How AI Is Changing the Writer’s Role

kimgullion
May 27
3 min read

Updated: May 28

Once upon a time, in a land not so far from your inbox, writers ruled the content kingdom. They wrangled commas, crafted compelling compliance copy, and knew the difference between “affect” and “effect” without Googling it (no judgment, I still look this up!). Then—cue the dramatic music—AI showed up.

Suddenly, your chatbot could spit out a passable paragraph, and your project manager started wondering aloud, “Do we still need a writer for this?”

Oh, dear reader. We do. And here’s why.

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Yes, AI Can Write - No, It Can’t Think

Let’s start by giving credit where it’s due: AI has some serious hustle.

It can summarize, rephrase, suggest, and autocomplete like a caffeinated intern with a Red Bull. Need help with an email draft in 60 seconds? Done. Need 40 variations of a headline? AI’s a great option.

But ask it to navigate FDA compliance? To write a SOP that won’t get your team fined or confused? To turn SME ramblings, or non-existent notes, into regulatory gold?

That’s where the humans come in.

Medical writers know how to navigate FDA guidelines.
Technical writers turn jargon into usable documentation.
Training developers create content that people actually learn from.

Why You Still Need a Writer (A Real, Breathing One)

Because here’s the thing: Writing isn’t just typing. It’s knowing your audience, meeting with SME's, structuring information, staying on-brand, and translating complexity into something understandable. It’s also catching when your AI says a medication “cures” something, it only “treats.” (Yikes.)

Professional writers—especially in technical and medical writing—don’t just produce words. They protect you from mistakes. They build trust. They make sure your training program doesn’t sound like a robot threw a thesaurus at a PowerPoint.

Here’s where a seasoned writer is still your MVP:

Regulated & Confidential Content: Medical writers understand what “submission-ready” really means. They also sign and comply with NDA and Confidentiality agreements, does Open-AI??
Voice & Tone: AI can mimic tone... but not well. A human writer knows when to be authoritative vs. conversational vs. “please don’t fall asleep during this compliance training.”
Critical Thinking: Writers ask questions that AI wouldn't think of because AI is not human and wouldn't think, is this better as a PDF or a slide show?
Accuracy: Ever asked AI to create your HIPAA compliance document? Try it. Then hire a human writer to fix it and humanize it.

Where AI Helps (And Where Writers Love It)

Now, we’re not anti-AI. We use it ourselves—for brainstorming, early drafts, or finding out if “synergize” is still a word people use (it is, unfortunately).

Here’s how AI can support writers (and you):

✅ It's like using Google after 3 Red Bulls

✅ Generating ideas for modules, FAQs, or blog posts

✅ Formatting citations

✅ Flagging grammar issues (although this is debatable)

But these are just tools—like spellcheck, only flashier. You wouldn’t ask spellcheck to write your employee handbook, right?

The Best Setup? Human + Machine (Like Batman + Alfred)

At Writer Resource, we believe the future isn’t man vs. machine. It’s man and machine, preferably with a latte and a red pen.

If you’re updating your documentation, launching training content, or just trying to survive a reorg with your sanity intact, don’t settle for “good enough.” Let’s build content that’s smart, sharp, and safe.