Why AI won't solve all your problems - or ruin your life.

Recently, there have been considerable advances in what artificial intelligence is capable of. The vast majority of individuals and businesses have either fully embraced this and jumped head first onto the ChatGPT, Google Bard, OpenArt etc. bandwagon or have flatly refused to entertain the thought for a second. 

Is it a good thing?

There is pretty solid reasoning behind being in either of these camps. For those who have welcomed our new AI overlords with open arms, these recent developments represent an opportunity; a step into the future where creative content is generated by algorithms that don’t require payment, sustenance, or toilet breaks. It’s like having an intern, but with zero risk of any human rights lawyers getting involved.

What about the downsides?

On the other side of the fence, you’ve got people who, quite understandably, voice feelings of fear and anger. This will cost jobs. This will change pretty much every industry, and change can be scary. Even those physical jobs in which we, as humans, have been confident of maintaining our monopoly are potentially under threat as seen in a viral video of a robot laying bricks. It’s by no means perfect, and not currently as good as an average carbon-based bricklayer, but the foundations are there (sorry!) and these new models are capable of learning at a rate we’ve not witnessed before, so it’s only a matter of time before they overtake us in pretty much any role you can imagine.

How will it impact things?

So, with that cheerful prospect in mind, what can we do? Embrace it, that’s what. Not completely - don’t let machines replace any semblance of creativity that remains in marketing and beyond. Utilised properly, though, these AI models will help genuinely talented creative people to produce higher quality work more efficiently than ever before. Templates, prompts, titles, and plenty more can be done with a few clicks and it all comes down to learning what input is required. These are tools, and learning to use new tools is vital. You’ll struggle to list many successful businesses who don’t use email, purely because they prefer a fax, telegram, or carrier pigeon. An AI model will not replace you unless you let it, just like video didn’t actually kill the radio stars who were willing and able to adapt.

Skynet isn’t yet a reality, and you have nothing to fear from dipping a toe in the artificially sweetened water. In fact, even those who don’t use AI in any way should see it as an opportunity rather than a threat. AI generated content will never - never - be able to match anything crafted by a human when it comes to making a reader feel things. It’s artificial intelligence, not artificial emotion. Even if and when machines do learn to fake feelings, they won’t be able to do it as well as people can - ask your ex.

The more businesses opt to cut costs by pumping out robo-content, the greater the opportunity to stand out for those who go old school and make their own stuff, or indeed get the help of an expert team of humans. If you’re interested, we know some people…

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