Feelings are mixed about the introduction of ChatGPT and about artificial intelligence, in general, becoming more and more prominent in the world. Some people are quite excited about it, claiming that these programs make their lives and their work easier, while others are not so happy about the whole thing, afraid that it will eventually lead to them losing their jobs. I get both points of view, but it is the lack of knowledge about AI that can lead to too much excitement and to too much worry.
Perhaps for clarification, we need to go back to the root of the term: https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/definition/AI-Artificial-Intelligence
There are quite some misconceptions regarding what AI is and what it isn’t, and while ChatGPT is becoming increasingly popular and more successful at what it does, fear and confusion seem to grow among many people, marketers in particular. Once again, if you’re fearful, that’s simply because you lack the knowledge necessary to understand this concept. And that has to change.
What Is AI?
We have all forgotten instances of artificial intelligence being helpful in our lives before there was even word of ChatGPT. It’s as if that particular tool, and it’s just that – a tool, has become the synonym for AI, which shouldn’t have happened. As explained, we need to return to the root of the term when we realize that we’ve been relying on AI far longer than we may have assumed.
Artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence in machines. Technologies are programmed to think and learn like humans. Although, the word “think” shouldn’t make you assume that the machines are self-aware. They are trained to analyze data and make appropriate decisions based on that data, allowing them to complete certain tasks that require human intelligence. Read more about what it is.
Your smart assistants, including Siri and Alexa, are examples of AI. Systems that suggest products, services, and even movies, based on your browsing habits, are also an example of it. Medical diagnosis systems aimed at revealing diseases and suggesting treatment courses based on patient data. Autonomous vehicles. Need I say more? As you can see, we’ve been relying on AI long before ChatGPT arrived.
What AI Isn’t
Understanding what AI isn’t is just as significant as understanding what it is. In fact, it may be even more significant, given that it can shed all doubts and fears marketers may have regarding ChatGPT and similar tools that they’re wondering whether to use. I know you’re struggling with the same decision.
First off, these tools are not and never will be a replacement for human intelligence. So, no reason to fear for your jobs. These machines are programmed to perform certain tasks.
And, given that they are programmed, they lack the creativity of the human mind and its flexibility. Regardless of their advanced capabilities, they can’t exactly replace the human mind and intelligence. And they never will.
If you are wondering whether to use artificial intelligence for marketing, you should know two things. Tools such as ChatGPT can be quite useful. And yet, they are not infallible. AI can make mistakes, depending on the data you feed it. So, they’re only as good as the data they have been trained on, and then there’s also their susceptibility to hacking that makes them vulnerable.
Last but not least, and I can’t stress enough, AI is not self-aware. It’s foolish to think that a machine could ever be. We’re not living in a Sci-Fi movie. While capable of mimicking certain human thought processes and behaviors, AI tools are not self-aware. They are devoid of emotions, desires, and intentions.
Should ChatGPT Become Your Marketing Tool?
All that being said, you’re now wondering if ChatGPT should become your marketing tool. Well, if you use it wisely and responsibly, there is nothing wrong with that. Remember, these tools are not infallible, and given that they can make mistakes, relying on them 100% is never a good idea. On the other hand, incorporating them in your business could free up some time for your team and help them focus on the quality of the content they are providing, as long as they’re using this machine to help out in their research and not to do all the work for them.