#8: Circle to Search / Cybermind Nexus / Reflecting Disaster / Sell chips? / Should’ve gone to Specsavers

Good Monday to you.

I hope you had a great weekend and survived Storm Isha unscathed! Moving towards February, we are looking at all things Ai / Brand / Content / Web / SEO / once again, let's get going, shall we…

Last weeks highlights:

Projects wise: College rebrand very nearly ready to launch, see a sneek peak below. Kickoff on a London-based Solar Installers and Accountants website design and development. Visited the House of Marbles for glass-blowing and overall glass-based fun. Braved a seafront park during a storm to blow the cobwebs away…

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Here we are with edition #8 your Weekly Dose of: Ai / Brand / Content / Web / SEO / ??

SEARCH

Google’s New ‘Circle to Search’

Let's face it OpenAI knocked Google on its arse when it released its Ai can of worms (ChatGPT) back in Nov 2022.

BUT Google has been slowly pulling itself together - introducing SGE into search (Search Generative Experience) but has now gone further, tipping search on its head somewhat with 'Circle to Search'

A whole new arena has just opened up in terms of SEO, SGE and search in general.

First, there's a new "highlights" tool when you search for videos. Instead of making you watch a 10-minute clip to find the relevant part, Google scans the whole video with AI to pull out and preview just the most important 30-60 seconds related to your search.

It's like your phone can now skim videos to save you time.

The other big one is searching text inside images—no more typing out blurry words you can barely read on some meme or sign.

Google Image Search can now scan those words and let you search for specific phrases or names inside all kinds of pictures and graphics.

The tech behind this is called optical character recognition and neural networks. It works a lot like how self-driving cars "see" stop signs and pedestrians, but for scanning and understanding images and video.

For us regular phone searchers, it just makes finding stuff way faster. Like having your own personal AI librarian pointing you to the most helpful parts of what you're looking for.

Google says they'll be rolling out more of these "AI superpowers" this year to save us even more time and headaches.

This means your phone will basically be reading and digesting things for you.

RECOMMENDED

I highly recommend subscribing to the “Cybermind Nexus”?newsletter by Tom Vazdar, where psychology meets AI and Cybersecurity. By subscribing, you’ll receive weekly insights into this dynamic realm. Stay abreast of the latest AI advancements, cyberpsychology findings, and cybersecurity trends.

This carefully curated content promises to be both engaging and enlightening, keeping you informed in the rapidly evolving tech world. Sign up below:

AI FUN

Reflecting Disaster

TECH

During an AI rush, sell chips?

There’s an old saying, “During a gold rush, sell shovels.” Which is what Nvidia is doing right now, very successfully.

Let me explain. This AI stuff fascinates me. I was reading that Zuckerberg wants to make Meta an AI-first company and wants to build open-source AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) for everyone to use. ??

What is Artificial General Intelligence? AGI is the idea of creating artificial intelligence that can truly think and learn like a human. Today's AI is "narrow" - good at doing specific tasks it's designed for, like playing chess or identifying objects. AGI would go beyond this narrow scope.

An AGI system would be able to tackle many different problems it encounters, using reasoning, planning and creativity to come up with solutions. It would keep expanding what it knows and can do through accumulated life experiences, much like a person.

Developing AGI is widely seen as extremely difficult. Some believe it's necessary to achieve things like computer programs with common sense or AI that can assist people by understanding natural conversations. But AGI also comes with big challenges around controlling such powerful systems and making sure their goals align with human values.

In simple terms, AGI aims to artificially recreate the remarkable general mental capabilities of humans that let us thrive in so many situations. Achieving it remains more of an ambitious hope than reality right now. The race is on, though, among leading AI researchers seeking to be the first to engineer this major leap in machine intelligence.

Some of the AGI stuff I've read points to it being pretty scary stuff if not controlled - Skynet-type stuff…possibly. In order for Meta to achieve AGI, it has to have massive computing power - they have bought up 340,000 of Nvidia's highly sought-after H100 chips this year (apparently worth $30k-$40k each, btw) and are aiming for 600,000 by the end of 2024. Now, other companies are scrambling to secure Nvidia's AI chips. Microsoft is also doing this and has secured a similar amount of H100 chips.

Without enough computing power, AI doesn't progress. So a smart investment if you had wind of this a year ago would have been to buy Nvidia shares at $167.

Nvidia's share price is now nearly $600 If you'd bought Nvidia 5 years ago it was $40..

So, “During an AI rush, sell chips.”?

Seems Nvidia's doing very well following that.

BRAND

Should’ve gone to Specsavers

“Should’ve gone to Specsavers” is a 20-something. That is how long they have been using that slogan to great effect. I recently stumbled across this Specsavers campaign from back in 2022.

The campaign humorously illustrates the pitfalls of installing billboards without wearing glasses

.The billboards, labelled as ‘Billboard Blunder,’ ‘Dodgy Install,’ and ‘Lost Ladder,’ depict misaligned posters and even a ladder, brush, and paste bucket apparently stuck within the display. This outdoor spectacle, ahem, not only grabs attention but even transcends the usual norms of advertising, hinting at elements of modern art.

A memorable and smart approach by Specsavers that worked both offline and online with social sharing. What advertising slogans have stood the test of time in your memory?

AI

If something is free, you are the product...

As we move toward a generative AI future, it looks like the era of free Internet services may be reaching an end.

Why?

AI requires a huge investment. Building large language models is not only costly but also resource-hungry.

So it seems the Googles and Amazons, etc are starting to explore paid subscription models to support these advancements.

For example: Amazon's "Remarkable Alexa," will be a revamped version of Alexa powered by a new, large language model, is expected to be a paid offering.

Also, Google's Bard chatbot, which is its advanced AI offering, may also follow a subscription-based model.

Alongside this, generative AI like SGE looks like it might reduce the space for ads, and tech companies are feeling the pressure to maintain revenue growth and strong profit margins.

Charging for new AI services seems like a solution to keep their earning momentum.

So will SEO, Google Ads etc die a slow death? I guess, we shall see.

COPY

Word Mash

“Brandgasm”.

This week's word mash (new feature) is 'Brandgasm'.

'Brandgasm' is that exhilarating moment when you see a marketing campaign that's so creative and so perfectly executed that it gives you chills.

I've had a few 'Brandgasms' over the years.

It's when an advertisement or a branding strategy is so impactful, it stays with you.

Like witnessing a piece of art, but in the form of marketing.

Ever experienced a 'Brandgasm' from an exceptionally clever ad?

What was the last marketing campaign that really wowed you?

Share your most unforgettable 'Brandgasm' moment. What campaign left you in awe?

*Marketing Insight - A 'Brandgasm' is a testament to the power of creative marketing and how innovative strategies can leave lasting impressions and forge strong emotional connections with consumers.

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That's all for this week folks.

Have a great week and I’ll see you next Monday!

Gareth

DotMedia