What to use Copilot … and what NOT to write with Copilot

If I had to say, “tell me how you really feel” about drafting content with ChatGPT or Copilot… this is my blog.  Let me start by saying that Copilot is a fantastic platform for helping draft content and in many cases actually drafting the content. That said, there are cases where it’s a GREAT fit and others where it isn’t. This is hopefully a helpful guide as to what to use what for.

When to use Copilot (or M365 Copilot) to draft MOST of content:

• The content is of functional purpose, like a SOW, or a policy where the authenticity of the document is irrelevant. In this case it isn’t about the personal nature of the document, but about the functional nature of the document. In a sense, you don’t care who wrote it.
• The content can be started from a template, also like a SOW, where an original reference can be used to source the output.
• The content needs references to outside material and would be beneficial to be effective at showing it outwardly. Note that in some cases it might not be entirely appropriate to use Copilot for part of the content where research is concerned, so use this wisely.
• The content is your homework for school (this is different than asking Copilot to help with developing a framework or helping with ideas)
• Content that is scaled in nature (website or product content)
• Multi-model scaled content, such as ingesting content from video or audio content and then surfacing it in written content or descriptive content
• Marketing content that is very targeted in its purpose and descriptive vs. creative in nature.
• Normalizable content based on a company point of view. Think of a financial plan for an end customer. What if that plan could be normalized against a company point of view that all customers get.

When to use Copilot to start ideas for content:

• Most creative work, such as getting ideas for something based on a prompt and help accelerate the creative work you are about to do.
• An outline is needed or a top-level plan to convey content. Some of the most effective content drafted is centric to drafting
• You are researching a new topic and need somewhere to start
• To unblock writers block for a new blog (such as this one)
• Your homework for school (getting started and thinking about the problem more to prompt your actions)
• Content from business system or other source data that can be used to frame-up content that will be consumed in varied formats
• High capacity content, such as product descriptions and content that takes laborious time to create

When to use Copilot to edit or review your content:

• All of the above
• You want to see an alternative
• You have a tendency to write from the wrong persona
• You need to apply a filter to your content

When NOT to use Copilot to write the prose of the content:

• It’s a LinkedIn post from you
• You want the content to “feel” authentic
• You want to convey information “from the heart”
• Most blog content that needs to feel authentic, with possible exception of a very early starter for the content that you are then editing, or something more generic for the company which is less about authenticity and more about accuracy.

So, what to take from this? SO many opportunities to use Copilot to create content. The one thing to be watchful of is… authenticity matters and will matter even more as AI content development becomes a thing.