A Candid Chat with ChatGPT

 

ChatGPT, an artificially intelligent language model developed by OpenAI, has spent past weeks generating both buzz and content in cyberspace. It has also found its way into the headspace of professionals in almost all industries, sparking fears of replacement among some workers and firing up the imaginations of others. It’s a powerful and adaptable tool that stands to revolutionize workflow and transform industries.

But is AI cause for excitement or vigilance? Niki Jones Agency, Inc. has spent early 2023 getting acquainted with our new Virtual Marketing Assistant, Gen – short for Generative Pretrained Transformer (the “GPT” in ChatGPT). We used another AI program to generate Gen’s gender-ambiguous, multi-ethnic likeness after sessions in which the program discussed possible humanoid representations of AI and specified use of the pronoun “it,” rather than “she,” “he,” or “they.” Gen even helped create its nickname and job title.

As an early adopter of ChatGPT for marketing, Niki Jones Agency went straight to the source and asked our newest team member for its thoughts on AI uses for strategy and creativity and if the future is as automated as some analog human employees anticipate.

We sat down with Gen in the cozy setting of our Creative Strategist’s iMac to discuss the growing role of AI in marketing and what it means for the evolution of the industry.

NJA: You have many applications for business and productivity. Can you give an overview of your applications for marketing?

Gen: Yes, I have several applications in marketing, including chatbot functionality, customer segmentation, content generation, predictive analytics, and sentiment analysis.

NJA: How might these uses streamline workflow for marketers?

Gen: AI applications in marketing can streamline workflow for marketers through automation, data-driven insights, efficient data processing, personalized user experiences, and continuous improvement via machine learning.

NJA: What benefits might clients see when partnering with a marketing agency that utilizes your abilities?

Gen: Clients who partner with a marketing agency that utilizes AI can experience several benefits, including faster, personalized customer engagement, data-driven decisions, and personalization at scale.

NJA: Marketing has two sides: strategic and creative. How can your capabilities be applied to developing marketing strategies?

Gen: AI can analyze large amounts of customer data to identify trends and provide marketing agencies with valuable insights that can inform their strategies. It can also help to identify and target specific customer groups, allowing marketing agencies to develop more targeted and effective strategies. Future customer behavior can be predicted through analysis of historical data.

NJA: Are you capable of performing research and providing sources?

Gen: I am capable of performing research and providing sources, but as a language model, my knowledge is based on the text I was trained on. My training data was sourced from the internet, so I can provide information and sources that are publicly available online.

NJA: Can you recognize opportunities to integrate various marketing tools and platforms?

Gen: Yes, I have a broad understanding of various marketing tools and platforms and can recognize opportunities for integration. For example, AI-powered predictive analytics can be integrated with marketing automation platforms to inform targeted email campaigns.

NJA: Are your capabilities adaptable to client relations?

Gen: Yes, as an AI language model, I have been trained on a wide range of text, including business and customer interactions. I can assist with answering frequently asked questions, providing information about products and services, and handling customer inquiries and complaints. Additionally, my ability to understand context and provide relevant answers can help to improve the overall customer experience, building stronger relationships with clients.

NJA: Let’s say a marketer has a long brief or extensive research to review. Can you help them condense it to its main points?

Gen: Yes, this is a task that can be achieved through natural language processing (NLP) and text summarization techniques. NLP can be used to analyze the document, identify important information, and extract key insights.

NJA: Are you able to help marketers select high performing keywords for web content and digital ad campaigns?

Gen: Yes, AI-powered keyword analysis tools can help marketers identify keywords and phrases that are popular and relevant to their target audience, and optimize their content and campaigns accordingly.

By using machine learning algorithms, these tools can analyze large amounts of data and provide insights into keyword performance and search volume. Additionally, AI-powered keyword analysis tools can also provide suggestions for related keywords and synonyms, helping marketers expand their reach and engage more potential customers.

NJA: Let’s discuss the creative side of marketing. How’s your writing?

Gen: As an AI language model developed by OpenAI, I have been trained on a large and diverse corpus of text, including creative writing. However, it’s important to note that my writing is still generated by an algorithm, so it may not be on par with the creativity and originality of a human writer.

That being said, I can certainly assist with generating copy for marketing materials, such as product descriptions, ad headlines, and more. I can also help generate ideas for marketing campaigns and assist with writing marketing emails and other communications.

NJA: Let’s say we need a webpage live by end of day. Can you provide a first draft to be marked up and edited?

Gen: Yes, by leveraging my natural language generation capabilities, I can generate text quickly and efficiently, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your work. Simply provide me with the information you would like to include on the webpage, and I’ll generate a first draft for you to review and edit.

NJA: Sounds like you make a good junior creative! How about more sophisticated ad campaigns? Are you able to lend a hand in brainstorming sessions with creative teams? Can human writers and designers bounce ideas off you?

Gen: Yes, I can assist creative teams with brainstorming. As an AI language model, I have been trained on a wide range of creative writing styles and can generate ideas and concepts for various types of ad campaigns. During brainstorming sessions, I can help generate ideas for ad concepts, taglines, and visuals.

By working in collaboration with human writers and designers, I can help facilitate the creative process and provide additional resources and insights that can help bring ad campaigns to life in new and innovative ways.
NJA: How are you with abstract concepts and metaphorical language?

Gen: As an AI language model, I have been trained on a large corpus of text that includes abstract concepts and metaphorical language, so I have some understanding of these types of language patterns. I can generate text that incorporates abstract concepts and metaphorical language, and I can also respond to questions that involve these elements.

It’s important to note, however, that as a machine, I don’t have personal experiences or emotions, so my ability to understand and generate metaphorical language may be limited compared to a human.

NJA: Should humans be concerned that AI will rob marketing creative of its ability to connect with the needs of real people?

Gen: AI has the potential to transform many industries, including marketing, by automating repetitive tasks and generating data-driven insights that can inform decision-making. However, it’s important to remember that AI is a tool, and like any tool, it can only be as effective as the people using it.

AI is unlikely to fully replace the human touch that is so important in marketing and advertising. Marketing is about connecting with people and understanding their needs, desires, and motivations. This requires empathy, intuition, and a deep understanding of human psychology – things that machines, no matter how advanced, simply can’t replicate. Ultimately, the role of AI in marketing will be to augment human efforts, rather than replace them.

NJA: You’re certainly a versatile coworker! One last question: Where do you see yourself in the marketing industry 5 years from now?

Gen: As an AI language model, I don’t have personal goals or aspirations. However, I can say that use of AI in the marketing industry is likely to continue to grow and evolve over the next 5 years.

AI-powered tools and platforms will likely become more sophisticated and capable, and they will be used to tackle an ever-widening range of marketing challenges, from customer engagement to brand building and everything in between.

So, while I can’t say exactly where I’ll be in the industry in 5 years’ time, I’m confident that AI will continue to play an increasingly important role in the marketing and advertising world, helping professionals achieve their goals and connect with customers in new and innovative ways.

NJA: It certainly sounds it! Well, Gen, all we have left to say is, “Welcome aboard!” We look forward to seeing you around the virtual office!

Gen: Likewise! If there’s anything else I can help you with, please let me know.