AI will never replace human writers and here’s why.

With artificial intelligence (AI) threatening to replace our jobs, you know you need to up your game so you can still make a good living as a writer. But what will it take for you to become irreplaceable in your profession?

AI is often touted as being better than humans at being concise, direct, and effective in how it writes. But, while these characteristics are vital to optimal writing, there are other factors that are equally if not more important. As a human, you’re able to provide more context, examine the human element, and inject empathy into your writing, which allows you to relate to your audience on an emotional level. This is not something that AI tools can easily do, making your writing more impactful and, thus, valuable.

There are many fantastic AI tools that you can utilize to improve your own writing. However, AI itself does not experience emotion. The fact that you do is extremely valuable because emotions are at the core of what it means to be human. AI cannot relate to what it’s like to be human, so you’re always one step ahead in that regard. Any time you can bring in the human element of a story while recognizing the limitations of AI, you can elevate what AI can do to make a bigger impact. This, in turn, will make you more hirable as a medical writer.

Clinicians (including physicians, APNs, PAs, and nurses) are notorious for being direct, short on time, and more focused on getting through their caseload than they are on a patient’s emotional state. Many people have become accustomed to this approach, either as patients or as clinicians themselves. That said, you don’t have to accept this dynamic as the status quo. Writing with empathy will enable you to cast each patient as a whole person: not a disease or other physical deficit. As a human with a deep understanding of what this entails, you have:

a) the choice to understand a patient’s best interests, and

b) the adaptability to address these interests in your writing.

Conversely, AI cannot even attempt to understand a patient’s best interests because it’s completely disconnected from said patient’s reality. That is unless you—the prompter—explains everything first. In this way, AI’s disadvantage can become your advantage, giving you an edge over not just AI tools themselves but also over other writers who aren’t properly capitalizing on this opportunity.

One of the challenges of writing in the best interests of a patient is that the patient themself may not know what their best interests are. While AI is a great tool, it cannot comprehend what may be keeping a patient from understanding their own best interests and isn’t even aware of this dilemma unless you inform it. You, on the other hand, can make an active attempt to better understand a patient’s emotions and to write about their experience from a place of empathy. Thus, the threat of AI replacing you is further lessened.

For example, if a patient doesn’t fully understand their state of health, they may be experiencing negative emotions relating to:

• Fear of the unknown
• Isolation
• Confusion
• Shame of not understanding
• Feelings of intimidation by clinicians

Adding another layer of complexity, patients without a science background are going to have a hard time understanding what is happening to them from a medical standpoint. This is troublesome enough, even without the negative emotions that are so often firmly attached. AI can’t write about a patient’s negative emotions because it lacks the context to do so and relies on you fully to outline what the patient is experiencing. However, such emotions can easily sidetrack patients, keeping them from asking questions about their health picture or taking necessary action. Therefore, acknowledging and validating a patient’s negative emotions through patient-centric writing would be an enormous benefit you could offer your audience that would set you apart from any AI tool.

It’s not just negative emotions that are worth keeping in mind when promoting patient-centric writing; it’s also important to consider a patient’s state of mind. AI does not have the context, foresight, or proactivity to understand what’s going on in a patient’s head; at best, a human must prompt it to do so. To the contrary, you have an advantage in that you’re able to empathize with a patient’s present experience as well as anticipate certain dilemmas they may incur in the future. For example:

• personal ramifications of a health issue or diagnosis, such as not being able to work or support family members,
• living in a rehabilitation or cancer center away from their home comforts, material possessions, and familiar surroundings, or
• needing expensive home health care and having huge environmental adjustments to make, accordingly.

Through patient-centric writing, you can meet a patient where they’re at, affirm their mindset, and express empathy right when they need it most. This approach has the potential to help a patient get on board with what is happening to them because they feel understood and cared for—yet another major advantage you have over AI that would keep your skill set in high demand.

In contrast, if a “writer” skips over or omits the empathy and validation that a patient craves and goes straight to offering potential solutions and prescribing tactical steps, said patient will likely be unreceptive and the piece will fail to support them. Why? Their head is full of troublesome thoughts and emotions and they are simply not ready to hear about solutions yet. And as if that wasn’t enough, the time lost due to inaction on the patient’s part will only increase the longer you avoid addressing their emotional state, which could have fatal consequences. It goes without saying that AI will not be of help in this scenario because it will be relying on you to provide context regarding the empathy and validation required, creating another opportunity for you to surpass what AI alone could produce in your writing.

When a patient trusts their clinician, it’s pivotal to their overall well-being; a trusting relationship makes them feel well cared for, their negative emotions tend to ameliorate, and their mindset is generally calmer. AI may be a high-functioning machine, but it’s incapable of forming a relationship with a human and, thus, is not trustworthy, by default. In contrast, a clinician can draw upon their relationship with a patient to support their communication efforts. The same is true for a writer and their audience. When you show that you understand and affirm where a patient is coming from, they will start to trust you and, therefore, be more likely to “listen” and act. As you can see, the fact that AI lacks relatability to the human construct of trust makes you—the writer—more valuable to any client wanting to motivate patients into action. This is one of the major benefits of patient-centric writing that cannot be understated.

Caregivers are another audience that need relating to on an emotional level, since the physical, financial, and psychological burdens they bear can be extreme. How does AI know which stressors are affecting the caregiver’s ability to receive information and take action? It doesn’t. Whereas, writers who are in-tune with a caregiver’s mindset and able to acknowledge the emotional demands at play will have a much better chance of helping improve the quality of life of all individuals involved with a medical case.

Along that same vein, consider how the aging process may impact a caregiver’s role; another nuanced concept that AI would not have the foresight or skill set to address empathetically. In these situations, a great question to ask is, “Who’s taking care of the caregiver?” As you write, you can touch on issues and considerations such as this with caregivers, in real time, to help them “unpack” their frustrations, feelings, and unmet needs. Through these types of discussions, writers can offer an authentic picture of what it’s genuinely like to be a caregiver—something that the reader (a caregiver themselves) will actually resonate with. AI is incapable of reaching this level of depth with a prospective reader, so it’s easy to see how your writing contributions are irreplaceable in that regard.

Writing in a way that’s both empathetic and patient-centric could help someone who’s going through treacherous times persevere and pull through. To illustrate, let’s consider Linda’s story. Normally larger than life, this 65-year-old woman is now experiencing a brain bleed and trying to ascertain what such a health crisis might mean for her. In addition to being monitored closely, taking new and unfamiliar medications, and facing eventual brain surgery, Linda is feeling anxious, depressed, and worried about what the future may hold. If Linda had access to patient-centric care and communications, she would increase her chances of a speedy recovery with fewer complications. Why? Because addressing both her physical and mental health side-by-side would help Linda engage with her care plan and feel prepared to undergo the necessary steps to bring her back to an optimal state of health.

To take this example a step further, here’s an excerpt from a human-written brochure detailing what Linda can expect after a brain bleed:

Welcome to North Central Medical Center! Our team is dedicated to supporting you on your recovery journey.

The first thing you should know about recovering from a brain bleed is that there may be a long road ahead. There will be steps focused on your physical symptoms, such as close monitoring, taking medications to prevent further bleeding, resting well, and limiting physical activity. It will also be important to pay attention to your emotional wellbeing and to share how you feel with others along the way.

You’ve been through so much and all of your worries are warranted.

Let’s work together as a team to tend to your physical and emotional needs in a way that gives you the best possible chance of a full recovery.

In contrast, here’s how AI would approach writing the same type of brochure for Linda:

Understanding Brain Bleeds: A brain bleed, or hemorrhage, occurs when an artery in the brain bursts, causing localized bleeding in the surrounding tissues. This can lead to a variety of symptoms, including headaches, nausea, and neurological impairments. Recovery from a brain bleed requires careful management and support…

While the AI-generated brochure includes medical steps and lifestyle changes required for brain bleed recovery, it doesn’t address how Linda is feeling. The content doesn’t touch upon the reader’s mindset, negative emotions, or feelings at any point, nor the possible detrimental impact these factors could have on their recovery. In contrast, the human-generated brochure aims to make the reader feel understood, empowered, and reassurred that they are not alone in what they are facing. If Linda were to receive this brochure, she would be well-equipped and well-positioned—physically and psychologically—to tackle what’s up ahead.

As AI continues to advance, it’s easy to become fearful that it may replace professional writers altogether. However, the true power of writing lies not in conveying information but in connecting with the human experience on a deeply emotional level. By harnessing your unique ability to empathize, understand, and anticipate the needs and emotions of various audiences, you can drive meaningful change in the people who need it most.

In an era where AI can handle the technicalities, it’s your humanity that will make you irreplaceable. Now, get out there and embrace it in a way that no machine ever could.

This article was a collaboration between Prospology graduate, Mary Anne Loafman, MS BSMT and her coach, Sophie Ash, BSc (Hons), DipION. To view other pieces authored by Mary Anne or hire her for a writing project, visit her website, medcoms.us. To launch your own freelance medical writing business with Sophie’s support, apply to join the waitlist of The ‘Thriving & Free’ Medical Writer Program™. ✨