is ‘no AI’ the next big unique selling proposition?
“The problem isn’t that machines are becoming more human-like, it’s that humans are becoming more machine-like in an effort to keep up.
So for the love of God, can we stop with the speed obsession?”
We didn't expect this at the start of 2024, but here we are: not having AI in a product has become a unique selling point. We even tested it ourselves with ick.
It’s not that we think the world doesn’t need more AI. It’s just that we didn’t want to be the ones to make it for you.
Sophie and I aren’t AI experts; we are messaging, B2B, marketing, and content professionals. We’ve spent a long time figuring out how to say things clearly, make words work, and connect products with people.
So, we deliberately chose not to create another AI humanizer or “AI-driven” copywriting tool. There are plenty of those already. Some of them are great, and many of them are garbage. And they all seem to do the same thing: take the thinking out of the process. They promise to finish your work for you, fill in the blanks, and get it over with.
What we wanted to create was something a bit different. A space where you can sit with your words, think them through, and figure out if they really say what you mean. An easy-to-use, distraction-free, plain text editor where you can edit your work in peace.
A place where you can type or paste in your copy and see any problematic words or phrases highlighted, alongside unique feedback, clearer alternatives and next step ideas. This way, you can edit and re-edit your work, whether it’s a blog, social post, email, or anything else, until you’re confident that you’re genuinely saying what you mean.
We didn’t want to do any of that through AI.
There will be push back on ick because it’s not AI. People will say, “Why would I want a writing app or copywriting tool in 2025 that doesn’t automatically check my work with AI?” And that’s a fair question. But our answer is simple: stop and think for a moment. Do you really need more AI right now?
You already know your audience. You understand your product better than anyone else. You know what your customers need. So, do you really need AI to step in and write this for you? Or would it make more sense to pause, reflect, and approach the work like the human expert you already are?
Using AI for first drafts, brainstorming, or speeding up repetitive tasks can be really helpful. But AI can only take you so far, especially in B2B marketing. It’s not going to know your audience, your product, or your goals as well as you do. Not without a lot of training and context conditioning.
That’s why it’s sometimes necessary to take a step back and think about what you want to say. As a marketer, founder, or copywriter, you’re the one who knows what belongs on your homepage. You know the message your social posts need to send or what your landing pages should be communicating.
AI might help you overcome some stumbling blocks, but your expertise gets you to the final result.
ick has the potential to grow in many directions, and we’re excited about what’s ahead. While there are endless possibilities to explore, what we’re launching now is the heart of what we set out to build. AI might eventually play a role in how the app operates behind the scenes or improves productivity. We’re not against it.
But AI will never touch the words and phrases we highlight. That work belongs to humans: writers, editors, and B2B professionals who understand the context.
If you want a tool to write your work for you, if you want AI to auto-change everything without a second thought, then ick isn’t the app for you.
But if you want to slow down and decide whether your work truly conveys your message the way you want it to, we think you’ll love what we have built.
