In as early as 2016, The Washington Post revealed that it would use its in-house artificial intelligence technology – Heliograf – to provide up-to-date coverage for its readers.

A year later, the American daily newspaper shared that it would expand its use of the “automated storytelling technology”. One such use was the ability to provide weekly updates on all Washington, D.C.-area high school football games.

This was one such tweet from Heliograf:

Yorktown beat Wilson 20-14; https://t.co/h6FXp2PfHn @yhssports @WWHSTigersFB

— WashPost HS Sports (@WashPostHS) September 1, 2017

But should writers be afraid that even large publishing companies like The Post are incorporating technology into their writing? And can businesses expect to own robots that can produce marketing content for them in the future?

There isn’t a doubt that A.I. can disrupt the way copy is produced. However, the technology also has its limitations. Yes, we have skills that even robots do not have (for now).

The human, emotional connection

Algorithms can only go so far when churning short articles. The Washington Post’s Heliograf is great at stringing together pieces of factual, objective information.

But it can’t build an emotional connection with readers. Humans, on the other hand, can incorporate personal stories to make their audience ponder over a topic.

Sure, businesses can leave the factual reporting to robots. Unfortunately, these content pieces are unlikely to engage their target audience and existing customer base.

Thoughtful writing can help ignite intense feelings in readers. This is necessary since readers will only comment and share the written piece if they feel like your words strike a chord and resonate with them. In the realm of marketing, social shares mean more exposure for your business, and sounding like a robot will get you nowhere.

Writing with structure and flow

There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to structuring an article or blog post. Just ask any copywriter, content producer or editor how long it takes to produce pages of content.

The time it takes to produce high-quality content doesn’t just come from writing alone. Well-written content requires planning, which includes developing paragraph subheadings to summarise key takeaways from the article. Once that’s done, it takes time to write the body paragraphs.

Every sentence must be carefully structured so that it isn’t too long (or short), and that it reads well for its intended audience. Attentive writers will almost always make sure that there is a smooth transition to the next sentence and paragraph, before ending it with a conclusion to the text.

It’s human creativity we need

When our team of writers and strategists speak to business owners, many still insist that factual content is the best. They would rather write and post straightforward articles on industry news and data.

While these posts are good to have as part of the overall content strategy, it is the unique, human stories that stand out. Just like how it takes a charismatic speaker to present the company in a good light, it takes a thoughtful, inquisitive writer to draw people in.

Want to read more articles like this? Check out our Quix Studios Blog for insights on business strategy, copywriting and technology.