Human Brains Only Please

Using AI’s large language models (LLM) to rewrite copy and marketing.  Is it better?  Only in so far as asking a chatbot to make GEO (generative engine optimisation – for AI search assistants like ChatGPT) copy relevant to other chatbots in the hope of being found in human activated search words.  This it would appear has saved money.  A consultant’s fee vs. Chat GPT putting together a plan in under 20 minutes, for free.  Will it enhance our discoverability?  hard to know.

The risk is using LLM to over create content at the expense of our audience.  GEO that over explains verses a messaging hierarchy and structured content that is a better experience for the human reader.  GEO doesn’t measure clicks like Google Analytics, so it is very hard to know success rates.  But with 48% of shoppers now using AI to influence purchasing, can we afford not to pander to the Chatbot? 

Creative industries like publishing now see large AI companies scrapping the web for their large language models or generative AI.  Language that as a publishing industry we help create.  Now AI has become an existential threat to our industry for 2 reasons:

Reason 1

Outsourcing creativity is a perilous activity.  Relying on generative AI for ideas and problem-solving could well short-circuit creative pathways.  Using large language models has been found to reduce brain activity compared to using Google or no help at all.  Chatbots can’t match the originality of human thought.  It’s a useful tool that complements our thinking, helps us research quicker, makes us just that bit more efficient. It shouldn’t be a replacement for thinking.

Reason 2

Large AI companies scrapping our content is not just a copyright issue – although the creative industries globally are getting fed up with that (see the recent Anthropic case) -, it is also a quality issue.  Without new and original thought, the quality of AI generated content will diminish over time.  AI continually running the same loop will redigest the same material time and time again producing more ‘botshit’.  What will happen when (and not if) AI companies are forced to start paying for content?

So while AI helps us make sense of data like we never have before, going ‘human brain only’ for our creativity is not only good for long-term brain health, you can be assured it’s original thought.  Original military thought is what we and our authors pride ourselves on.  We want to disrupt and make positive change not regurgitate.  So while the likes of Sora might be entertaining, we won’t be creating any more ‘slop’ here.

*ChatGPT created the image!