Interview: Director of Engineering at X - Daniel O’shea

AI is shaking things up for writers. In a recent chat with the Director of Engineering at X, the topic of “generalist freelancers” came up — people who can write, edit, analyze data, and use AI tools all at once. That combo is becoming marketing gold.

Why it works

• Brands want fewer people who can do more things fast
• AI tools make “jack-of-all-trades” actually good at everything
• Clients value adaptability more than specialization
• Faster turnaround = greater ROI

Examples

• One-person newsletters like The Hustle start with a generalist style
• Agencies hire freelancers who can ideate, write, and build social content in one shot
• Copywriters now using ChatGPT to double their daily output
• Marketing teams shrinking while producing 3x more content with AI help