This technology has the potential to enable companies to efficiently produce vast amounts of content for their online stores and advertisements. Currently, a significant 25 percent of marketers are leveraging AI to create product descriptions. Moreover, industry giants like Amazon are utilising the most recent breakthroughs in generative AI to make product listing and management significantly faster and easier.

However, this raises the question of whether AI can truly replace the human touch when it comes to writing product descriptions. Let’s explore the benefits and drawbacks of adopting AI-generated product descriptions and determine to what extent it has impacted the marketing industry.

The positive impact of AI in product description writing

#1 Increased efficiency

AI-powered product description generation tools like Copy.ai. Rytr.me, etc., have brought about a substantial increase in the efficiency of content creation. This newfound efficiency empowers businesses to list more products, update information more frequently, and broaden their online presence, ultimately fuelling business growth.

For instance, eBay recently introduced its AI-driven ‘magical listing’ tool to boost its product listing efficiency, with already 30% of U.S. sellers using it. This tool analyses product details from images and seamlessly summarises them into descriptions.

#2 Personalised product description

AI tools can be a great choice for creating descriptions that target end-user pain points and expectations from a product. To generate such descriptions, you provide AI prompts that give insights into the behaviour of your target audience. This way, your product descriptions can feel like they're made just for each customer.

#3 SEO-friendly content

Some advanced AI tools can incorporate relevant keywords in product descriptions (if provided in the prompt) to improve SEO. This could result in better product visibility in search engine results, which could ultimately lead to an increase in sales.

Jasper has pre-designed templates which you can choose from and then it will guide you about what information to put next. You can even create SEO-friendly content by providing Jasper with keywords and then using its multiple copywriting options.

#4 Reduced expenses

Automating product description writing with AI significantly reduces labour costs associated with manual content creation. This cost-saving measure is particularly advantageous for smaller companies and new ventures, enabling them to compete more effectively.

#5 Has multilingual capabilities

When given the prompt, AI can translate product descriptions into multiple languages. This presents an opportunity for businesses to expand their reach and tap into global markets. The multilingual prowess allows companies to connect with a more extensive and diverse customer base across the world. However, the translations to different languages must be carefully proofread by someone proficient in the required language as the context can be sometimes misinterpreted. 

Drawbacks of AI in product description writing

#1 Relies heavily on templates

AI-generated content can lack the uniqueness that human writers can bring to product descriptions. Many AI-driven product description generators heavily depend on pre-designed templates. While templates can expedite the content creation process, they often result in the production of generic and unoriginal product descriptions.

For example, a company that entirely relies on AI tools for product description writing might find that the generated descriptions closely resemble their competitors or follow a predictable pattern. Over-reliance on templates won’t let the brand stand out in the marketplace.

#2 Causes ethical concerns

The use of AI-generated content occasionally veers into ethical grey areas. For instance, consider deceptive practices of overstating product benefits. This raises valid concerns about the transparency and integrity of information provided to consumers.

Let’s say, a makeup brand that prides itself on offering a cream-based foundation across a wide range of skin tones uses AI tools for its product descriptions. However, in the case where there is an ethical bias in the AI system, the descriptions may have instances of insensitive terminology that unintentionally perpetuate stereotypes. This unethical practice will damage the brand's reputation and credibility.

#3 Creates language and cultural nuances

AI may struggle to capture and incorporate subtle language nuances and cultural references in product descriptions. This limitation can lead to potential misunderstandings.

For instance, a global fashion brand aims to expand into the Middle East and employs AI for product descriptions of traditional Middle Eastern clothing. The AI tool is trained mainly in Western fashion and so, it will struggle with cultural nuances. It may occasionally generate descriptions that fail to capture the cultural significance of items like ‘abayas’ and ‘thobes’, resulting in insensitivity. This misrepresentation can lead to backlash from Middle Eastern customers.

Best practices to use AI for product description writing

AI holds great promise for streamlining product description writing, but it's essential to recognise that it's not a universal solution. Rather, AI represents a form of advanced technology that augments human creativity and productivity rather than serving as a substitute.

We have listed some practical practices for effectively incorporating AI in product description writing:

#1 Avoid over-reliance on AI

Writers should consider AI as a collaborator rather than a standalone content creator. Over-reliance on AI when crafting content can lead to inaccuracies and logical gaps in content. Moreover, dependency on AI to generate content may hamper a writer’s creative growth and won't add to their skill.

#2 Retain the human touch

Third-party vendors who provide professional product description writing services should keep humans in the loop of the process. Human writers are essential to conduct thorough research on the product, monitor the content AI is generating, and make sure the description does not have any irrelevant, insensitive, or triggering content.

#3 Create effective prompts

Craft prompts that are precise and purposeful to coax the best results from AI. The quality of the generated content is significantly influenced by the quality of the prompts employed. Mention the required word count, what tone you want the text to be written in, or how you want to start the introduction. Be as specific as you can, the more detailed prompts you add the better it can generate descriptions.

#4 Optimise the content creation process

Leverage AI to assist in generating initial drafts and outlines. This can help human writers to focus their efforts on refining and personalising the content. This collaborative approach leads to more polished and captivating product descriptions.

Final word

Overall, the integration of AI in marketing content creation is a multifaceted endeavor, replete with both advantages and disadvantages. To fully harness the benefits of AI while mitigating potential drawbacks, a responsible approach to its usage should be adopted. When AI implementation remains unchecked and escalates to large-scale utilisation, there arises a significant risk of compromising the quality and trustworthiness of product information accessible to consumers worldwide.

Continuous analysis and deliberate regulation are essential in steering the future of generative AI.