AI isn’t your fairy godmother
Whether we’re aware of the shift or not, AI has been integrated into our everyday lives.
“Hey Alexa, where are the most common places AI has been introduced?”
Alexa and Google will probably tell you that AI can be found in virtual assistants (like themselves or in programs like Siri), e-commerce platforms, LLMs, social media, and autopilot algorithms for cars. Siri, on the other hand, will probably tell you to get lost or redirect you to Wikipedia.
Anyways, in the realm of copywriting and marketing, it makes sense to talk specifically about large language models (or LLMs for short). LLMs are a kind of artificial intelligence called generative AI that have the ability to interpret and generate text when prompted. AI programs like ChatGPT by Open AI or Bard by Google are just two examples among hundreds of different LLMs.
ChatGPT went viral just days after its release in November last year. You had to be living under a rock or six feet under already to not have known about the new chatbot.
I’ll admit it. I was living under a rock.
And then my college professor kicked the rock I was under off a cliff. I didn’t know about ChatGPT until suddenly everyone around me was trying to use the bot to do their homework.
But let’s be honest, even business owners started thinking along the same lines as students. Can LLMs do my work for me?
For example: let’s say you need to make a social media post for your brand.
“Hey LLM, write me a 3 sentence Instagram caption about my new product with a sunny and spunky voice and include a few hashtags about the outdoor industry.”
And BAM. There ya go. Post written and spell-checked.
But the reality is, AI isn’t your fairy godmother(i.e. someone who knows EXACTLY what you need). As a business owner, nobody understands your target audience more than you do. Nobody knows the ins and outs of your brand as well as the people who work for your company. So if you want a chatbot to spit out words for you, you have to give it all the answers upfront. Which means, you have to know all the answers upfront.
And that can be hard!
Obviously, there are many pros and cons to incorporating generative AI into your business. It’s probably wise to do a bit more research if you want to make an informed decision.
Let’s take a quick look.
Advantages of using AI in your business
Large language models can save you so much time. Combining text generating tools and deep learning AI programs like Stable Diffusion or Dall-E (image creation tools) can be a powerful move. You could instantly generate advertisements tailored to your business.
You could even have multiple versions of the same advertisement created for A/B split testing.
In addition, computer programs can analyze data and trends much faster than humans can. They’re efficient and effective. And they don’t complain or procrastinate.
AI can help you save money. You don’t necessarily have to pay an expert to write for you anymore. And, as of right now, you don’t even have to pay subscription fees to access these powerful generative AI tools. (But, this could be changing in the near future.)
LLMs reduce human error. AI programs don’t have off days, they don’t come into work hungover, and they don’t daydream about all the stuff they’d rather be doing outside.
As long as your WiFi connection is strong and there aren’t too many people overloading the system, the chatbot will generate text for you.
LLMs can generate millions of ideas. As it exists right now, I think this is the most powerful application of an LLM for copywriting and marketing.
Experiencing writer's block, or in a major-league slump? Ask the chatbot to give you some ideas or suggestions.
Disadvantages of using AI in your business
AI will BS you. LLMs are programmed to give you an appropriate answer no matter what. An AI hallucination is a term used to describe the phenomena that occurs when a LLM makes up data in order to answer your prompt. In other words, LLMs sometimes respond with completely FALSE information, but they present it as FACT. Oops.
The trouble is, it’s very difficult to determine when your AI is hallucinating.
AI has zero human empathy. LLMs aren’t human. They don’t have feelings. Although this often makes them more efficient, their reduced human empathy can have negative implications, or even be dangerous.
You have ZERO shared experience with ChatGPT. Bots can’t write relatable and inspiring pieces from personal experience. No matter what, some stories can only be told with human touch. Some stories can only convert because they’re relatable.
Security and privacy risks are involved. How do you know your data is secure (especially on a free AI platform)? How do you know the content you gathered from a LLM isn’t plagiarized?
It’s true that LLMs can produce “new” content. But a LLM generates these words and content via information that already exists. Even if the sentences and paragraphs themselves aren’t stolen, using someone's ideas without recognition is also plagiarism.
Plagiarism doesn’t go away after you graduate.
AI programs have tendencies and biases. While generative AI programs aren’t human, they were created by humans. Is it a misconception that AI is unbiased? This is a hot topic in the U.S. right now as there are many ethical and moral concerns surrounding biases.
As business owners, we know that in order to see any sort of success, we need to establish a bias. We need to “create” an ideal client. Who wants what you’re selling? Obviously, not everyone. And that’s a good thing!
But, you don’t want someone else’s bias imposed upon your business.
What’s the bottom line?
Can AI solve all my problems?
Nope. No “bippity boppity boo” for you.
But should I integrate an LLM in my business?
Maybe. First, It’s important to understand that AI is just a tool. And functioning like a (often very powerful) tool, it should help build up your business and create MORE opportunities rather than something that limits you or your business. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of these tools before fully incorporating them. After all, the LLMs are limited by how much you give them.
Do you want to opt for speed and efficiency at the price of human touch? In the outdoor industry, your ideal customers might want to talk to a real person, ask them real questions, and listen to the experiences of real people who have used your products or services.
But sometimes you just don’t have enough time to develop your brand's voice and make your business feel alive. Hiring an expert copywriter could be the solution you’ve been waiting for.
Want to hire someone who understands the big picture? Want an expert to take all that writing off your plate? Let’s talk about what your business needs to grow. Schedule a call here!