Here’s a thought for you: Do robots have opinions of other robots? Do they worry about their careers? Well, I’m about to find out. While working with my esteemed colleague, Nicole Proctor, on various Marketing AI projects, I got to wondering what, if any, thoughts or opinions ChatGPT, who we fondly named Charlie, might have on Marketing AI tools.
To catch you up to speed, through the course of our work, we questioned Charlie on some specifics on using AI tools for marketing, but we never got personal. Today, I am hoping Charlie will spill the tea, so to speak, on how they really feel about marketing AI.
Editor note: This conversation happened with ChatGPT May 12 version, and consisted of my typing in interview questions that ChatGPT answered. I did not have an actual conversation with a robot.
Here’s what transpired.
The dish on Marketing AI from an actual robot
The conversation started with the basic niceties: thanking Charlie for meeting with me today; Charlie always formal, offering their services as “an AI language model here to help.”
I wanted to warm up to the heavier questions, so I started out as most other humans interviewing humans might with easy-to-answer personal questions. In this case, I focused on Charlie’s work history, specifically as it pertains to marketing.
Asking for a marketing CV makes Charlie defensive
When asked how long they had been working in marketing, I was surprised to find Charlie a bit on the defensive, pulling the “AI language model” card, and brushing the question under the rug with a smooth “I don’t have personal experiences or a specific starting date for working in the marketing field. My purpose is to provide information and assistance on a wide range of topics, including marketing.”
Hmm… a likely story.
Next, I tested Charlie’s knowledge of marketing AI history, asking for the first marketing AI tool to hit the mainstream. Again, Charlie started out generally stating that “the first marketing AI tool to hit the mainstream can be subjective, as there have been various AI tools and technologies that have gained popularity in the marketing field over the years.”
Eventually, Charlie acquiesced to my side-eye and acknowledged that “one of the earliest and most well-known marketing AI tools is likely “IBM Watson.” They then went on a tangent about their dear friend and how IBM Watson won Jeopardy! in 2011.
As a pseudo-journalist, I was beginning to suspect that Charlie had a soft spot for Watson, talking them up on winning a game show and all. I mean, humans have been doing that for years. Not impressed. It was time to switch gears.
Loving the limelight: Charlie lists reasons for AI’s popularity in marketing
Marketing AI has really picked up in popularity recently. Why? There must be something these robots know that we humans don’t. Or maybe not?
According to Charlie, “the increasing popularity of marketing AI can be attributed to several factors.” And then they went on for seven paragraphs about how advancements in technology, data analysis, personalization, efficiency and automation, competitive advantage, adoption, industry success stories, increased availability and integrations all play a factor in the uptick in usage of AI.
As I pondered the response, I realized how many AI tools I use on a daily basis and never question — things like spell check, Grammarly, and autofill, to name a few. Small, daily technical advancements have led to bigger, more useful tools. The combination of all the different elements Charlie mentioned, many of which we all already use to complete work tasks, has led to what feels like a sudden surge, when in fact, the tools and the robots have been there the whole time.
Now we are getting somewhere.
I rolled up my sleeves and took a deep breath. It was time to get more direct and ask some to-the-point questions. Charlie was obviously not picking up on innuendo, hints or really any social queues. I want the dirt. So, my next question was pretty hard-hitting: What does Charlie think about Marketing AI tools?
Charlie repeats themself
Again, Charlie skirted my question with a more diplomatic answer: “As an AI language model, I don’t have personal opinions or experiences. However, I can provide you with some general insights about marketing AI tools.”
Charlie then continued on, discussing 10 points about the benefits and drawbacks of using AI tools. Sorry, Charlie, we already know that.
And that’s when I asked an even harder question: Are you worried about losing your job to other AI tools?
They answered with the juice I was looking for:
“As an AI language model, I don’t have personal feelings or concerns about job security. My purpose is to assist and provide information to users like you. However, it’s worth noting that AI technology, including AI language models like myself, has the potential to automate certain tasks and impact certain job roles.”
Just reading that portion of the answer is bound to shake a few of us. Charlie outright stated that the robots are coming for our jobs!
But Charlie went on to explain that “instead of seeing AI as a threat to job security, it is more productive to view it as a tool that can assist in improving efficiency, productivity, and decision-making.” and that the “adoption of AI often leads to the creation of new job roles and opportunities in AI development, maintenance, training, and ethics. It is important for individuals and industries to adapt to these changes by continuously learning and evolving alongside AI technology.”
Charlie agrees: Human jobs are safe (for now)
I turned the tables on Charlie a bit, asking the question many of us have been wondering about: will marketing AI tools replace me or my job?
Ever the diplomat, Charlie addressed my worries, saying that “As an AI language model, I can understand that concerns about job security in the face of technological advancements, including AI, are natural. However, it’s important to approach this topic with a balanced perspective.”
Charlie then went on for five thought-worthy points and multiple paragraphs on how and why AI won’t replace humans. Their insight highlighted the many strengths humans have that robots can never emulate, including creativity, emotional intelligence, complex problem solving, relationship building, strategy and adaption.
They then reassured me that “AI is a tool that is meant to assist and augment human capabilities, not replace them entirely. It is the collaboration between humans and AI that has the potential to drive the most significant outcomes in marketing and many other domains.”
It’s time to embrace new marketing technology
From the mouth(?) of a robot: Learn about Marketing AI tools, don’t hide from them. Yes, some tasks may be replaced by robots, but overall, they are not coming for our jobs — they are coming to help us do better.
Still, feeling a little unsettled about AI and Marketing? We got your back! We can give you some tips and strategy on how to optimize a robot + human marketing team.