The Evolution of AI in the Editing Industry:

By: Bryce Rioux

Artificial intelligence has played a key role in the transformation of countless industries, the editorial field being a prime example. AI tools like spell-checkers or grammar assistants are seemingly innocent uses of this intelligence, but AI has become so deeply ingrained into our world it has reached the level of daily use. AI influences almost every aspect of our lives, whether its brainstorming or actual content generation, how do we know when to be concerned about editorial integrity? 

The Pros:

AI undoubtedly has some benefits when it comes to the editorial industry, specifically in regards to productivity. Slimming down more mundane tasks like writing outlines or even doing a final grammatical check have helped improve accuracy, and also avoid burnout as more ‘boring’ tasks are avoided. Similarly to having a peer read a piece of work you’ve been looking at for days, artificial intelligence can serve as a fresh pair of eyes to catch mistakes or inconsistencies you may have missed. 

Another point of praise for the robotic editor is brainstorming. AI can help generate ideas that can be turned into something amazing by an author who might be struggling with writer's block. Editors constantly have multiple projects they are working on, so saving brain power for the more creative and individualized tasks associated with this profession by assigning AI to the more routine tasks could be incredibly beneficial for the field and professionals themselves. 

The Cons:

AI without a doubt comes with a long list of drawbacks. First, it takes away the unique spark that comes with organic writing. Generative AI makes writing turn into something generic and bland, disregarding the entire point of writing: to be creative and tell stories. Without the human touch, all writing would follow the same formula and feel just as robotic as the technology producing it. With too much reliance on AI, writing will likely lose the impact it has on readers, due to a lack of feeling and humanity. 

AI is also commonly just wrong. Artificial intelligence has been caught spewing fake facts or statistics just to better fit the narrative that was presented to it. AI simply can not replicate the innately human understanding of context, making human editors a critical part of the editorial world that ensure content actually connects with consumers. 

A Tool, Not a Replacement 

There is no denying that AI is a helpful tool, that when used appropriately, can enhance the editorial experience for everyone involved. No matter how much AI becomes involved with editing, humans will still be needed to ensure the proper message and accurate facts are being conveyed. Humans will always be responsible for monitoring AI, because we are ultimately the ones held responsible if artificial intelligence gets something wrong. So ultimately, it is the way AI is used, not AI itself, that poses a risk to the editorial industry. 

The editors who choose to embrace this new technology as a tool will be the editors that can keep up in the constantly changing editorial industry. Any media industry is subject to change at any time, so people that can roll with these punches are the ones who will succeed. AI is not something that should be feared or banned, but something that should be used to enhance human work.