We’ve reached an AI turning point…

Last week, the Wall Street Journal and Wired published articles about the MANY journalists who admit to using AI when writing or editing their articles.

The most remarkable of them was Nick Lichtenberg, who works for Fortune.

He has published 600 articles since July 2025… more than any other writer on that title’s payroll!

And it’s all thanks to AI.

It goes to show that there’s a growing acceptance of AI-generated content at prestigious journalistic publications.

More importantly, this isn’t seen as cheating….

These professional writers are simply embracing a revolutionary tool that allows them to massively increase their productivity.

Think of it this way….

Before search engines like Google came along, research was a painstaking process that took days, even weeks…

Often it required trips to libraries, purchasing books, scrolling through archives and contacting experts.

Now, powerful algorithms deliver the exact information you’re looking for in seconds… from just a few keywords… with all the links, resources, stats and contacts details you could need.

And yet…

Nobody has a go at authors who admit they’ve used Google to find information more quickly and easily!

Nobody has banned Google-assisted books, articles and courses.

So why is this any different?

Once all the hype and hysteria dies down, we’re going to see the SAME level of AI acceptance very soon.

But here’s the biggest takeaway I got from the Wall Street Journal and Wired studies.

AI Is Helping to Grow Credible Businesses

It is becoming clear that good-quality AI-powered content is working really well for those companies who use it.

For instance, Nick Lichtenberg’s articles alone are responsible for an impressive 20% of all traffic that comes to Fortune’s website!

This means that his AI-powered articles are compelling and credible enough to draw people in, day after day.

It could do the same for you, too..

Maybe you want to attract customers to a website, webinar, email newsletter, social media feed or Substack account.

If so, you can use AI to make this happen, even if you are low on time and lack writing skills.

However, there’s a catch.

Whatever you produce MUST be human-sounding, unique to you and offer something that serves the reader.

You see, the writers at Wall Street Journal, Wired and Fortune who use AI are not simply entering a command and taking whatever gets pumped back out.

They’re using AI thoughtfully, combining it with their own ideas, experiences, and worldview.

Most importantly, they’re keeping the reader firmly in mind, delivering something that has personality, insight and usefulness.

And this will be the future of AI.

Because soon, lazy AI slop will be glaringly obvious to anyone who comes across it….

And it will be scorned and rejected by most savvy internet users.

After all, people are busy and there are a lot of calls for their attention on the internet, sometimes with multiple messages assailing them all at once.

So what’s the point in reading something that’s not helpful, unique or interesting to them?

This is why putting out slop will probably do you more harm than good.

You will lose credibility and damage the bond of trust.

However, if you use AI with some care and consideration for your reader, the opposite will happen…

You’ll stand out from the crowd with something that grabs attention, draws people in, and delivers something that makes them want more from you.

The secret is to follow the R.I.C.H formula.

R – RELEVANT

If a reader doesn’t feel like a piece of content addresses their interests, they’ll ignore it or click away from it.

But if they feel like “this is for me,” they’ll stay engaged and continue reading.

So if you want to draw them into your business, you need to need to align your AI content with your target reader’s desires, problems and goals.

For example, if your audience is made up of seniors and retirees, a headline like, “How to go viral on TikTok using AI voice filters” is unlikely to be relevant.

However, “3 simple ways to earn £500 per month without learning new tech skills” would grab their attention.

Or if you’re trying to reach stay-at-home mums, “The 30-minute side project I launched during nap time” is more relevant than “My digital detox retreat in Bali”.

So whenever you product a piece of AI-powered content, ask yourself:

• “Would my reader recognise themselves in this article?”
• “Does this piece of advice relate to a situation, hope, fear, or habit they already have?”

If not, feed a profile of your reader into the AI, including their demographic, goals, fears and aspirations.

Then ask AI to “Write this again in a way that directly addresses the reader’s situation and interests. Speak to them in the sort of language they’d use.”

I – INTERESTING

Even if your content is relevant, it must spark curiosity or offer something unexpected to draw in your reader.

When your email has an element of tension, contrast, or surprise it will hold their attention for longer – and the information will stick in their mind after reading it.

This is because we tend to remember surprising stats, personal stories, or weird facts above generic advice and obvious common sense.

For example, “How this 67-year-old man made £821 per month just by answering questions about plumbing” is more interesting than “How to earn online in your retirement.”

So when you create your AI article or post, ask yourself:

“Is there something new, unexpected or surprising about this?”

If not, try to think of a way you could turn the idea upside down, or approach it from a new angle.

You can use AI for this. Ask it to “Suggest 5 surprising twists or unexpected angles on the information in this article that I could focus on to make it more unique and interesting to my target reader.”

Pick the twist or angle that feels most exciting to you – and which you feel will chime with your reader’s sensibilities.

C – CREDIBLE

Credibility is the foundation of trust. Without it, even the most interesting and relevant content won’t persuade your reader that you’re worth sticking with.

You need for them to BELIEVE you, and this requires some evidence and proof.

It means backing up your claims with examples, case studies, results, trials and expert quotes….

But it also means showing the reader that you’re a real person who’s genuinely looking out for their interests.

There are two approaches to boosting credibility (I recommend using both)…

1. Halo Effect. Make reference to established publications, experts, platforms and research studies. For example, “According to Which?, over-55s are the fastest-growing segment of new online sellers”. Also make sure there are plenty of specifics in there, like dates, times, amounts and earnings.

Always ask yourself…

• “Have I backed this up with evidence or illustrated it using real life examples?”
• “Would my reader feel this is grounded in reality, or just copied from the internet?”
• “Have I named the source, tool, or group this idea comes from?”

You can use AI for this by asking it to “find credible evidence or real life examples for the following claim(s) in my article [INSERT RELEVANT SECTIONS].”

2. Human Effect. Show them that you’re a real person by sharing your personal observations, experiences, struggles and triumphs. For example, “I am hopeless with numbers but using this app I did my business bookkeeping in less than 15 minutes!”

Ask yourself…

• “Have I shared my own struggle or success with this?”
• “What is my personal observation or insight with regard to this topic or piece of advice?”

Write your answers down, then feed them into the AI so these elements can be added into the content.

H – HELPFUL

Readers aren’t coming to your online content simply for a ‘good read’.

They are usually looking for help of some kind.

It might be that they have a worry they need eased… a problem they want solved… or a goal they don’t quite know how to reach.

Or they might want to feel motivated, inspired and enlightened.

So you need to deliver content that actually does something tangible for them.

If your information makes their day easier, happier or less painful, they’re going to feel a huge sense of gratitude.

This will make them more likely to subscribe, click on your links, and eagerly look out for the next instalment.

The more helpful your content is over time, the deeper the bond of trust you’ll create between you and your reader.

Which means that they’ll respond eagerly when you recommend a product, or launch a product of your own.

This is how giving away useful free content will eventually translate into profitable sales.

The key is to ask yourself:

• “Will my target reader feel that they gained something from reading this, even if it’s just a shift in their way of thinking?”
• “Is there a tip, resource, or step that they can put to practical use?”

If there answer is ‘no’, then go back to AI and use this prompt:

“I need you to add in tips, advice or practical steps that will make this piece of content more useful to my target reader, who is looking to [INSERT READER’S GOALS].”

My recommendation is to ensure that any AI content you produce ticks ALL FOUR of the R.I.C.H categories.

When you do this, you’ll quickly notice something….

Your content will automatically become unique

No longer will it read like generic slop spewed out by an AI bot.

Instead, it will contain details that only YOU could provide.

This will make it stand out from the crowd, grab your target reader’s attention and deliver something of actual use to them.