Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard a lot about AI in the last couple of weeks. So much so, that you might be tired of it.
So to give you a bit of a breather before we jump into the big question of Should I Use AI in My Business?
Here is some comic relief…
Hey Chat!
Write a dad joke about someone who does not know what is going on in the world because they are hiding under a rock…
Sure, here's a dad joke for you:
Why did the person who was hiding under a rock have no clue about current events?
Because they were living in sedimentary confinement!
Ha, classic Chat, you are too funny…now go play with Bard.
That joke was actually from ChatGPT, and it made me laugh. It’s pretty freaking funny, but pretty frightening how well it understands cornball humor.
But not to worry. I will explain why we shouldn’t be worried that AI or ChatGPT will replace our jobs or become America’s favorite dad…
In case you haven’t followed the story much… what exactly is this AI sorcery?
ChatGPT is a Large Language Model that generates and structures text based on prompts that we input. Basically we tell it to say/write something, and it spits out a bunch of text based on our ask (prompt).
But the thing is, it is doesn’t know what it’s saying or have plan for what to say next. That is on you…You are the one that understands what it is saying and plans on what you want it to say next.
It is a tool that you control. Nothing more. We can use for jokes, or code, or research, or mass disinformation campaigns to topple governments. It can do many things, but it is (so far) entirely driven by us hyumons.
It is powerful. And that makes people nervous. Because we don’t know how much of US it can replace. Or if it will replace our jobs. Or how much of an impact it will have on the future of humanity.
Dire, no?
But not to worry…
Because Tables.
A Seat at the Table
In order to understand AI and the role it plays in our lives and in our businesses, we need a different perspective on how people communicate.
Not what communication is, or how we do it… but where does communication take place?
Which is at the table…
First off, what is a table?
A table is a flat surface propped up on 4 legs. It is where we go to eat, to drink, to play board games. We use tables in meetings. We sit at our desks at work. We get hired and fired from tables. The first date we had with our significant other was at a table. We meet with friends and family around tables.
Tables are central to how we interact with others. It is where we connect, converse, and communicate.
But broadly speaking, a table is type of platform. An area, physical or not, where people interact with others.
When you watch a Broadway show, the audience sits in front of a stage, where the cast performs a play. At a football stadium, the crowd sits in the stands around a big table to watch their favorite team battle it out. In a church, a preacher stands behind a small podium, delivering their sermon to people sitting in pews facing them. In a courtroom, judge hear a case from behind a very ornate table.
On your phone even. We log Twitter or LinkedIn or Instagram, or other social media platforms…
This newsletter is my platform. A place where I communicate ideas to you, the audience.
In all of these instances, people gather and sit in front a platform where they interact with others. Regardless of the shape or size.
But what about going on a walk with a friend and talking? No table there!
Yes, it is true that not all communication is done around a table or platform. We talk with others all the time when we are outside, or during a commute, or at the gym.
However, 99% of all the communication that is structured, planned, or has a purpose takes place around a table.
Most of our day is spent around tables. And when we are not at a table, we are between tables. Until we get tired, then we go lay down.
…on a flat surface propped up on 4 legs.
People will never look at bots as someone who is part of the conversation whose opinions has as much weight as their own.
I like the phrase a seat at the table.
It means you are part of a conversation and your opinions have just as much weight in a decision as other people at the table. We want that. We want a seat at our respective tables so we can connect, converse, and communicate with our peers.
And this is why AI will never replace people.
AI is not invited to have a seat at the table. It cannot add to the conversation in a meaningful way on its own. It doesn’t have emotion or nuance, and even if it can pick up enough data points to give a human-like response, it is still a bot. And people will never look at bots as someone who is part of the conversation whose opinions has as much weight as their own.
AI can help those at the table. Like in seriously advanced ways that we don’t even know yet. But those seat will always be filled with butts. Not bots.
Will AI Take Our Jobs?
Plenty of copywriters, designers, and coders worry that AI will replace their jobs, which is because plenty of business owners and marketers are excited to save money on task they think can be handles with AI.
But it is not the simple.
First of all, any business owner who is looking for cheaper labor in AI is not smart enough to use it effectively. They may try, but they will get shit results…because the output is based on input. And owners need copywriters and designers not only for the output, but for the input.
For example, I built a landing page this week. It was a cool concept, and after I put everything together, I was pleased with it. It looked good… but I still needed a hero image. So I called our designer and explained the concept so she could make something for it.
This morning she sent me the mock up of the page with the new banner. Damn Sam. What I thought was good, now looked awesome. It was on brand. It was ready for prime time.
Me, myself, and AI could never of achieved that on our own. We needed an expert. And those experts will be in high demand. Always.
Here is a quote from The Rise of the Evident Expert:
This is what we will see in the age of AI and ChatGPT once again. Those who have the highest levels of expertise and experience, those with a track record that can be seen and experienced, will become the Evident Experts, in high demand by employers and customers alike. It is time to perfect your craft, gain skills, and most importantly, create evidence of those skills.
Bob Hutchins, The Human Voice
AI gives output, not input. Some low level, non-critical tasks might be handled by an AI program, but when it comes to creative and critical thinking, we will always need the evident expert on our teams… or our work is destined for mediocrity.
Experts will always be needed.
Should I Use AI in My Business?
I am not on the Ra-Ra side of AI yet.
So far I have seen tons of apps that use AI to provide a solution-in-search-of-a-problem, and fewer apps that provide solutions to real problems. But all in all, we are learning and that is part of the process.
So should we use it in business?
Yes. If it helps you do something faster, better, or more efficiently, go for it.
But remember… As a brand, you are sitting at a table with your customers. You are bringing your brand personality, your brand voice, and even your people to the table. You have a seat at the table.
But if you use AI to replace your personality, your voice, or your people, you lose part of yourself. And your customers will notice. And they might not invite you back to their table.
Marketers and tech-minded people are embracing it wholeheartedly. They see the potential and possibilities in how it might improve or augment our capabilities. But before we jump headlong into a world of automation, we might want to reflect that the world is just coming out of a weird time in history where we were all isolated from each other. And as much as we don’t get along, we all missed human interaction.
We all just wanted to get back to our seat at the table.
AI is going to do many things, but it will never replace people and our need to be around other people. A business that embraces AI could do some cool stuff, but if it automates them into a faceless corporation… they will have a hard time finding a seat at the table.
If you want to follow more on this topic, check out The Human Voice by Bob Hutchins for more insight and perspective into tech and how they fit into the human experience.