Recently, I have been playing with a few AI apps. Early days, sure. But it did cause some reflection.
One: marketing communications. Two: drumming – two things I know a bit about. Maybe just enough to make me dangerous … or wrong?
I remember when the “desktop publishing” craze hit, and a lot of folks started doing their own designs. They were mostly horrible, with bad fonts and lots of “shadows!”
Lots has improved since those early days. Thank _____! (Pick your deity.)
However, we have entered what I call the “Era of the Amateur.” As in, “Hey, how hard can it be?”
“It,” meaning advertising, copy, marcom, or music … you pick.
In fact, I started to do research for a book idea, but it stalled because I could not find an industry where the “era of the amateur” had not seeped in. Well, big whoop on my book idea! And in some industries, that seems to be the rule vs the exception!
And AI made me think of drumming, more specifically drum machines. They were invented way, way back (1931) and became popular and more common when the prices were within reach, starting in the ’70s.
You click a button, and out come words (AI) or beats (drum machine).
In marcom, add to that all the graphic templates available: Adobe, Spark, Canva, Pixlr, et al. You get … and I struggled with the words here? Banal content? Pablum? Ineffective communications? The Era of the Amateur?
“Amateur” is the operative word here. Plus, with the proliferation of social media platforms, we are swamped with content – words and pictures nonstop!
Will it get better? Sure. And trying to be positive here, I hope it does?
Drum machines and recording software are now amazing, with numerous VSTs in music software like Logic or Pro Tools, and no doubt AI will become more sophisticated as well.
Will AI replace writers? No. But it will replace a lot of opportunities for good writing with the “How hard can it be?” crowd, who will flock to it like moths to a flame.
In marcom, I have heard it said … “I’ll do the copy; how hard can it be?” With the proliferation of AI apps, it will become far more prevalent.
Beware the Era of the Amateur.
Take it from the top! One more time without feeling! And a 5 … 6… 7… 8…
Now to be absolutely fair I do love ChatGPT. I have used it to sort large lists and help give me ideas to start writing and even did some descriptions that I asked for me!
Oh … just saw this on LinkedIn from Andy Crestodina: