*This article was written—and rewritten—by a human and edited by another human. Want to see an AI-generated version of this article? Scan or click the QR code.

Until recently, computer-generated writing ranged from substandard to laughable. But AI programs like ChatGPT have made huge advances, creating new opportunities for you to assign many writing tasks to machines. Before you offload all your writing, though, consider the following:

The computer doesn’t know what you know

Just because an AI program can arrange information in human-sounding sentences doesn’t mean that information is good. You won’t know what sources the AI program used, and even accurate writing may not address your specific need.

Don’t always settle for a first draft

The best writers don’t publish first drafts; they rework their writing and then rely on editors to polish the writing further.* You can follow a similar process by providing additional prompts after an AI first draft. Since the program generates writing quickly, the “rewriting” steps can flow quickly, too.

The business models for AI services will change

Don’t assume that the AI writing service you’re using will continue to be free. In February, ChatGPT rolled out a paid subscription, while the free service remained available during times of low demand. Even if some companies don’t charge, they will likely monetize the service through advertising, data mining (think about privacy concerns), or other means.

You’re still responsible for the words the computer strings together

If you use AI-written content for business purposes, make sure it complies with TREC rules, the Code of Ethics, fair-housing laws, and other requirements. You’ll also want to check carefully that the details you communicate with others are what you want to communicate. The computer can’t read your thoughts.

Don’t forget the importance of tone

A message can be well-written and correct but still offend someone. Some people may also be turned off if they find out that what seemed like a personal message was written by a machine.