Large language models (LLMs), more commonly referred to as artificial intelligence (AI), swept the copywriting space much faster than many writers could have predicted.

After all, even now as the models have become more sophisticated, it’s pretty easy to tell if something has been written by AI. The prose sounds . . . off. Clunky, formulaic, impersonal, and simply what it is—an amalgamation of predictive text. 

When services like ChatGPT first appeared, many writers still felt like their jobs would be secure, at least for the time being. After all, copywriters are experts at their craft, word-wizards who transform awkward ideas into slick, smart, and effective communications. Why would anyone hand off that kind of responsibility to a program that offers an awkward result at best and at worst, a result that is riddled with errors so bizarre they’re called hallucinations? 

As it turns out, a cheap alternative that is marketed as a shiny, exciting new toy has enough of a draw for many employers to overlook the downsides, and copywriters are feeling the squeeze as jobs disappear.

As 2025 comes to a close, freelance writers, already in a precarious situation due to the nature of freelance work, might struggle to find anything but doom and gloom in the future. 

But AI is sticking around, whether we like it or not. So instead of sinking into despair, it’s better to do what writers do best: think creatively.

You Aren’t Alone

While writers might feel personally victimized by ChatGPT and other LLMs, writing is hardly the only profession being affected. 

If you’re feeling AI creep in on your clients, you can join forces with other people in your industry, even if they’re not writers. Join job seeking groups, networking organizations, and make connections with your fellow humans. 

You also aren’t alone in feeling resistance toward AI becoming part of every facet of life these days. If you’re struggling to find anyone in your industry or niche who shares your values—if everyone around you doesn’t seem to mind your livelihood being at risk—then this might be a good time to pivot.

But where can you go?

That Human Touch

The areas that are going to take the longest for AI to appropriate are the ones that need a specifically human touch. Think brands with witty social media content, high profile individuals who want to pay for the quality only a human writer can bring, and specialized materials that may have sensitive content. 

If you spend time online, you might have seen brands go viral for silly content. Brands that only post factual information might easily assign that copy to AI, but flashier brands need a human to walk that fine line between witty and weird, and to have a brand mission behind the engaging content.

While company CEOs might be firing off emails written by a bot, they likely won’t do the same for anything long form, like speechwriting, courses, or books. As already stated, it’s pretty easy to tell when something has been written by a bot, and it’s not a good look. People who are high profile in a professional context still want that human touch, simply because it makes them look better.

Sensitive content will likely stay out of LLMs for the foreseeable future for legal and safety reasons. Medical information, legal information, proprietary information, and financial data are safe with their human handlers. So even though internal communications might seem like the first to go, because it doesn’t need to look "good," refocusing on internal writing could be a smart move.

Take the High Road

Another way to think about working around AI is to promote yourself above it.

Brand strategy and management are still happening on the human level. As a writer looking to give yourself a promotion, you might want to expand your thinking about what you can do. 

If you’re already a copywriting whiz, it’s not a far leap to branch out into wider brand management. This kind of work will involve a wider knowledge base of your industry, the ability to make and execute broader plans to situate a company or product among competitors, and communicating a consistent brand message across a variety of platforms. 

This is an especially good choice for writers who aren’t opposed to using and learning about AI tools, as this kind of management work will likely put you in the position of telling the bots what to do.

Change Is the Only Constant

While it may feel as if AI conquered the world overnight, change is a constant in this world. If you’re old enough to remember the onset of the internet, you might be getting déjà vu these days; if you’re too young, it’s likely all your older colleagues talk to you about. 

While the transition from analog to fully digital wasn’t a perfectly smooth road, we’re far enough out now to acknowledge that it also brought with it new opportunities. The same is true of our current moment. Now is not the time to give up—you and your skills will always be valuable, even if you have to change the shape of your work. 

Chelsea Ennen is a writer living in Brooklyn with her husband and her dog. When not writing or reading, she is a fiber and textile artist who sews, knits, crochets, weaves, and spins.