An OP-ED on what ChatGPT means for creative agencies

We live in the future, and, oh, what a time it is to be alive.?

The internet has been swirling with chatter about OpenAI's latest model, ChatGPT. I'm sure we've all encountered it in some form or fashion. It's clearly going to be a while before we have definitive answers to a lot of our questions, but here are a few things we do know...?

Companies should use caution while things are still developing.

ChatGPT implies some serious benefits,?the extent of which is being debated. But it's?yet to be seen how many of these will be legal/aligned with various platform guidelines.?

Many legal teams are currently disputing the legality of the tool?(and AI more broadly) for certain use cases. In the meantime,?ChatGPT places the burden on users to determine whether their use case is appropriate?and secure the necessary permissions to use content.?

AI-generated copy is easy (for computers) to track and identify.

AI models apply?algorithmic watermarks (think of it like a digital fingerprint) that make it easy to identify what content it creates. ChatGPT doesn't currently do this, but it says it plans to. The implied risk here is if the outcomes of ongoing legal discussions deem certain content to be illegal or if platforms like Google/Facebook/etc. deem it to be in violation of guidelines, content creators who have been using it could be exposed.?

AI-generated copy is against Google's Webmaster Guidelines.

Google’s Search Advocate John Mueller says?content automatically generated with AI writing tools is considered spam, according to the search engine’s webmaster guidelines.?

There's an ongoing debate about whether or not models like this can be used for SEO?without penalty. While there isn't a clear answer (blame the lawyers), Google recently updated its?policy on AI-generated content to specifically call out "spammy" content that doesn't add value. That's a little bit of a punt, but my read is that while Google isn't ready to take an overt stance on ChatGPT, it is maintaining its position on the importance of creating content that is relevant and useful. After all, its business model is built on creating solid user experiences.

There are some things ChatGPT can't do.

1. It's programmed to avoid graphic violence, explicit sex, and content that could be potentially harmful.

2. It's unaware of current events (i.e., it doesn't know about anything created after 2021).

3. It has a bias. It's intentionally trained to be helpful, truthful, and harmless. That bias has a significant impact on the tone and story arc of its content.?

4. It requires highly detailed instructions if you want high-quality, original content. The more instructions you give, the more sophisticated the output. I.e., if you want it to take a specific POV or align with your brand?tone, you have to tell it to.?

The Bottom Line: ChatGPT can create efficiencies, but we still need humans to ensure content is relevant, accurate, and valuable.

Chat GPT can organize and summarize research, help you build an outline, and even assist with rough drafts, but humans should still play a role in?directing, reviewing, and creating content.

One of the more powerful ways creative agencies should seek to use AI tools like ChatGPT is to improve and accelerate the creative process. With access to more organized information and more time to focus on creative brainstorming and creation, the door is wide open for improving creative output, even on more limited budgets.