What About AI ...
This is the first in a series of independent blogs about the impact of AI on our world, especially in the field of writing and communications. It reflects my personal view and is based on my experiences. I am not an AI expert or endorser of any AI product.
For me, it seems as if Artificial Intelligence (AI) has appeared overnight. I know that’s not the case, but for the past several weeks, it seems everywhere I turn, AI is there.
Ads on social media for certification courses in AI
An AI robotic lawn mower at the local college that (correctly) stopped and shut down when my dog ran at it, barking.
The Khan Academy podcast about its AI student tutor, Khanmigo
Job postings seeking writers to “train” AI.
Websites built in seconds using AI technology
·AI to ensure your website is SEO optimized
I am no expert in AI. At least not yet. I don’t have a tech background or an AI certificate. But like me, most of us will be faced with learning and adapting to this technology are in the same situation.
And for those of us who are, gulp, middle-aged and entered college toting electronic typewriters and joined the workforce when there were fax machines, the adjustment will be especially sharp.
It’s the biggest disrupter since the Internet.
As a writer and communications specialist, it is especially jarring. I recently saw AI build a website in seconds before my eyes – content and all. It wrote a blog nearly as quickly. And I got my first AI-generated email: “Nice to meet you. I am in Seona,’’ it said.
I was put off at first, indignant that a computer could replace the talents of a human writer. (That is, in part, what the writer’s strike in Hollywood is about, after all.) Would I, at 55, have to find a new career?
AI Shortcomings
I was heartened when I saw the AI-generated content. It was generic and lacked creativity. It doesn’t cite sources – and has even been known to make them up – so you have to be vigilant about checking all content.
In short, it has a long way to go and at least right now, it is no substitute for a human.
Still, unsettled by it all, I called a friend and trusted colleague in marketing and communications and bounced my recent discoveries off of him. He nonchalantly informed me that he and his colleagues had been prompting different AI tools each morning to experiment with its capabilities. His early deductions: It can help create a draft of a marketing strategy and provide some social content but it’s not something to put on autopilot.
I recently started a free trial to experiment with how AI can help with SEO and web content. More on that next time.
image courtesy of Rukanicon