WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT AI CONTENT (AGAIN)
Few things have generated as much hype and intrigue in the marketing world as AI — and the buzz is far from over.
Even since our last newsletter on the topic, it seems public opinion has shifted; big brands like Absolut have openly incorporated AI content into their campaigns and dozens of new platforms have sprung up applying generative AI to everything from ad creation to social media.
While some brands are embracing the possibilities of AI, many others have raised valid questions about the ethics, viability, and legality of using generative AI in their marketing.
Today, we’re going to answer some of these burning questions to help you determine if and how AI should be part of your marketing strategy.
#1. CAN GOOGLE DETECT AI CONTENT?
As of now, there is no technical way for Google to tell if content was written by AI (such as embedded code, for example).
That being said, Google is the foremost leader in natural language processing — so it can easily pick up signs that content was generated by AI, such as:
- Repetitive text and phrases
- Lack of variation in sentence structure and syntax
- Lack of context and nuance about the topic
Bottom line: Yes, Google can detect AI-generated content.
#2. DOES GOOGLE PENALIZE AI CONTENT?
Just because Google can detect AI-generated content, doesn’t mean it will penalize it. No matter how it is produced, Google’s goal is to prioritize content that is original, high-quality, and demonstrates the qualities of “E-E-A-T”, which stands for:
- Expertise
- Experience
- Authoritativeness
- Trustworthiness
Reading between the lines, we can infer that 100% AI-generated content won’t perform very well by these standards.
It’s also important to note that using any kind of automation — including AI — to generate content with the primary purpose of manipulating ranking in search results is a violation of Google’s spam policies.
Bottom line: Not necessarily, but your content needs to be original and helpful to perform well.
#3. HOW CAN I TELL IF SOMETHING HAS BEEN WRITTEN BY AI?
In some cases, AI-generated content isn't too hard to spot (humans are the original natural language processors, after all). But if you want to check if something has been written by AI, you can use free tools such as Writer’s AI Content Detector.
Bottom line: Easy! Use an AI content detector tool.
#3. CAN I COPYRIGHT AI CONTENT?
This is where AI content could become a real headache for your business. U.S. copyright law predates AI content, leaving a pretty big gray area as far as what AI content — if any — qualifies for copyright protection.
Officially, the U.S. Copyright Office has determined that it will grant ownership to AI-generated work on a “case-by-case” basis. Our advice? Save yourself the trouble and steer clear of AI content for any copyrighted work.
Bottom line: Stick to original content when seeking copyright protection — it's not worth the risk.
AI content has shaken up the marketing world — but it's probably not the cure-all for your content woes. Just like any other tool, it requires expert oversight and intervention to ensure it is used properly.
To learn more about how can help and hurt your content marketing, check out our blog post Pros and Cons of Using an AI Content Generator.
😉 TLDR: You probably need Pro, but it depends on a few factors. Hit us up if you want personalized advice.
