI can be a powerful tool, you should always use it ethically and responsibly. Maintain control over the technology and ensure that it aligns with your values and goals, and those of your company. With the right collaboration and balance, man and machine can achieve great things together — creating a winning combination in various domains, not the least of which is business writing.
This chapter doesn’t delve into specific AI tools; you’ll discover them as you journey through other chapters. Rather it’s an overview about applications where AI can assist in transforming you from a mediocre communicator to a first-class communicator.
Introducing a Buffet of AI Lingo
If you’re not familiar with AI, here are some terms to get you started:
AI ethics:
Adopting and implementing systems that support a safe, secure, unbiased, and environmentally friendly approach to AI.
Algorithm
:
A sequence of rules given to an AI machine to perform a task or solve a problem.
Autonomous:
A machine that can perform without needing human intervention.
Chatbot:
A tool designed to imitate human conversation through text or voice commands.
Data mining:
The process of sorting through large datasets to find patterns that can improve models or solve problems.
Generative AI:
A system to create text, video, code and images.
Hallucination:
An incorrect response or false information that’s presented as factual.
Machine learning:
With limited need for programming, machines can identify patterns and groupings. This could be used to determine target audiences, decide on optimal times to send emails, or segment out groupings for deeper engagement.
Natural language processing
(NLP):
A type of AI that enables computers to understand spoken and written human language.
Targeting the Right Audience
By analyzing data and patterns, AI tools can provide insights on the most suitable target audience for specific documents and goals. Chapter 4 introduces the Kick-Start Brief where you’ll analyze your audience, determine the key issues you need to address, and consider the questions they’ll need answered. This includes the following:
Audience segmentation:
Assessing vast amounts of data to help businesses better understand their target audience. By identifying patterns and preferences, AI can assist in segmenting audiences based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Behavioral targeting and contextual advertising:
Analyzing user behaviors and preferences, AI can help determine the most effective ad placements and target the right people at the right time.
Content personalization and creation:
Generating personalized content to suggest relevant topics, create engaging headlines, and even assist in writing content that resonates with the target audience.
Media buying to maximize ROI:
Predicting the most effective ad and media placements to reach a target audience, thereby maximizing return on investment (ROI).
Chatbots for customer engagement:
Interacting with customers, answering their questions, and providing personalized recommendations.
