Copyediting in the Age of AI: A Look at the Future and Why Human Copyeditors Still Matter

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI models has sparked intense conversations in every corner of the workforce. 

What will this mean for the future of work? Which professions will stay and which professions will go? 

In the world of copyediting—a profession often undervalued and misunderstood—the conversation is especially charged. 

Will AI replace human copyeditors?

“It’s the question floating on top of every conversation I have with editors right now,” said Molly McCowan, a longtime editor with her own business, Inkbot Editing, and AI instructor for the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies copyediting certificate program. “Especially for new copyeditors, it can feel like an existential threat. They’re wondering if they’re entering a dying profession.”

AI tools like Grammarly and ChatGPT can perform many copyediting tasks at a speed humans can never match. But as users of these programs will know, they come with limitations.

“AI isn’t replacing humans. But it is demanding that we get clearer about what humans actually do,” said McCowan.

McCowan contends that while AI tools might be fast and capable of many things, they lack the nuance, emotion, and contextual awareness that human copyeditors bring to the table. Instead of replacing humans, AI might be highlighting just how essential human editorial insight really is.

Understanding Copyediting in the Era of AI

To understand the impact of AI on copyediting, we first have to understand copyediting. 

“One of the biggest myths is that copyeditors are just glorified grammar checkers,” said McCowan. “In reality, a skilled copyeditor is looking for, at once, typos, adherence to the preferred style guide and dictionary, grammar, consistency, author voice, potentially biased language, context, flow, factual errors … There’s an art to it. It’s not the mechanical process many people assume it is.”

In essence, copyeditors help the writer get the most impact from their words. They ensure clarity without rewriting meaning, preserve voice while correcting form, flag inconsistencies or inaccuracies that earlier editors might have missed, and serve as advocates for the reader to give them the best experience possible. 

And they do it all invisibly.

“We call it a silent art for a reason,” she adds. “When we do our job well, no one notices us. That’s part of the problem when it comes to articulating value.”

Still, McCowan admits that the burden is on copyeditors to make the case for the value of their work.

“As copyeditors, we have always had to articulate our value,” she said. “That hasn’t changed.”

AI vs. Human Copyeditors: The Value of Judgment 

When it comes to AI and copyediting, McCowan acknowledges that AI can be a valuable tool, but much of the work of a copyeditor requires nuance that AI is unable to do. 

“Humans are the only ones who can understand emotional tone, audience needs, and cultural subtleties to the degree they are required for copyediting,” said McCowan. 

In one example, McCowan describes how AI might fail to recognize that an author is deliberately using choppy, stilted sentences to show a character’s emotional distress. 

“AI sees those as errors. A human editor sees the intention.”

And the difference matters. Copyediting requires predictability, consistency, and adherence to complex rules that can be unique from one piece of writing to the next. It can take an experienced copyeditor to understand how all the different writing conventions apply.

AI, on the other hand, tends to flatten writing and ignore a piece’s unique needs or style. This is a natural consequence of how AI actually works. 

“Most of the tools we call ‘AI’ are actually large language models (LLMs),” McCowan explained. “They’re not applying ‘thought.’ Instead, they’re very sophisticated pattern-matching tools. They predict what comes next in a sentence based on probability.” 

Essentially, the LLM scours an enormous database of text and provides the most probable and standardized response to the prompt it’s been provided. 

“Copyediting is all about applying rules and knowing when to break them,” McCowan continued. “That ability to apply nuance and judgment will always set human copyeditors apart.”

Adapting to AI: A Call to Learn, Not Panic

Despite its imperfections, AI is here to stay and only going to become more central to how work continues to be done. 

For this reason, McCowan contends that the future of copyediting and AI isn’t about replacement—it’s about collaboration. And to collaborate well, copyeditors need to understand how these systems work. 

To this end, McCowan encourages copyeditors to approach AI with curiosity, not fear. 

“We need to understand how these tools work and have open conversations with our clients about it,” she said. “Many of our clients are already using AI. Some are even handing us drafts generated by it. So we need to know what we’re dealing with.”

It’s also about reclaiming confidence, McCowan explained. 

“The heart of our work is the human element. That’s not going anywhere.” 

The Future of Copyediting with AI: Evolving, Not Ending

So what does this all really mean for the future of copyediting with AI? McCowan doesn’t pretend to have a crystal ball, but she’s optimistic.

“Copyediting is evolving, just like it always has,” she said. “But it doesn’t mean the work isn’t needed.”

Instead of fighting change, she invites copyeditors to lead the conversation. “Learn the tools. Know your craft. Show your value. That’s how we shape the future,” she said.

For anyone considering copyediting jobs or entering the field, McCowan recommends learning to speak about their work publicly. This can include writing blog posts, showing case studies, or offering real examples of how their edits changed the clarity or impact of a piece.

“It’s still a good time to become a copyeditor. Just be ready to talk about what makes your work human.”

As part of its commitment to staying ahead of industry trends, the UC San Diego Extended Studies Copyediting Certificate Program is actively integrating AI education into its curriculum. 

McCowan is developing new lessons focused on the role and limitations of AI for addition to existing courses and to present as new electives, such as AI for Writers and Editors, set to launch in 2026. The course will be open to both certificate students and the general public.

Visit UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies to learn more about the copyediting certificate program.