It seems as if everyone is talking and writing about generative artificial intelligence (AI)—and with good reason. Generative AI is a type of AI that generates text, images, and other media in response to a prompt. It is what people are referring to when they talk about ChatGPT, Bard, or a myriad of other platforms.

Wondering if ChatGPT can spit out a country-western song about a man upset his wife spilled spaghetti? Yep, it can.

Want a parental leave policy written in Shakespearean prose? It can do that, too.

How about a poem written from a ten-year-old’s perspective on growing up in Youngstown, Ohio? In less than 30 seconds, it will share a somewhat melancholy view of Steel Town USA, now known for being part of the U.S.’s Rust Belt.

And, yes, it can share a description of a project manager and edit resume bullet points.

Given my expertise in writing and editing, I wanted to distill my thoughts on text-based AI. As fast as AI is changing, I acknowledge these sentiments might age quickly.

Threats of AI

I tend to be a slow adopter of technology. I’ve even called myself a Luddite—a person opposed to new technology, and a term rooted in a group of English workers in the 1810s who destroyed machinery that they felt were threatening their jobs. But the Luddites didn’t win. Cotton and wool mills prevailed. 

Time will tell whether generative AI becomes as significant or more significant of an innovation than the printing press or even the Industrial Revolution. Surely, jobs will be both lost and gained. (For this article, I’m ignoring the concern of weaponizing AI because I still want to sleep peacefully at night.)

Many career services professionals might be wondering whether they will have a business in three years. After all, AI can already function like a research assistant, and it can easily generate a basic resume or bio. Taking steps to safeguard your business and offerings will help neutralize this risk.

Limits of AI

AI as Your Research Assistant

I tested AI’s ability to produce content on areas that I had extensive knowledge in thanks to my work in career services and my three degrees in history. I prompted it to provide a description and the origin of the Sanbenito, and it did a marvelous—basic—synthesis of existing information. (If you’re wondering, the Sanbenito was a garment worn during the Spanish Inquisition.) It also did a solid job outlining a potential talk on career management for women, providing a list of 10 tips for using LinkedIn, and generalizing a famous law from 1705 that I studied when conducting dissertation research.

What it lacked is new information. When I pressed it for further information on the Sanbenito, it even apologized: “I apologize for the confusion, but I don't have access to real-time data or specific sources … As an AI language model, my responses are generated based on pre-existing knowledge up until September 2021.”

In short, generative AI can function as an entry-level research assistant but certainly not a senior researcher. It could be good for learning an overview of something new, but the responses are not nearly as specific as you can find by consulting expert sources—which tend to be readily available online.

AI as a Writer and Editor

I’m impressed by the grammatical correctness of what AI produces. In that regard, any job that is strictly for line editing is at risk.

I’m less impressed with the writing itself. Sentence, paragraph, and overall structure of anything I’ve read has been bland. When I’ve tried to direct the tone, it made an admirable effort but didn’t sound like me. I’ve learned from another career services professional who tested AI’s ability to write bios that the bios all seemed okay on their own, but they followed a similar pattern and collectively read like they were written using a template. If you want to have a distinctive voice (and who doesn’t), AI isn’t capable yet.

Intellectual Property and Proprietary Information

As of this writing, I am uncertain of intellectual property (IP). Who owns what when it comes to AI-written text? I’ve seen lawyers raise this question. As a cautious individual, I want clarity before I would use AI for anything other than basic research.

AI platforms also warn you not to share proprietary information. For this reason alone, I have significant concerns about using AI for anything that is directly from a client. Large organizations like Samsung have banned employees from using generative AI after confidential information accidentally got shared by a Samsung engineer. Amazon, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan have also restricted use of generative AI. As resume writers, we handle sensitive material, and our clients trust us to handle it with care. I have no plans to input information from a client into an AI platform.

Opportunities to Stay Competitive in an AI-laced World

Research Assistance

As I already mentioned, AI can be likened to an inexperienced research assistant: it can provide information quickly, but it might not be accurate. ChatGPT even acknowledges that some information might be wrong. I’ve found such inaccuracies. This doesn’t mean the information isn’t a good starting place, but due diligence will be crucial. We can empower job seekers to use AI prudently and effectively; this could be an extension of services we provide.

Customized, High-Quality Work Products

I suspect AI will raise the lowest common denominator in terms of writing quality. This could make it even more difficult for our clients to stand out. They will need us to become even better writers and editors to help them rise to the top in a swelling sea of mediocrity.

To maintain a competitive edge, ongoing professional development in writing and coaching will be critical. I am saddened when I have a collaborative work session using Google Docs and the sentences the client writes are riddled with misspelled words; then, the client sheepishly says, “I’m not a good speller.” Spellcheck is helpful—but only to a certain point. A word needs to be close enough to the correct word for the spellcheck to suggest the correct spelling. Grammar, spelling, and writing are sometimes underdeveloped skills, so gaining and maintaining these foundational abilities will help us stay relevant, serve our clients better, and work more efficiently. Writing and editing tools can continue to be useful aids rather than become life rafts.

The Human Touch

The pandemic revealed our innate desire for human interaction. Families and friends came together via drive-by birthday parades, highlighting the importance of personal connections. We now understand that remote learning, with its social isolation, negatively affected the mental health of countless children. Some of my clients quickly realized their longing for the office environment and eagerly embraced the opportunity to return. And, when our call to a company’s customer service line is met with an automated phone messaging system, many of us press “0” in hopes of connecting with a real, human customer service agent who will attentively address our concerns. The examples could go on and on… .

Staying competitive will require us to lean into our humanness—providing services that center on human interaction, active listening, and work products truly customized to each client. Services with person-to-person consulting and coaching will remain attractive and might even command higher fees.

Those are my predictions. What are yours? I’d love to hear your thoughts!