When to Use AI Versus When to Just Write It Yourself
By Rebecca Matter

So many copywriters face the same question now:

“Should I use AI for this … or just write it myself?”

Use AI too much and your copy can feel generic and lifeless.

Don’t use it enough and you’re wasting time on stuff AI can handle in seconds to a few minutes.

So how do you decide?

Here’s the simplest filter I’ve found:

Does this require judgment … or is it just execution?

If it requires judgment — i.e., your experience, intuition, or strategic thinking …

YOU need to do it … NOT AI.

If it’s just something that requires execution — like researching, organizing information, creating a loose outline, basic editing, or brainstorming — AI can help.

For example, here are the kinds of things you’d do as a copywriter that require YOUR judgment:

• Finding the big idea or hook that makes your copy work
• Deciding on the angle, tone, or how to position the offer
• Strategic decisions about what to emphasize or leave out
• Understanding how to structure the copy for your particular audience
• Knowing when copy is “done” and ready to send
• Spotting what’s missing or what feels off in a draft

These are the things that separate great copy from the rest.

And it’s because YOU — the human copywriter — are the one making the calls.

Now, that said, here’s where AI can SHINE and save you a lot of time and make you far more efficient:

• Research on your audience, market, or competitors
• Generating headline or subject line variations for you to choose from
• Writing first drafts of body copy once you know the strategy
• Editing for clarity, typos, or tightening sentences
• Brainstorming ideas (that you then filter and refine)

Notice the pattern? AI is great at giving you options, organizing information, and handling the routine-type stuff that an intern or assistant could do.

But it can’t make the creative or strategic decisions that require nuance and experience.

Here’s how to apply this:

Next time you’re about to use AI, ask yourself, Am I asking it to help me execute … or am I outsourcing my thinking, creativity, and judgment?

If it’s execution, go ahead. Let AI save you boatloads of time.

If it’s judgment, keep that work for yourself. AI can assist by giving you ideas to react to, helping you think through options, and so on …

But YOU are still the strategist and in the driver’s seat.

Just remember that the next time you sit down to write copy. It will help you produce far better copy, faster.