I know, you can’t help but notice the irony. The very technology that’s making headlines for revolutionising writing, is also the topic I’d like to write about.

We’ve all heard the buzz about how artificial intelligence is transforming content creation.

But, before we dive into that, let’s ask ourselves: What exactly can AI do? 

It can draft articles, write emails, and even compose poetry, all in mere moments. And that’s just scratching the surface.

With AI, it’s not just about saving time or automating repetitive tasks. It’s about creating a system that can mimic human language on an impressive scale. But as AI is becoming increasingly sophisticated, one important question arises:

What’s left for us, the human writers?

In a world where technology can produce text so quickly, why should we bother writing at all? Why should anyone?

The answer is simple, yet profound: AI cannot replicate the human experience.

AI Can Write, But It Can’t Feel

Writing is so much more than just arranging words on a page. It’s not simply a task of grammar and syntax. Writing is about connection. It’s about emotions, experiences, and creating a bridge between the writer and the reader.

Writing is deeply personal. It’s a reflection of who we are, what we’ve lived through, and what we hope to share with others. AI, no matter how advanced, cannot replicate that essence of being human.

So, let me take you on a thought experiment

Imagine, for a moment, waking up early on a crisp morning and savouring that first cup of coffee. As you sip, an idea bubbles up, something fresh and exciting. The thoughts you have are coloured by the way you’re feeling in that very moment - perhaps tired, maybe excited, or even a little anxious about the day ahead.

That idea you’ve just had comes from somewhere deeper within you, from your experience of the world and your own internal state.

Could AI:

—walk through a bustling town square, observing people, catching snippets of conversation, and feeling inspired to create a story?

— feel the energy of a crowd and be stimulated by the sounds of the world swirling around it?

— wander into a shop, pick up a handmade scarf, and feel the texture of the fabric against its fingers and the softness on its skin?

— feel the warmth of a freshly baked loaf of bread and savour the comforting richness with each soft bite?

— experience the joy of browsing through an old bookstore, smelling the pages of a well-loved novel.

The answer to all of these question is quite simply ‘no’

These are human experiences that inform human writing.

Writing is about tapping into these sensory experiences, the way something feels, the emotions it stirs, the atmosphere of a particular place at a particular moment.

It’s about the subtle details that AI cannot experience because it doesn’t live, breathe, or perceive the world in the same way. Writing from human experience taps into that deeply personal well of observation, emotion, and sensory input that machines simply cannot replicate.

AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement

Don’t get me wrong: AI can be incredibly helpful for writers. It can be my brainstorming buddy.

When I have a rough idea but need a bit of a push to get started, AI is there to help me generate fresh ideas, offer alternative perspectives, and suggest new directions I might not have considered.

It can give me a speedy answer to any question, saving me time trawling the internet.

And yes, it can even help with grammar and spot those pesky typos.

But no matter how great AI becomes at these tasks, it will never replace something far more valuable: over 50 years of lived human experience that informs every word I write.

It’s the rich tapestry of human experience, our emotions, our triumphs and our failures that make writing resonate. It’s what connects us as readers and writers.

AI can mimic patterns, predict trends, and generate text that follows the rules, but it doesn’t live life the way we do.

Therefore, it can’t convey the depth of emotion or the intricacy of lived experience that human writing can offer.

The Human Touch: What AI Can’t Replicate

So, what sets human writers apart in the age of AI?

1. Emotional Depth: Writers draw on personal experiences — pain, joy, loss, and growth to craft stories that resonate with readers on a deep emotional level. AI doesn’t experience these emotions firsthand, so while it can describe them, it can’t feel them. This is why human writing can strike a chord, offering readers a sense of connection and understanding that AI simply cannot.
2. Unique Perspectives: Every writer has a unique perspective shaped by their life experiences. The way we see the world is informed by our culture, history, and personal journey. These perspectives are what make writing rich and diverse. AI lacks individuality, and while it can aggregate data, it cannot produce original perspectives born of lived experience.
3. Creativity Fueled by Experience: Creativity isn’t just about combining words in new ways, it’s about finding inspiration in the world around us. It’s about noticing the small details, the fleeting moments that might inspire a powerful story or a poignant poem. AI might be able to generate text quickly, but it will never be able to experience a quiet walk in the woods, a heart-to-heart conversation with a friend, or the beauty of a sunset and transform those moments into words.
4. Human Connection: Writing is, at its core, a form of communication. Writers seek to connect with others, to share something meaningful, to make readers think, feel, and understand. AI may be able to craft a sentence, but it doesn’t know what it feels like to be human or to navigate the complexities of relationships, identity, or the pursuit of purpose.

The Future of Writing in the Age of AI

AI is here to stay, and it will continue to evolve. But rather than replace human writers, it should be seen as a tool to enhance our creativity. As writers, we can leverage AI to streamline our processes, to assist with the more mechanical aspects of writing, and to help us push past creative blocks.

But ultimately, the stories that touch hearts, inspire minds, and spark change will always come from the unique perspectives of human writers.

So, why should we keep writing?

Because we, as humans, are irreplaceable. Our experiences, emotions, and creativity cannot be replicated by a machine. The words we write carry the weight of our stories, and those stories matter more than ever in a world where technology often lacks the depth of human connection.

In the end, AI may be a helpful assistant, but it will never replace the magic that happens when a human writer pours their heart into words.