Navigating the AI Revolution: The Impact of ChatGPT, Machine Learning, and Future Tech in Marketing
AI, MACHINE LEARNING, AND CHATBOTS, OH MY!
As technology grows more ingrained into every aspect of our lives, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is steadily becoming widespread, infiltrating what we once thought only the ingenuity of humanity could relay (i.e., stories, news articles, blogs, etc.). The marketing industry is no exception. You may have read an AI-generated news article, utilized ChatGPT to write that paper for class, or used AI to generate website content. Even as I write this, I am using a specialized system to control for grammatical errors. However, such a unique solution for many problems has unique challenges. This is, after all, a relatively new public-use tool.
Despite such rapid infiltration into our society, let’s discuss some basic information regarding AI. Chat GPT is not an all-knowing problem-solving robot but a very small subset of AI. Further, AI is often used interchangeably with machine learning (Columbia Engineering 2024), but one is a subset of the other. AI is a broad category encompassing the comprehensive idea of a computer's ability to emulate humanity in terms of thought and performing tasks, which includes robotics. In contrast, machine learning is under the broader "AI" category, which focuses on technology and algorithms that allow a computer system to focus on pattern recognition, decision-making, and 'personal' improvement through its experiences and incorporation of new information.
SO, WHAT IS THIS NEW FANGLED THING?
ChatGPT is a specific brand of AI chatbot program developed by OpenAI (Open AI 2024). It is a generative AI model that interacts conversationally with its users to answer questions. It relies on deep learning techniques to analyze, comprehend, and create content (Ray 2023). This ChatGPT is a language model based on the Generative Pre-trained Transformer architecture, thus GPT. GPTs are specifically designed for natural language processing and are meant for text generation and language processing (Ray 2023).
This advanced language model has since created considerable amounts of content but has been met with instant concerns (Bauder 2023; Folkenflik 2023). For example, in the Fall of 2023, Sports Illustrated came under fire for publishing computer-generated stories with computer-generated phony author profiles (Bauder 2023; Folkenflik 2023). This has since been met with considerable and wide-ranging backlash. A University of Maryland professor of Journalism Ethics, Tom Rosenstiel, states that while companies will experiment and attempt to streamline their businesses and financials using artificial intelligence, “the mistake is in trying to hide it, and in doing it poorly” (Bauder 2023).
With the onslaught of AI-generated content, especially content you can specifically curate the tone of (formal, informal, creative writing, etc.) with a simple command, there are now news articles, scientific articles, and various academic and parent forums that now sport a wide variety of “how-to” guides for identifying AI-generated content (Dehouche 2021; Desaire et al. 2023; Montclair State University 2024; Morressier 2023; Reddit 2023; Shidiq 2023). People do not like to be deceived.
LET’S TEST IT OUT!
How does this work? Creating a login with Open AI is the most difficult part, and it brings you to the chatbot. Ask direct questions. It’s that easy.
When I tested ChatGPT 3.5, I asked it to Write a paragraph on the pros and cons of ChatGPT, and the response was instantaneous.
“ChatGPT, as an AI-driven conversational agent, offers several advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, its 24/7 availability ensures prompt responses to customer inquiries, enhancing customer satisfaction and retention. Additionally, ChatGPT's scalability enables businesses to handle multiple conversations simultaneously without the need for extensive human resources, thus reducing operational costs. Moreover, its consistent responses ensure that customers receive accurate information consistently, fostering trust and reliability. However, ChatGPT lacks the human touch and empathy that human representatives provide, potentially leading to less personalized interactions. Furthermore, its understanding may be limited, especially for complex or nuanced queries, which can result in inaccuracies or misunderstandings. Additionally, there are security concerns regarding the handling of sensitive information and dependencies on technology, making businesses vulnerable to technical glitches or outages. Thus, while ChatGPT offers efficiency and cost-effectiveness, businesses must carefully balance its benefits with its limitations to ensure optimal customer experiences.”
This is a mechanical response and not always correct, but sections of it are right! While businesses can thrive with easy and expedited content for their products with only a minimal need for editing, ChatGPT can only improve businesses financially and in terms of time spent. However, it does lack consistent accuracy, reliability, personalization, emotion, and, in some cases, common sense (Dehouche 2021; Desaire et al. 2023; Montclair State University 2024).
Next, to test out how ChatGPT mimics “the human touch” and “empathy,” I asked ChatGPT to: “Give a one-paragraph start to a new book,” I received the following:
“In the heart of a bustling city, where the neon lights flicker and the streets hum with life, there existed an unassuming bookstore tucked away on a quiet corner. Its weathered sign bore the simple name, "Whispering Pages," and within its walls lay a world of endless possibility. As the morning sun cast its golden rays upon the cobblestones, a young woman named Alice stepped through the bookstore's threshold, her curiosity ignited by the promise of adventure within the pages that beckoned her. Little did she know, the dusty tomes and faded manuscripts held secrets beyond her wildest imagination, and her journey would unravel mysteries long forgotten by time. With each turn of a page, Alice would soon discover that the greatest stories were not confined to the ink on parchment but existed within the depths of her own soul, waiting to be written. Thus, her odyssey into the realm of Whispering Pages began—a tale of magic, wonder, and the timeless quest for truth.”
Is it bad? No, but it’s a ‘robot’ attempting to entice a human reader. The imagery is flowery and long-winded. It’s blocky, and the way it is written uses a third-person point of view that is poorly done, removing the reader from what’s going on within the story. It piques readers' curiosity, with drawn-out language that most would find tiring after a chapter.
BOTTOM LINE
Thus, ChatGPT would require human editing and, in some cases, considerable human editing; however, it does create a starting point for businesses to build on. It’s quickly becoming ingrained into all aspects of life, so don’t disregard what it can do to help you build your business!
KEY POINTS
Chatbots are a fantastic tool, but not a substitution for human editing, critical thinking, or imagination.
People do not like to be deceived. Be upfront, if you utilize this tool.
ChatGPT is great for building a starting point for new businesses and can save you time and money.
REFERENCES
Bauder, David. 2023. "Sports Illustrated found publishing AI generated stories, photos and authors." PBS News Hour, November 29. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/sports-illustrated-found-publishing-ai-generated-stories-photos-and-authors.
Columbia Engineering. 2024. Artificial Intelligence (AI) vs. Machine Learning. March. https://ai.engineering.columbia.edu/ai-vs-machine-learning/.
Dehouche, Nassim. 2021. "Opinion Piece: Plagarism in the age of massive Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPT-3)." Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics 21: 17-23. doi:https://doi.org/10.3354/esep00195.
Desaire, Heather, Aleesa E. Chua, Madeline Isom, Romana Jarsova, and David Hua. 2023. "Distinguishing academic science writing from humans or ChatGPT with over 99% accuracy using off-the-shelf machine learning tools." Cell Reports Physical Science 4 (6). doi:doi: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2023.101426.
Folkenflik, David. 2023. "'Sports Illustrated' is accused of posting articles by writers created by AI." National Public Radio (NPR), November 28. https://www.npr.org/2023/11/28/1215693615/sports-illustrated-is-accused-of-posting-articles-by-writers-created-by-ai.
Montclair State University. n.d. AI Writing Detection: Red Flags. Accessed 2024. https://www.montclair.edu/faculty-excellence/teaching-resources/clear-course-design/practical-responses-to-chat-gpt/red-flags-detecting-ai-writing/.
Morressier. 2023. Using peer review to detect AI-generated scientific papers. https://www.morressier.com/post/using-peer-review-to-detect-ai-generated-scientific-papers.
Open AI. 2024. Introducing ChatGPT. https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt.
Ray, Partha Pratim. 2023. "ChatGPT: A comprehensive review on background, applications, key challenges, bias, ethics, limitations and future scope." Internet of Things and Cyber-Physical Systems 3: 121-154. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iotcps.2023.04.003.
Reddit. 2023. "How can I detect Essays wrote by the AI from my students?" Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPT/comments/zqkmze/how_can_i_detect_essays_wrote_by_the_ai_from_my/?rdt=41275.
Shidiq, Muhammad. 2023. "The use of artificial intelligence-based Chat-GPT and it's challenges fro the world of education; from the viewpoint of the development of creative writing skills." Proceeding of 1st International Conference on Education, Society and Humanity 1 (1). https://ejournal.unuja.ac.id/index.php/icesh/article/view/5614.
