Artificial intelligence (AI) is on track to become the fourth great technological revolution of modern times. Chances are you’ve heard of it, and you’ve probably experienced it more than you realize. It’s been bubbling under the surface of our highly connected, technologically assisted lives for many years in algorithms, Amazon, Apple’s Siri, Google search suggestions and more. Only recently has it made a dramatic leap forward in mainstream prominence thanks in no small part to OpenAI and the success and popularity of its ChatGPT chatbot.
AI technologies likes ChatGPT are quickly reshaping entire industries and professional landscapes, impacting the economy and affecting changes to society en masse. Adoption of these technologies is still early on as marketers, administrators and businesses seek to make sense of the rapidly-growing number of platforms and capabilities becoming available. This means if you’ve yet to start actively using it in your work, you’re not alone nor are you too far behind. The new age of AI is upon us, so let’s jump in.
AI-y Caramaba: The Basics
Understanding what AI is, how it works, its current functionalities and its future implications — commonly termed as AI literacy — is becoming imperative for not just marketers but practitioners and administrators at all levels in a variety of industries.
So, what is it? According to Demis Hassabis, the co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind, “AI is the science of making machines smart.” The sheer amount of data points to do this is in the trillions.
Under the broad umbrella of AI, machine learning stands out as a key subset, incorporating capabilities such as forecasting, pattern recognition, personalization and making recommendations. Large language models (LLMs) are built on machine learning and are essentially computer programs that utilize an immense network of information to be able to interpret human language and other types of complex data, also called a transformer model.
Uses in the Workplace
As impressive as these already are, they’re only getting smarter. Generative models based on multi-modal LLMs has already emerged with the ability to create images, video, audio and text from given prompts.
In this burgeoning era of generative AI, some experts estimate at least 80% of what marketers and knowledge workers do every day will be AI-assisted within the next one to two years. Software companies have already integrated functionality into programs like Adobe Photoshop and Premiere and Microsoft Word. Tools like Runway and Sora enable the creation of videos from simple text prompts. Innovations like Amazon Q and Meta’s Llama 3 promise to further revolutionize our relationship with this technology and how we perform our jobs. Even entire workflow platforms and AI co-pilots like Optimizely and Jasper are already assisting marketers to maximize productivity.
However, as AI advances and makes creativity and creation easier and more accessible, authentic content and storytelling will become more important than ever to connect with audiences and market most effectively.
Caveats to Keep in Mind
Like anything, AI is not without its drawbacks. Because many tools are trained using data and information from the internet, it can perpetuate biases, provide inaccurate information and present harmful content. Privacy and data security can also be an issue because many platforms have direct connection to the internet and continually learn as they’re being used and fed information.
Furthermore, there are still a lot of gray areas and questions to be answered relating to copyright and ownership of AI-assisted and AI-generated works. Several lawsuits have been filed that will shape the future of this technology — most notably the New York Times’ lawsuit against Open AI and Microsoft for copyright infringement. Due diligence via human oversight is key in getting the most from these tools and avoiding potential problems and legal troubles.
The Future of AI
Looking ahead, the possibilities offered by AI appear to be nearly endless. The technologies we see today, like LLMs, are just the foundation of what will come next. As it continues to improve at break-neck speed and become more and more integrated into everything, AI literacy will become increasingly vital to stay ahead of the curve and compete with other brands and institutions embracing it.
If you’re not utilizing AI tools yet or are unsure of where to begin, ChatGPT is a robust option with a free base cost that’s useful for writing, marketing, brainstorming, research and a more. The Marketing AI Institute is also a great organization with free resources and trainings to help you get started or explore any of the platforms mentioned in this article.
Regardless of where you begin, it’s time to take the leap into the AI landscape. Consider what you do day-to-day and explore some options. Start small and experiment thoughtfully. It’s a wild new world out there, but don’t worry, AI can help keep you from faceplanting.
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