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AI Can't Write, But You Can: Why human writing still matters in the age of ChatGPT
Everyone’s talking about AI and using automated writing tools like ChatGPT. But what’s really going on when we ask a machine to write for us? And should we be using these tools at all?
AI Can’t Write, But You Can takes a deep dive into the implications of ChatGPT and makes a passionate case for the value of human writing in the age of AI.
This concise but hard-hitting book
How ChatGPT works and what it can and cannot doThe many benefits of writing your own text, and how ChatGPT undermines themWhy only you can write from your unique experience and view of the worldHow ChatGPT hallucinates and makes mistakesWhat ChatGPT means for art, learning and the workplaceWhy ChatGPT is a parasite on human creativityWhy questioning ChatGPT doesn’t make you a LudditeTwelve actionable tips for making your writing stand out from content produced with AI.If you’ve ever wondered what’s going on behind the screen with ChatGPT, or questioned the morality of automated writing tools, AI Can’t Write, But You Can is for you.
Written by veteran writer and editor Tom Albrighton, author of How to Write Clearly and Copywriting Made Simple and original co-founder of ProCopywriters.
AI Can’t Write, But You Can takes a deep dive into the implications of ChatGPT and makes a passionate case for the value of human writing in the age of AI.
This concise but hard-hitting book
How ChatGPT works and what it can and cannot doThe many benefits of writing your own text, and how ChatGPT undermines themWhy only you can write from your unique experience and view of the worldHow ChatGPT hallucinates and makes mistakesWhat ChatGPT means for art, learning and the workplaceWhy ChatGPT is a parasite on human creativityWhy questioning ChatGPT doesn’t make you a LudditeTwelve actionable tips for making your writing stand out from content produced with AI.If you’ve ever wondered what’s going on behind the screen with ChatGPT, or questioned the morality of automated writing tools, AI Can’t Write, But You Can is for you.
Written by veteran writer and editor Tom Albrighton, author of How to Write Clearly and Copywriting Made Simple and original co-founder of ProCopywriters.
100 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2024
41 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Tom Albrighton
10 books10 followersTom Albrighton is a copywriter and author of 'One for Joy', 'How to Write Clearly', ‘Copywriting Made Simple’, ‘The Freelance Introvert’ and 'The Freelancer's Business Brain’.
Tom has been a freelance copywriter for over 12 years. In that time, he’s written about everything from cupcakes and cameras to spectacles and solar panels.
Tom was an original co-founder of ProCopywriters, the UK alliance of commercial writers.
In a 2015 DMA survey, he was ranked the #7 ‘Copywriter rated by copywriters’.
Tom has been a freelance copywriter for over 12 years. In that time, he’s written about everything from cupcakes and cameras to spectacles and solar panels.
Tom was an original co-founder of ProCopywriters, the UK alliance of commercial writers.
In a 2015 DMA survey, he was ranked the #7 ‘Copywriter rated by copywriters’.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 14, 2025
An incredibly affirming 100-page read with the philosophical heft of a 4-500-page one. If you’re an AI-anxiety-stricken writer, AI Can’t Write is absolutely for you. I’d recommend this book to all the other writers too. In fact, I think it’s something that everyone who writes must read at least once, because clichéd though this may sound, it will help you through your darkest days … and your most surreal, monster-filled and insomnia-possessed nights.
June 19, 2025
Reading a contemporary book for the first time, and the author tried to cover most topics discussed on the internet about AI. It doesn't have any great revelations, but it is a large essay collating opinions against ChatGPT and how it cannot truly create anything original. Okayish read.
December 24, 2024
I love one idea of this book a lot. AI can generate texts, but it can't generate an author.
October 4, 2024
I am glad that I stumbled upon the book. And I love how it's always the smallest books that have a great impact on me - like pulling-the-rug-from-under-my-feet impactful.
AI Can't Write, But You Can helps readers understand four things -
1) What is Generative AI? (the most common one being ChatGPT), And why is it not as intelligent and trustworthy as you think it should be?
2) Its effects on Writing.
3) How to make your Writing stand out?
And most importantly,
4) What Writing is really about?
Reading this book will make you aware of not falling for ChatGPT's charms and realise how charming and needed real Writing is.
This is an excellent read for writers and people who want to (and should) understand what generative AI is.
AI Can't Write, But You Can helps readers understand four things -
1) What is Generative AI? (the most common one being ChatGPT), And why is it not as intelligent and trustworthy as you think it should be?
2) Its effects on Writing.
3) How to make your Writing stand out?
And most importantly,
4) What Writing is really about?
Reading this book will make you aware of not falling for ChatGPT's charms and realise how charming and needed real Writing is.
This is an excellent read for writers and people who want to (and should) understand what generative AI is.
August 8, 2025
I feel like this book is mostly targeted at writers as in ‘lit fiction and non-fiction writers’ cuz only some bits of it apply to tech writing as I know it in 2025.
for instance, the author puts an emphasis on embedding ur personality and, well, soul, in ur texts, and encourages sharing experiences u lived through. and while it works for describing meeting ur 1stborn child, it doesn’t rly matter when writing about pros and cons of 2 BI tools.
the author also suggests, that readers may feel de-valued when facing AI-written emails. but readers aren’t the same as in 2020. they also delegate reading and summarizing emails to AI. so, no hard feelings. statistical evidence shows, that businessppl stopped reading (or even checking) companys’ blogs as well cuz they treat gpt as a new google (consider the shift from SEO to GEO). but at least the case studies I write can still reach them when sales reps showcase the company’s expertise at the intro calls.
"we naturally assume that its [gpt’s] answers will be true." maybe in my case it’s the legacy of being raised in an authoritative state where u can’t trust any sources and always have to fact-check the info, but this take looks quite naive to me. if I was paid a dollar every time when I explain to gpt where it made a factual or logical mistake, I’d be able to take a month-long PTO. so it’s more a question of being able to think critically when interacting with gen AI.
there also was a teleportation travel startup example that rubbed me the wrong way. it went with an assumption that “you wouldn’t feel that you’d earned the enjoyment, because the point of traveling is not merely to arrive, but to travel.” now, have u ever applied for a travel visa with a 3rd world passport? if no, it’s living through the same shitty humbling experience EVERY SINGLE TIME when u have to prove that u r a decent human being. and prove (and pay money for this goddamn visa!) to whom? no less to the states that were or still r colonizers (what an ingenious colonizer economy 🤌). if AI could have saved me from experiencing it, I'd deffo go for it.
and let’s talk a bit about the attitude toward work this book shows. for me it presents the idea of treating every text as ur dear child. but honestly, is it valid in this economy? I do love what I do for work and find satisfaction in doing it well. still, that’s just work, I’m not overdoing myself and won’t sacrifice my time for hobbies and quality time with my friends and family in favor of another profit-oriented tech company. I’m not a career-driven person, so my benchmark is doing just enough at work (capitalism frames it as “quiet quitting” but I’m not falling into this guilt trap).
it’s also worth mentioning, that in 2025 lots of specialists r literally required to use AI in their everyday work to fit new efficiency and productivity KPIs. luckily, for my role the share of tasks involving AI tools is pretty low. while the author focuses mostly on the rights of ownership side of using AI, my concerns r mostly:
* environmental. the systems cooling LLMs during their training consume enormous amounts of fresh water. and with AI becoming an add-on in every single service/app we use, it's quite tricky not to contribute to this water overconsumption. for instance, u have to switch to another browser (at least for personal usage), cuz w google u just can't turn off these fckn AI overviews.
* cognitive. as an introvert, I have limited amount of energy for communication with others. let’s imagine full tank of energy as 10 cubes. before AI, only about 30% of my worked involved active communication, so after a working day I still had 7 energy cubes left. but now I have to use AI for some tasks (mostly minor, like checking competitors in gpt, but still), and that’s also communication that takes a toll on my energy level. on some days, I may be left with only 5 energy cubes and need some non-verbal time alone to restore it before quality time w/my kid or friends. I don’t like the tendency and aim to use AI only when it’s mandatory for the task at hand.
for instance, the author puts an emphasis on embedding ur personality and, well, soul, in ur texts, and encourages sharing experiences u lived through. and while it works for describing meeting ur 1stborn child, it doesn’t rly matter when writing about pros and cons of 2 BI tools.
the author also suggests, that readers may feel de-valued when facing AI-written emails. but readers aren’t the same as in 2020. they also delegate reading and summarizing emails to AI. so, no hard feelings. statistical evidence shows, that businessppl stopped reading (or even checking) companys’ blogs as well cuz they treat gpt as a new google (consider the shift from SEO to GEO). but at least the case studies I write can still reach them when sales reps showcase the company’s expertise at the intro calls.
"we naturally assume that its [gpt’s] answers will be true." maybe in my case it’s the legacy of being raised in an authoritative state where u can’t trust any sources and always have to fact-check the info, but this take looks quite naive to me. if I was paid a dollar every time when I explain to gpt where it made a factual or logical mistake, I’d be able to take a month-long PTO. so it’s more a question of being able to think critically when interacting with gen AI.
there also was a teleportation travel startup example that rubbed me the wrong way. it went with an assumption that “you wouldn’t feel that you’d earned the enjoyment, because the point of traveling is not merely to arrive, but to travel.” now, have u ever applied for a travel visa with a 3rd world passport? if no, it’s living through the same shitty humbling experience EVERY SINGLE TIME when u have to prove that u r a decent human being. and prove (and pay money for this goddamn visa!) to whom? no less to the states that were or still r colonizers (what an ingenious colonizer economy 🤌). if AI could have saved me from experiencing it, I'd deffo go for it.
and let’s talk a bit about the attitude toward work this book shows. for me it presents the idea of treating every text as ur dear child. but honestly, is it valid in this economy? I do love what I do for work and find satisfaction in doing it well. still, that’s just work, I’m not overdoing myself and won’t sacrifice my time for hobbies and quality time with my friends and family in favor of another profit-oriented tech company. I’m not a career-driven person, so my benchmark is doing just enough at work (capitalism frames it as “quiet quitting” but I’m not falling into this guilt trap).
it’s also worth mentioning, that in 2025 lots of specialists r literally required to use AI in their everyday work to fit new efficiency and productivity KPIs. luckily, for my role the share of tasks involving AI tools is pretty low. while the author focuses mostly on the rights of ownership side of using AI, my concerns r mostly:
* environmental. the systems cooling LLMs during their training consume enormous amounts of fresh water. and with AI becoming an add-on in every single service/app we use, it's quite tricky not to contribute to this water overconsumption. for instance, u have to switch to another browser (at least for personal usage), cuz w google u just can't turn off these fckn AI overviews.
* cognitive. as an introvert, I have limited amount of energy for communication with others. let’s imagine full tank of energy as 10 cubes. before AI, only about 30% of my worked involved active communication, so after a working day I still had 7 energy cubes left. but now I have to use AI for some tasks (mostly minor, like checking competitors in gpt, but still), and that’s also communication that takes a toll on my energy level. on some days, I may be left with only 5 energy cubes and need some non-verbal time alone to restore it before quality time w/my kid or friends. I don’t like the tendency and aim to use AI only when it’s mandatory for the task at hand.
October 3, 2024
A compelling read
This certainly wasn’t like AI! And then the days to come, saying things like this might be quite a confident. Interesting, heartfelt, and full of good tips on the problems with AI, and how to write like a human! I enjoyed reading from start to finish. More than just being enjoyable, however, this is also a valuable book.
This certainly wasn’t like AI! And then the days to come, saying things like this might be quite a confident. Interesting, heartfelt, and full of good tips on the problems with AI, and how to write like a human! I enjoyed reading from start to finish. More than just being enjoyable, however, this is also a valuable book.
October 20, 2024
I really enjoyed this. Quite short but I highlighted a lot of passages as the author really articulated the issues with generative AI, creativity and copyright.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews