I try not to talk too much about AI for the sake of it, however, there were three really interesting news stories in my news feeds this week that I felt warranted grouping together, and it feels worth taking a moment to step back and think about where we are with AI, its increasing role in our day-to-day lives, as well as what this means for us marketers.
Firstly, there’s Google’s new Pixel and the way it incorporates AI to ensure ease of use. Then, there’s the spread of misinformation as AI is increasingly taught by…AI. And finally, what impact could AI have on our relationships or the way we define relationships?
Beyond this there was the small matter of two eccentric dudes having a chat on X, as well as a few platform updates worth a look.
A vicious circle – AI & Wikipedia
Sherwood published a thought-provoking piece on AI and what it means for Wikipedia this week. Essentially, with AI tools becoming more widespread, there’s an increasing gap between where people find information (i.e. by asking Chat GPT) and its sources (i.e. by going to well-known and established websites).
This could have an impact on Wikipedia, as fewer people might contribute if they’re not visiting the site directly. It should be noted that to date, Wikipedia hasn’t reported a notable drop in traffic due to AI. However, without proper attribution and source links, AI applications could flood the internet with a wave of misinformation. And who will Wikipedia turn to in order to keep its records updated? AI. Uh oh.
Google Pixel’s new AI features
Google unveiled its Pixel 9 earlier this week, with a raft of new AI features designed to compete with Apple’s upcoming slate.
These included enhanced voice recognition, real-time language translation, and predictive text (i.e. things that will make using the thing a lot easier). These innovations could potentially surpass what Apple is offering, meaning that Apple now has to scramble to work out a response.
What does this mean for us? Well, firstly, anyone with even a tangential interest in app development should be keeping an eye on iOS vs Android market shares, and anything that might disrupt this.
But beyond that, as Google continues to integrate advanced AI into its ecosystem, there might be an increased demand for marketing strategies that tie in to these. And, of course, it goes without saying for any regular reader of this newsletter – good SEO is your best way to ensure your brand is represented properly via AI!
AI & Relationships
While we’re on the subject of AI, this is a chunky read (and there is a podcast featuring the interview), but if you’re looking for something to peruse over your lunch break, this interview with the CEO of Replika – a firm which specialises in chatbots – is fascinating, on the future of AI and the role AI will play in future relationships. The company’s goal, essentially, is to create a new category based on virtual relationships that has never really been fathomed beyond sci-fi.
On a related note, a recent Economist article also mentioned Volar, which is already running ‘dates’ between AI profiles to assess compatibility. Bumble apparently wants to move toward this as well. Wild!
Further Reading
More AI: this time from SEMRush, and a visualisation of the impact that Generative AI is having on search trends.
Away from AI, the major news in the world of socials this week was the eccentric conversation between Elon Musk & Donald Trump on X. I enjoyed Stephen Colbert’s take, personally. Related: the European Commission has warned Musk over inflammatory content. I am pretty confident it will not change his output one iota.
We talked about this last week, but Search Engine Land has a little more on the news that the US Government is considering forcing a breakup of Google.
Ever had a stakeholder ask what a view on a social post actually was? Well, this infographic of views on different platforms should help answer that question!
X reported record-high usage during the 2024 Olympics. Shocking, I know, but still a neat illustration of the impact major sporting events can still have.
TikTok has struck a deal with Amazon to sell products in-platform. Social shopping continues to progress!
Instagram is working on a feature that will let you see where (a refined group of) friends are currently.
That’s it! If you found this interesting then I would really appreciate it if you shared this with your friends and colleagues.
If you’re feeling particularly generous, then I won’t stop you from buying me a coffee. Have a great weekend and I’ll see you next week!