You Can’t Automate Personality, and That’s the Whole Point

I’ve been thinking about how easy it is to lose your voice online without even realizing it.

You start off writing in a way that actually feels like you. The words come naturally. The ideas are fundamental. You’re playful, unfiltered, and a little quirky, even. And then, over time, the voice softens, but not in a good way. It gets quieter. More structured. More… correct. And at first, you think that’s just you “leveling up.” You’re being more polished. More professional.

But eventually you realize... something got lost in the edit. It’s still your brand. Still your business. But it doesn’t sound like you anymore.

That feeling has come up so much lately, especially with how fast AI tools have entered the scene. I hear it in the questions people ask:
“Do I even need a copywriter anymore?”
“Can’t I just use ChatGPT?”
“Isn’t that faster?”

And honestly? I get where those questions come from. AI is fast. It’s everywhere. It can help with so many things. But here’s what I want you to hear clearly:

Faster doesn’t always mean better. And no matter how advanced the tech gets... You still need a real voice to carry your message because you can’t automate personality.

Tools are Great, but they're not you

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a good tool. Truly. I’m not here to bash anything that helps you get unstuck, save time, or make your workflow less overwhelming. I use tools. My clients use tools. I think they can be really empowering, especially when you're juggling five things at once and still trying to show up online with some kind of consistency.

If a platform helps you write faster, organize your thoughts, or brainstorm ideas when your brain is fried, that’s amazing. Use it. Embrace it. Take the help.

But here’s where it starts to get tricky: there’s a big difference between letting a tool support you… and letting it replace you.

And I say that with so much love, because I know how tempting it is to just lean all the way in. You open up the app, type in a little prompt, and boom, you’ve got a caption. You’ve got a headline. You’ve got something that sounds fine. But that “fine” often comes at a cost. It sounds clean, polished, even strategic. But it doesn't carry your voice. It doesn’t hold your energy. It doesn’t sound like someone who’s lived what they’re talking about; it just sounds like someone trying to hit a word count. And that’s the thing people forget: just because something is technically correct, it doesn’t mean it’s emotionally resonant.

And if you’re a founder, especially one building a brand rooted in connection, softness, depth, or honesty, emotional resonance is the thing.

That’s why relying too heavily on AI (or any tool, really) without checking back in with your own voice starts to feel hollow. You’re still showing up, but it’s not really you doing the talking. It’s like your personality got edited out somewhere along the way.

Copywriting is More Than Words on a Page

A lot of people think copywriting is just "writing nice sentences." But it’s not. It’s about psychology, rhythm, pacing, decision-making, and emotional flow. It’s about understanding how people move through doubt, curiosity, and desire and then guiding them through that with words that feel safe but also bold. Words that lead somewhere. Words that sell without ever sounding salesy.

AI can write. But it can’t feel. It can’t process nuance. It can’t understand that this founder wants to sound warm and intelligent, while that founder wants to be punchy and irreverent. And it definitely can’t weave your specific lived experience into every word.

Your voice is layered. It’s full of subtlety. The way you talk to your best friend isn’t the way you write an onboarding sequence, but both need to feel like you. That’s what a skilled copywriter does: takes all the shades of your personality and brings them to the surface in ways that convert.

Founders Still Need Copywriters. Here’s Why.

If you're a founder trying to lead a brand with heart, personality, and impact, you need someone who sees the story behind the strategy. You need a writer who asks questions, reads between the lines, notices your voice when you’re rambling in a voice note, and builds messaging that feels intuitive, not forced. When you hire a copywriter, you're not just paying for words. You're investing in clarity, confidence, and alignment. Because that’s what you actually want, right?

To show up online and feel proud of what you’re saying. To connect without compromising.

AI won’t do that for you. Templates won’t do that for you. It still takes a human, preferably one who knows how to listen, to bring that level of depth to your brand voice.

To the Copywriter-in-the-Making: You’re Still Needed

Let’s also take a moment to speak to the girlies in the back who are thinking of starting a copywriting career.

Maybe you're in the early stages. Maybe you’ve already written a few pieces and you're wondering if this even matters anymore. You see the tools. The shortcuts. The people asking, “Why hire a copywriter at all?” And I want you to hear this clearly: this space still needs your voice.

Copywriters aren’t being replaced. Our value is being revealed. The real skill isn’t just writing pretty, it’s writing with purpose. It’s knowing how to translate someone’s energy into a message that moves. If anything, AI has made the gap more obvious. The brands that rely on it too heavily are starting to sound the same. And when that happens? The ones with clear, embodied, emotional copy are the ones that stand out.

So don’t shrink back. Sharpen your craft. Learn how to listen deeply. Study emotion. Get obsessed with clarity. That’s what will keep you in demand.

So, no, I’m not anti-AI. I think it’s a useful, even brilliant, addition to your toolkit. But I am against the idea that strategy should come at the cost of soul. Because personality is not a “nice to have.” It’s the one thing no one else can copy. And in a sea of sameness, it’s the reason your dream clients stop scrolling, click through, and say, “Yes. Her.”