Why human writing matters at Setapp: Our genuine thoughts

6 min read

The question we never realized we would ask just a few years ago: Is it possible to be a human writer nowadays?

Yes, it is. Moreover, human writing has become more valuable than ever before. Why? Because people don’t connect with the keyword-stuffed copy written by artificial intelligence. It’s all about the writer-to-audience connection — that’s what really hits. 

Here at Setapp, we’re committed to delivering content crafted by real people for real people. That’s why our approach to human-written content reflects our dedication to four EEAT fundamentals:

  • We gain Experience
  • We show Expertise
  • We prove Authoritativeness
  • We build Trustworthiness

Given these qualities, we strive to stay in a trusted relationship with our audience. We provide relevant experience, share knowledge, give expert tips, and show unique insights.

Human-created vs. AI-generated content: Who wins the battle?

In a recently conducted survey, nearly half of the respondents said that AI-generated content will never get praised compared to human-crafted works. Meanwhile, nearly 1 in 5 participants claimed that AI-created content is either somewhat or significantly better than human-made content. We simply divided ourselves into two camps — which one do you belong to?

We believe that relying solely on AI-generated content can backfire in the struggle for audience attention if it annoys or alienates readers. After all, if writers aren’t ready to put all their energy into creating content, why should anyone bother reading it?

A writer and expert content creator at Setapp, Polina Fomenkova, stays true to her thoughts on AI-generated content:

I love reading other people's stories. Whenever startup founders, domain experts, or product users share their experiences and cool insights, it's always more exciting and natural than "inhuman" articles. Also, other people's stories are one type of content that ChatGPT won't write.

Why human-written content stands out

If you aim to build engaging and trustworthy content, nothing beats the unique insight and personal touch that only a human writer can bring. Sure, AI is fast and experienced in generating tonnes of text quickly, but it often misses the tone and emotional connection that really sounds to readers. 

Here is a reminder of why human-written content is so important.

It’s all about emotions

Who better understands emotions than humans? When writing our stories, we can share our personal feelings or convey the emotional essence of the heartfelt narrative because a real person needs a genuine human perspective, and you can’t say “no” to this. Here’s what we need to differentiate:

  • AI can speak emotions if you ask for it. With the right prompts, it can come up with feelings, words, and expressions, but it can’t really capture the true vibe of the story like a real person can. 

  • Simply put, writers create stories based on their experience, understanding of the topic, and imagination. They can pick the right words to speak: urgency, compassion, grief, inspiration, etc.

Creative and authentic approach

We can tap into AI-based tools to get inspired with the next work, but it can’t be as creative as humans. It's our imagination and authenticity that really make us unique — everything made by humans started as someone’s idea.

Human storytellers are able to find a new solution to a problem, consider the situation from a new angle, and follow evolving trends. In other words, they can create absolutely fresh and original content. Who cares if AI writes faster than humans when it only relies on existing information and occasionally generates similar or outdated content?

A writer and Mac apps reviewer at Setapp,  Olha Novitska, has some thoughts on this:

I might sound a bit bold, but when it comes to creating valuable content, I’ve got the edge. When testing apps and looking for ways to troubleshoot iOS and macOS issues, I stumble upon hacks and tips that AI doesn’t grasp.

Who knows what my readers really care about? That’s me. Who provides the support they need? Me again. Who tailors the info that works exactly for them? Still me.
For now, AI’s just not there yet.

Appreciating genuine intentions through context

What AI really lacks is a full understanding of context and human emotions. It’s a kind of basis that only humans can have — to find a connection with readers on rational and emotional levels (at least for now, ha-ha).

Sometimes, AI misses writing practice in humor, irony, satire, empathy, or those “drama moments” that can say a lot to us with just a single word. On the other hand, writers can “read between the lines,” which is a unique human trait no AI is capable of. Real writers have the amazing ability to adjust their tone and style to match different audiences and situations.

Imagine if “The Count of Monte Cristo,” a novel by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet, or “Romeo and Juliet,” a tragedy by William Shakespeare, were written by robotics without all that drama, emotions, compassion, and hidden messages in the lines of lead characters? 

Limitations of AI-generated content

Even though AI tools are widely used to generate content, certain limitations can compromise the trust and credibility of written content:

  • Missed emotional connection: As we discussed, AI can't really express genuine emotions, pick up on the right feelings, or add a human touch to a story to connect with readers.
  • Inaccurate information: Without proper oversight and writing skills, AI can produce content that relies on outdated information or incorrect insights.
  • Lack of content originality: AI “thinking” algorithms analyze existing material, which often results in repetitive and unoriginal content and commonly used words and phrases typical of AI.

Speaking of commonly used words — it’s a good reason to stick to human writing.  You don’t have to be an expert or use special tools to detect AI. The problem is that AI often uses a set of words and phrases that you can usually find in such content:  navigate, delve into, showcasing, seamless, effortlessly, etc. If content contains such words, it may indicate AI generation.

Setapp principles and approaches to content creation

At Setapp, we treat our writers as experts. That's why we value quality over quantity and share content our users can trust. To stand out from AI, we follow the core principles of content creation:

  • Our audience is our priority: As a starting point, we want to fully understand and analyze our users' needs and pains to create great articles exclusively for their needs to solve their problems with Macs, iPhones, or any other related issues.
  • EEAT approach: Our writers combine personal experience with thorough research for better accuracy and relevance.
  • Fact-checking: We address and check trusted sources to verify the facts are correct to give our audience the most accurate and current information.
  • Setapp voice and tone: We use a confident, witty, and friendly voice that matches the content purpose and our audience.
  • Continuous improvement: Nothing hurts your blog writing more than not keeping it current (except for AI, of course). We regularly review and update our content to reflect the latest trends and developments to make it valuable — new iPhone release? Let us quickly update the article with every iPhone release in chronological order so that you can keep track of events.
  • App testing: We look into every app like it’s our own project to make sure that users get the best options featured in the article. Check out how we pick the best apps.

Is human writing really worth it in the age of AI?

The main takeaway is — human writing still matters. 

We, Setappians, believe that great content isn’t just about delivering information. It’s about connecting with readers with high-quality, engaging, and resonating content. In fact, being a human writer allows for creativity, emotion, and a unique perspective that artificial intelligence cannot replicate. Plus, humans can add that special touch of humor that AI might struggle with. So go ahead and embrace your inner writer. 

Even though there are debates about AI and human writing, finding the right balance is key. We don't use AI-generated content in our articles. But to keep up with the latest tech and trends, we use tools like BoltAI and Elephas to help with things like draft writing and organizing article outlines — a little help with workflow is always welcome.

FAQ

Why is human writing important?

Human writing is important because a real writer can analyze information carefully, share personal experiences, and connect with readers through emotions in the text, which AI can’t do.

Do we use AI-generated content in our articles?

We don't use AI-generated content in our articles. We rely on human writing that can perfect articles with personal insights, critical thinking, and true emotions to what we write.

How does human writing impact communication and culture?

Human writing impacts communication and culture through the cultural context, beliefs, emotions, and experiences that only a real writer can understand and convey in an unbiased way.

What is ChatGPT?

Crafted by OpenAI in 2022, ChatGPT is a generative chatbot with NLP (advanced language processing). It allows users to have human-like conversations to complete different tasks in writing, data analysis, planning, and so on.

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