By Dina Wasmer, President & CMO
Over the last two weeks, I’ve had clients, colleagues, and even family members asking me my thoughts about ChatGPT.
Some of them had a glimmer in their eye, while others had a furrowed brow, which seems to be the going trend — some are ecstatic about the power of AI, while others are confused or even terrified. I gave them my thoughts, but after the sixth inquiry, I did what anyone would do. I asked ChatGPT.
Here’s what it said:
“No, ChatGPT is an AI language model and not capable of replacing a human brain. It is designed to assist with tasks such as generating text, answering questions, and performing specific functions as programmed. The human brain has much more complexity and capabilities than any AI model currently available.”
Avoiding Squirrel Syndrome
By the question I posed, you can probably sense a little of my skepticism. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fairly early adopter when it comes to most things, and as a marketing advisor, my team and I need to stay on the leading edge of all things related to technology, content marketing, SEO, etc. so we can best direct our clients.
That said, too often, our clients get the “squirrel syndrome,” and we have to refocus their attention away from the shiny new object that they think is going to magically solve all of their problems and back to the core issue at hand. When in reality, they are get distracted and fixated on the symptoms (not enough leads, people quitting, losing accounts to the competition, etc.) instead of the root cause (lack of a marketing plan and sales process, poor internal culture, and a USP that prospects don’t value).
It’s like going to the doctor and asking for a pill to mask the real problem…something along those lines…what’s a good analogy…let me think. Crap, let’s see what ChatGPT says to help me brainstorm:
Yea, a headache that’s a good example. A headache is a symptom, but the problem could be from lack of sleep or food or a myriad of other things. So what do most people do? Grab a couple of Motrin to try to help alleviate the symptom instead of using their brain and asking, “When was the last time I ate. Oh, it was eight hours ago. I betcha, that’s why I have a headache. Maybe I should eat something.”
So is ChatGPT a good thing or a bad thing?
As you can see, we had some fun writing this article. As for ChatGPT, we think it’s a good thing, but the jury is still out on how much it will help or hinder certain human behaviors, how much reliance people put into it using it as a crutch instead of tapping into their own creativity, how it will be regulated for authenticity, and if it will just push us all further into our devices instead of bringing us closer together. If, however, it’s used to help us be more creative and more productive together without losing everything that makes us human (sense of humor, diverse perspectives, truly, etc.), and our brands stand for something truly unique, I’m all for it.
So go. Explore ChatGPT. Have fun with it. But remember that it’s just another tool in the tool kit. Like your keyboard and mouse, social media, Google Analytics, and other helpful tools of the trade. However, it’s the craftsperson using them that holds the real power. If you don’t believe me, just ask ChatGPT. It agrees.
About Incite Creative, Inc.: Incite Creative is a marketing advisory firm that works in an outsourced capacity. In short, we become your company’s chief marketing officer (CMO) and do so virtually and efficiently — saving you time and money. Since 1999 we’ve had the pleasure of building and boosting brands for a core set of industries. Our thoughtful process, experienced team, and vested interest in our client’s success have positioned us as one of the Mid-Atlantic’s most sought-after marketing partners for those looking to grow their brand awareness and bottom line. Stop paying for digital and traditional services you may not need. Our retainer, no markup model means our recommendations don’t come with any catch or commission. The advice we provide aligns with what you need and what fits within your budget. For more information, contact us at 410-366-9479 or [email protected].
