The Death of Writing Skills (from a seemingly underqualified Zillennial)

It’s 2025, the year of our lord and savior - artificial intelligence. Or at least, people think AI is our savior.

Working in technology, I’ve heard, seen, and lived through the rising popularity of AI, its potential, and how it’s supposed to make my job easier. I’ve also read all the articles about AI taking over our jobs, automating tasks, and removing the need for a human completely.

Now, I think the title of those fear-based articles are meant to scare us into believing all our jobs are at risk (and they might be), but let’s pause and ask the question:

Is using artificial intelligence for everything really that… intelligent?

I was born in the mid-90s. To some, I’m still young and new in my career. To others (like my younger sibling), I’m old and settled. I like to think I’m somewhere in the middle - I’ve got experience under my belt but know that there’s tons more to learn. And I like being in the middle.

I’m at the age where I took computer classes (starting with Paint in kindergarten). I learned to type correctly, I learned to format images in word, I know how to convert PDFs.

I’m also at the age where school taught me the parts of a sentence - prepositions, verbs, nouns, conjunctions. I know how to string together sentences in a readable, easy-to-follow structure that follows my unique writing voice.

Losing Our “I” in “AI”

My reason for writing today is because I’m worried. I’m worried that AI, while a cool tool when you’re in a creative rut, is affecting overall creativity, uniqueness, and basic communication skills.

When ChatGPT came out, I saw tons of TikTok tutorials on how to get it to do your homework, write papers, and even write a new Taylor Swift song. Some people used it to distill difficult concepts into an easy-to-read format or to help them learn better - all this was great!

But then came the other platforms that did the work for you. And no one knew how to write the right prompts to effectively use the platforms.

Over the years, some writers are losing the skill to write, instead relying on an LLM to do it for them. They’ve lost the skill to edit, to find their brand voice, and to write interesting syntax that gives pieces a flow.

Everyone’s writing is starting to sound the exact same - the same sentence structure, the same creative ideas, the same voice.

We’re losing OUR “I” in “AI.”

Time to Relearn and Reset Expectations

My message with this half-assed blog is two-fold:

1. If you’ve been in the workforce for 10+ years -
   
   AI isn’t the answer to solve ALL your problems. You still need humans to teach your models and use them effectively. You need to teach yourself and those around you how to use generative AI properly. And you need to trust creative teams to make what generative AI produces better.
   
   
   You could have ChatGPT write you a blog and post it, but did you verify the data and research? Did you catch overly repetitive sentence structure? Does the piece reflect your brand voice effectively? Or does it sound like everyone else?
   
   
2. If you’re entering the workforce, or still in the early days -
   
   You need to make sure you’ve got communication skills down. The world runs on communication, from TikTok to Facebook Live. Do you know how to communicate your message well to different audiences? Can you write an email that’s easy-to-read from many perspectives - all the way from a CEO to an intern?
   
   ChatGPT (and the others) is a tool. It’s not your personal assistant that writes things for you. You also need to learn to use the tool effectively and take everything it gives you with a grain of salt. Don’t rely on it to do the work for you because you still need to work hard.

We’re living in an era where we don’t know how to write or communicate anymore. If you read through Instagram comments, it’s very clear that people don’t understand proper punctuation or syntax to get their point across.

We need to reset our expectations - people are relearning how to communicate.

We need to relearn how to communicate and write.

Tips on Relearning Communication

I won’t leave you high-and-dry with my rant. I’d like to give some tips on how to improve your writing and creative skills.

What are my qualifications? Well, like I said in the title, I’m probably an underqualified Zillenial. But I’m confident in my writing and research skills.

Hi. My name is Joy and I’ve worked in marketing for six years. I’ve been in content (like content creation, not the feeling) since my first day at my first big girl job. I launched this blog in 2017 to share fun things. And my degree in both Business and International Studies taught me how to write for very different audiences - all while ensuring I share an effective message from a well-researched and unique standpoint.

So, here’s how to keep that creative spark:

1. Just Do It (yes, like Nike)
   
   Write anything. Write a stream of thoughts on paper. Write a description of what you’re seeing. Write an excerpt from a story in your brain. Just write something.
   
   I like to journal and let my brain wander - on paper. Writing on paper flexes a different part of your brain and honestly, it’s cathartic.
   
   
2. Read
   
   When’s the last time you read a book?
   
   Reading is not only an escape from the world, it helps you comprehend things better. You need to understand the author’s writing style to understand the message they’re sending. Reading the author’s syntax provides you with examples of new structures to try out in your own writing.
   
   Reading keeps you sharp for deeper meaning and messages, and turns on the creative part of your brain that interprets the book world in a unique way.
   
   
3. Get Off the Internet
   
   The internet can be a glorious place, but doomscrolling isn’t helping. I’ve been caught in the cycle of watching video content that shuts off my brain. My IG bio literally says “mindless scrolling.”
   
   But that mindless scrolling has led to more than one creative block.
   
   Get off the internet, talk to people, and find inspiration outside. Be okay with being in your own thoughts. Take walks without your headphones and listen to the world around you.
   
   Essentially, please go touch grass.

Me, outside in NYC, touching grass (sort of)

My Email Sign-Off (metaphorically speaking)

I’ll use a sentence that you’ve read a lot (if you read tech articles) -

Technology is moving at a rapid pace and you need to keep up.

But when I say keep up, I mean -

Outsmart the technology. Learn to use prompts correctly. And never let it take away your creative voice.

I’m no stranger to the fact that AI could come for my job and I understand it’s becoming a more normalized part of my life - from Siri to Instagram ads.

But let’s keep the “I” in “AI.”

Let’s stay connected in a human way, with words unique to our voice. Let’s practice effective communication and conversation in our writing. Let’s make sure we aren’t relying on technology to make ourselves more human.

Best Regards,
An Underqualified Zillennial