My passion for writing began after I graduated from senior high school a decade ago. I joined a writing platform on WhatsApp and have been a member for the past ten years. For eight to nine years, I wrote casually until I landed a professional job as a copywriter in May 2022.
I was thrilled. It was a dream come true. My role consisted of writing articles for a website, proofreading and editing, as well as attending events to gather relevant content for articles.
At first, I liked working for the company because it gave less experienced writers the opportunity to grow. However, I had my reservations just like every other person.
Several months in, my supervisor introduced me to ChatGPT. At the time, I was initially required to write one article a day, but with ChatGPT I was told to write two to three.
My supervisor wanted me to prompt ChatGPT to write essays based on the topics that they assigned. For example, if I was assigned a topic on how to grow in the Christian faith, I would type something along the lines of: "Write an article on How To Grow in The Christian Faith. It should not be less than 1000 words, use the following keywords in the concluding paragraphs; grow, Christian faith, and ask readers to like, comment and share the article."
I tried it once or twice, and I think it's a great tool. But if I used ChatGPT for my work all the time, then I wouldn't have challenged myself. It's a good application and it can come in very handy, but I also strongly believe that AI tools cannot replace human creativity, as they operate on cues.
So, from my perspective, AI cannot take anyone's job—but somebody who uses AI efficiently may be able to.
My supervisor felt that using AI would speed up my work, but I didn't want to rely on the app all the time because if I did that, I was not going to learn anything for myself.
But in mid-February, I resigned over pay and the role's flexibility, hoping my concerns would be addressed. I didn't hear back; I felt heartbroken because writing is something I enjoy.
A week after I resigned, I approached a former co-worker. I wanted him to connect me with a few people from various other organizations. He told me that I have so much potential and that I shouldn't just limit myself to being a copywriter.
He claimed my role was at risk before I handed in my resignation because of ChatGPT. I have no idea how true that is.
A few days after ChatGPT was introduced to me, a senior team member called and asked how relevant my articles were. So, with ChatGPT being introduced and the relevancy of my job questioned at the same time, perhaps they wanted me to go.
I felt my role was limited, though, despite my experience and growth, which I am grateful for. My future plans will continue to involve writing even if ChatGPT is looming above my industry.
Christabel Badzi is a playwright, spoken word artist, and copywriter. You can find her on Instagram.
All views expressed in this article are the author's own.
As told to Newsweek associate editor, Carine Harb.
Do you have a unique experience or personal story to share? Email the My Turn team at myturn@newsweek.com.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
