OpenAI recently opened a Content Strategist position for ChatGPT, and to me that says a lot about the state of content marketing right now.
At its core, ChatGPT (and LLMs) is a machine that averages information. Anyone can create content with ChatGPT, sure, but the output is merely an amalgamation of millions of other content it has been trained on, all watered down to a “neutral” perspective.
I recently read a really insightful article on Substack by Pierce Taylor Hibbs on why AI can never fully replace human writers. Writing, he argued, is a behavior by which we mark the world with our presence.
In other words, writing content, at its deepest layer, is the act of manifesting one’s will into the world. Every single word and punctuation we released onto the paper, or Google Docs, is a representation of our humanity. ChatGPT, on the other hand, does not have that.
It does not have opinions and personality.
But brands need opinions and personality. Customers want opinions and personality.
Just like how:
🦉 Everyone knows Duolingo not just as a language learning app but there is also a very very unhinged owl 𝚌̶𝚑̶𝚊̶𝚜̶𝚒̶𝚗̶𝚐̶ accompanying you along your language learning journey
🥣 SURREAL (we make granola now) (the formerly SURREAL cereal company) with incredibly smart and funny social content (check their LinkedIn out I’m sure you’re going to have a good time)
🥤Or Liquid Death who believes that water doesn’t have to be lame. Drinking water can actually be so cool and so metal that you feel like Ozzy Osbourne himself.
🐂 Or Red Bull who decided that they will be remembered as the brand that sponsors the world’s craziest stunts, not just as “another energy drink”.
ChatGPT doesn’t have opinions and personality. Humans do, and they provide ChatGPT with THEIR personality. At the backseat of awesome content is always a human who breathes their soul into it.
$300K/yr does seem like a decent price for that soul though. Sam Altman really knows the value 💰, doesn’t he?
So, if your brand wants to really stand out in 2026 and beyond:
> Invest in a Content Strategist
> Let them create absolutely killer content (with a sprinkle of personality)
> Trust the process
> Pay them what they deserve
> Share that content on social media and watch it connect with the right audience
🤔 Wait…isn’t that the way great content has always been produced?
Yes, always has been 😉.
FAQ
Why did OpenAI hire a content strategist for ChatGPT?
The post sees the role as a sign of where content marketing stands today. ChatGPT works by averaging information, so its output is a watered-down blend of what it was trained on, with no opinions or personality. Brands need both, and customers want both. A human content strategist brings that personality into the content.
How much does OpenAI pay a content strategist?
According to the post, the Content Strategist role for ChatGPT pays around $300K a year. The author sees that pay as a fair price for the human soul behind great content. The salary signals how much OpenAI values people who can add opinions and personality to content, which AI tools cannot do on their own.
Can AI replace human content writers?
The post argues it cannot fully do so. It cites Pierce Taylor Hibbs, who wrote that writing is a way we mark the world with our presence, and every word reflects our humanity. ChatGPT only blends millions of existing pieces into a neutral view. Behind great content there is always a human who brings their own voice.
How can my brand stand out with content?
Give your content opinions and personality. Brands like Duolingo, SURREAL, Liquid Death and Red Bull are known for their bold voice. The post suggests you hire a content strategist and give them room to write with personality. Then share that content on social media to reach the right audience.
Want to keep learning? Read our guides on B2B content marketing examples, B2B website examples, how sales can inform content strategy and using Reddit for content strategy.
