Photo: Shixart1985, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped from the original.
AI writing tools can draft a blog post, an email or a product description in seconds. That speed has created two opposite worries. Some people fear AI writing will flood the internet with bland content, while others fear being accused of using AI when they have not.
Both concerns have some basis, and both are manageable. AI writing works best as an assistant that speeds up drafting and editing, with a person responsible for accuracy, judgement and voice. Problems usually start when that responsibility is skipped.
This guide explains where AI writing tools help, how to keep quality high, what Google says about AI-generated content, why AI detectors and so-called humaniser tools are unreliable, and how to use AI for email marketing. For the wider picture, see our guide to artificial intelligence.
What AI writing tools do well
AI writing tools are strongest at tasks with clear structure. Outlines, first drafts, summaries, rewording for a different audience, subject line ideas and proofreading are all areas where they save real time. They are also useful for overcoming a blank page, because reacting to a draft is often easier than starting from nothing.
Most tools fall into two groups. General chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude handle a wide range of writing tasks. Specialised writing tools add templates, brand voice settings or integration with email and content systems. For many people, a general chatbot is enough. Our comparison of AI chatbots covers the options.
Where they fall short
AI writing tools do not know what you know. Without your input, they cannot draw on your experience, results, prices or customers, so their writing tends to be generic. They can also state incorrect facts with complete confidence and may present outdated information as current.
Voice is another weakness. AI drafts often share recognisable habits, such as predictable structures, repeated phrases and vague claims. Readers may not identify the text as AI-written, but they often sense that it says little. That is a quality problem rather than a technology problem, and it can be fixed with better input and editing.
A workflow that keeps quality high
The most reliable approach is to give AI the raw material and keep the thinking human. Start with your own notes, examples and key points, ask AI to organise or draft from them, then edit for accuracy, voice and substance. Every fact, figure and claim should be checked against a reliable source.
Clear instructions help too. Describe the audience, purpose, tone and length, and provide an example of writing you like. Editing is where quality is made, so allow time for it rather than treating the AI draft as finished.
> Key quote: give AI the raw material and keep the thinking human.
What Google says about AI content
Google’s position is that it rewards helpful, reliable, people-first content, however it is produced. Its guidance says using AI is not against its guidelines, but using automation to generate content primarily to manipulate search rankings is a violation of its spam policies, including its policy on scaled content abuse.
In practice, the same quality standards apply to all content. Demonstrating experience and expertise, as described in our guide to E-E-A-T, matters more than whether a tool helped with drafting. Our guide to good content that ranks on Google explains what helpful content looks like.
AI detectors and humaniser tools
AI detectors claim to identify AI-written text, but their reliability is limited. OpenAI withdrew its own AI text classifier in July 2023 because of its low accuracy. In its own testing, it identified only 26% of AI-written text correctly and wrongly labelled human writing as AI-written 9% of the time. Other detectors have improved, but none should be treated as proof.
Humaniser tools sit on the other side, promising to rewrite AI text so detectors cannot spot it. They tend to make writing worse while doing nothing about accuracy or substance. The better approach is to write and edit for readers, and for schools and workplaces to judge work through process and conversation rather than a single detector score, as discussed in AI in schools.
AI for email marketing
Email is a practical place to use AI. It can suggest subject lines, draft newsletters, segment content ideas and adapt messages for different audiences. Testing several subject lines or openings is easier when AI produces the variations.
The rules have not changed. Under the Spam Act, commercial emails in Australia need consent, must identify the sender and must include a working unsubscribe option. AI-generated claims in emails are also covered by consumer law, so check offers and statements carefully before sending.
Building a brand voice guide for AI
A short brand voice guide makes AI drafts much more useful. Describe how your business sounds in a few sentences, list words and phrases you use and avoid, and include two or three examples of writing you are proud of. Note spelling preferences, such as Australian English, and any formatting rules.
Share the guide with the AI at the start of each task or save it in the tool’s custom instructions where available. Drafts will still need editing, but they will start closer to your voice and require fewer rewrites.
Review the guide every few months. As you notice repeated problems in AI drafts, such as overused phrases or a tone that feels too formal, add a line to the guide. Over time this creates a practical resource that also helps new staff and freelancers write consistently.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is publishing AI drafts without fact-checking. Another is asking AI to write about topics the writer does not understand, which makes errors hard to spot. Some teams also produce large volumes of thin content, which risks breaching Google’s spam policies and rarely performs well.
Finally, relying on detectors to judge writing, or on humanisers to disguise it, misses the point. Quality, accuracy and usefulness are what matter.
Where to start
AI writing tools are valuable assistants for drafting and editing, provided a knowledgeable person supplies the substance, checks every fact and shapes the final voice. Start with one type of content, build a simple workflow and judge results by usefulness to readers. For help with content and search, see our SEO services or contact us at hello@thedigitalmarketingconsultants.com.au.
