AI has made everyone think that they're amazing copywriters.
I moved into a new role after leaving an environment where feedback loops were so broken that almost nothing made it to publication. Our team was running at about a third of its actual capacity.
My new role comes with a completely different challenge.
Product managers are writing most of the copy using AI tools, and the patterns are obvious, colons in every headline, inconsistent casing, and a tone that doesn’t match a B2B brand. When I flag it, the justification is often, “HR is human too,” or similar reasoning that overlooks voice, positioning, and audience expectations.
When I try to guide the narrative, I’m told to “reimagine” something, only for the direction to flip a week later. I’m the first copywriter this company has ever hired, so PMs have historically owned the copy. Even when Marketing signs off on something, the text gets changed again during release.
I’m trying to figure out whether this is a feedback-loop issue, an AI-overreliance issue, or simply a cultural mismatch. In five years as a copywriter, I’ve never experienced a process quite like this.
Has anyone navigated something similar? How do you reset expectations, establish ownership, and protect the integrity of the work?
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Category: Marketing and Sales
Subcategory: Content Marketing
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Maria
The real question is whether the current copy is performing. If results are weak, your expertise becomes far more valuable, because you can point directly to missed outcomes. If their version is converting to their standards, then it becomes a decision about your priorities; steady pay or creative and professional alignment. Ultimately, the business will measure everything through outcomes.John
Your role needs to be positioned as the single source of truth for all copy. This means communicating upward; clearly explaining why consistent process, tone, and review workflows matter. Tie it directly to measurable risks: reduced conversions, brand erosion, customer confusion, lower CTRs, and revenue impact. Leadership responds to consequences, not preferences.Emily
For writers, the job isn’t only producing strong copy; it’s articulating the reasoning behind your choices. Being able to walk stakeholders through the “why” behind tone, structure, or narrative is part of establishing credibility.Ahmed
Most feedback tends to fall into two categories: • Someone wants to feel involved and adds comments to signal value. • Someone senses a real issue but can’t fully articulate it. Recognizing which one you’re dealing with can make the process smoother.Mei
Sometimes reframing or lightly revising copy, without compromising its integrity, can satisfy both types of feedback. It helps stakeholders feel heard and often resolves concerns that they couldn’t fully express.Yara
You also need visible support from someone with authority. Your manager should formally endorse your workflow and best practices. Without that backing, you’ll be fighting every battle alone.Priya
One practical approach: present the PMs’ original version side-by-side with your refined version. Demonstrate, objectively, the difference in clarity, tone, and narrative flow. Build a collection of these for your portfolio, and if the culture still doesn’t shift, it may be time to consider new opportunities.Aisha
It’s important to clarify reporting lines. If PMs have no authority over copy, they shouldn’t be rewriting it post-approval. If they do have that authority, it needs to be explicitly communicated so expectations are clear. The current arrangement is neither efficient nor professional.Mei
AI is powerful in the hands of someone trained to refine and direct it, but without that skill set, it produces generic, inconsistent content. It can also raise SEO red flags. These risks are worth highlighting to leadership, especially if organic performance or brand consistency are priorities.