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Today we cover one of the requested topics by our listeners - AI Content.
ChatGPT took over the internet to reach 1 million users within 5 days - and many wondered about their next business idea, feared job security or simply poked holes in it.
We also checked the search demand for crypto versus ChatGPT, and it already shows a very different trend compared to Crypto.
So, is AI content the next big tool, or will it fizz out as a trendy toy?
✅Kevin says yes, AI content tools are valuable to help work better, faster, and smarter
⛔Kevin says no, AI content tools are a cool technology toy, where utmost they can be used for applications having defined boundaries.
In this episode of Contrarian Marketing, we discuss:
How is AI content used today?
What are the limitations of using AI for content?
How will AI content shape in the next 12 months?
Key Takeaways
AI content tools can already solve small problems like writer’s block today.
AI content opens up many possibilities for new tools, job roles, and business ideas.
AI content cannot think or conduct original research on your behalf.
AI content doesn’t yet have clearly defined boundaries, which is why you should fact-check and copyright-check its output before using it.
Kevin’s take: AI content tools are valuable and can make you better, faster, and smarter
Kevin mentions how AI tools already provide practical use cases for content creation today:
Create content for topics with clear definitions, like glossary blogs
Write product descriptions and category text for e-commerce sites
Unblock writer’s block with tools like Lex
Draft article outlines
Add schema markup
Improve grammar and spelling
Suggest images or graphics
Adopt the writing style or tone of famous writers or personalities
Auto-completion of sentences for emails
Kevin further adds how it also opens up new possibilities and fields for individuals and brands to explore:
“It might be true that when everybody has access to the same technology, then the output is not valuable anymore. But I think it will open up the door to a lot of new possibilities. The central question in my mind when we talk about AI, generative AI, and content is when you can create anything – what do you create?”"
Prompt engineering will be a new, hot field. Some people and companies will have an advantage, and others won't.
An interesting question is: what new fields of work all of a sudden open up when others have been solved by AI?
AI content receives a lot of press and excitement from the public, but one should be careful about how they plan on using the tool:
“I think the AI tools that are coming out create hype not because AI is good enough to do all these things perfectly today, but because the next step is so clearly visible. But I would not outsource something completely to AI that does not have incredibly clear boundaries.”
Speaking about boundaries, Eli shares an example of how AI doesn’t work well in poorly defined conditions:
I asked ChatGPT if Kanye West was an anti-Semite, and it told me definitively no. But that's probably because it's not updated with the latest news. Still, I don't think you can completely rely on AI for things that don't have defined boundaries.
Eli’s take: AI content tools are a cool tech toy
Eli states that in the existing sea of content, AI content tools may be more useful for learning and simple fact-finding purposes.
I think these AI tools are great foundations. They're research tools the same way you use Ahrefs or SemRush – you do some keyword research to find ideas and then build on top of it. That's what I think AI content and AI tools are good at, but it's not the end.
Eli also mentions that many people make buying decisions when they consume content online - and bad AI content will lead to a terrible purchase or customer experience.
“If people have to make buying decisions and look at this terrible content that's written by bots, to make that buying decision, that doesn't make a lot of sense.
But, if we live in a world where bots buy from bots, that's totally different. If you just say to your Siri or Google Assistant that ‘I need soft toilet paper’, then Siri and Google can just look at what Amazon has, and choose it for you. But again, if it makes a mistake, you're the one using the toilet paper. So it's always going to be hard to live in a world where AI is just working with AI.”
Eli also highlights how you cannot make AI do original research, nor can it replace human intuition.
“I think you can use AI for text-related content, for which you were already going on Upwork and paying someone ridiculously low amounts of money to just write little bits of content. But if it's writing a book or writing a journalistic research piece, I don't think we're there.
ChatGPT, Google Assistant, or Siri also can’t help you decide who is the best plumber based on their distance, pricing, or services. Or it can’t decide where you should go on vacation or the things you should do. This is because you need to understand your own personal needs. No AI or no engine will ever do that - it can’t be you.”
Predictions
Where do you see AI content 12 months from now?
Kevin: “80% of marketers will use an AI tool every day that they haven't used until the release of chatGPT.”
Eli: “Google and other search engines will be able to identify and label AI content published.”
Shownotes
Lex - an AI writing tool
Byword - app for efficient writing on plain text for creating article outlines.
Eli purchased a Google Pixel 7
Kevin purchased a clip to attach a pen to any book
Movie and series recommendation:
The Matrix directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski
Her - written and directed by Spike Jonze
Westworld by Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan on HBO
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We intend to cover many interesting topics like TikTok vs Search, paid advertising channels other than Google/Facebook, the state of eCommerce shopping, etc.
If you want us to cover any topic of your interest, do let us know in the comments!
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Thank you,
Eli and Kevin
AI content: tool or toy?