Can AI write my tender response?

Are you already sick of hearing the two letters AI? Is it overwhelming or exciting for you?

I feel like we went from zero to 100 so fast and now I’m peddling to try and keep up. Are you wondering if you can use all of these new AI tools to cut down on time spent with your tender applications?

My answer to you is YES and NO.

In an industry where writing is everything it’s important we understand how we can use these tools as a help and not a hindrance.

What is it?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the simulation of human intelligence processes by modern technology, most commonly computer systems. AI algorithms seek to use inputted data to make predictions or classifications and produce an output tailored to specific task, so in our case the output is tender responses.

As the AI industry is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, it is essential to explore how it could be used within the tendering industry. As we have discussed before in previous blogs, the process of writing a tender can often seem daunting. With aspects such as research, tender writing, and managing multiple opportunities simultaneously, the entire process can feel convoluted and time-consuming. However, as AI continues to become more sophisticated, and industry-specific AI becomes more accessible, various learning capabilities of AI could potentially be adapted to support the bid writing process.

Let’s look at some benefits of AI in tender writing.

AI could support companies to tender more efficiently and potentially more successfully. It could streamline the bid writing process, maximising the efficiency of your tender team, and allowing you to tender for multiple opportunities at once, something that may have limited you in the past.

It called also be handy in reducing human error: using the company data set, the system could analyze the question and select appropriate data to match the response requirements, helping to manage the risk of the writer misinterpreting a question or failing to identify the most relevant content held within the tender library. Less mistakes are always useful!

Due to the nature of AI, the system is continually learning and evolving, improving its effectiveness and understanding of the language used. So yes, it can save time, enhance accuracy, remain current and relevant. Not to mention making your content sound eloquent and put together because let’s face it, writing isn’t for everyone.

But….and it’s a big but. Don’t rely on this and only this.

I’m talking to clients about their thoughts and how they are using these tools and I feel as though we could be walking a very fine line where everything we are consuming has been created by AI. It terrifies me slightly that personality, humour and warmth will be removed.

So, let’s chat about the downside.

AI created content can often come across cold, structured and in a predictable format that is repeated which is the opposite of how we want our tender responses to come across. Tender applications need to be presented like a story is being told. A personalised, walk through of the companies’ achievements and points of difference, something a computer can never churn out.

Another thing to consider is rules and regulations. How many times are there changes and updates in our industries? It is impossible for the information pulled by AI to be current and thoroughly across the board given the amount of detail required and the frequency of change. Have you ever read a question in a tender and found it obscure? Often the questions need correct interpretation to answer it correctly. This is somewhere else where AI can let you down as they pull key words to formulate answers and don’t have interpretation capabilities.

Whenever anyone asks me my main tender tip it’s always to tell your story. Stand out from the crowd, find your point of difference and never submit cookie cutter responses. AI tends to head down the one size fits all route so be warned.

I feel as though a blend will work, try using both humans and AI to respond to tenders and make sure it’s edited and represents the tone of your company and reflects your values and ethos. We will keep chatting about this as AI keeps evolving.

Kristine Daw is the Managing Director of Dawtek, a Melbourne-based company specialising in tenders and proposals, technical writing, business documentation, copywriting, editing and creating business templates. Kristine and her small team have a range of clients including small businesses, multi-national corporations, all levels of government and not-for-profits. 1300 DAWTEK or dawtek.com.au

If you’d like to connect with a tender writing professional with almost two decades’ worth of experience, let’s organise a time to chat.

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