This blog is by David Nathan, CEO/Founder of Scaler Marketing: Welcome To The Age Of Artificial Intelligence (AI) In Marketing
Welcome to the age of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing! As businesses increasingly turn to technology to streamline their operations and reach more customers, AI has emerged as a powerful tool for generating content that is both efficient and effective. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at two specific types of AI-generated content: AI copy generation and AI image generation. Let’s jump in!
AI Copy Generation: Let's Talk NLG
First up, we have AI copy generation, also known as natural language generation (NLG). This technology uses algorithms to generate text that sounds like it was written by a human. As opposed to human generated content that can often sound like a robot!
How Does NLG Work?
Well, NLG algorithms can be trained on a variety of data sources, like news articles, product descriptions, and social media posts, to learn how to write in a particular style or tone. This means businesses can use NLG to create product descriptions, email newsletters, and other types of marketing collateral without relying on human writers. It's like having a robot copywriter that never needs a coffee break!
Does this mean you can just push a button and automatically create an endless stream of incredible content that will forever change your life for the better? Well, not exactly, but it can make your life easier if you are willing to invest some time into learning how the software works, provide it with the necessary inputs, and maybe even edit some of the generated content to further fit your needs and match your desired voice.
We were curious to learn a bit more about how AI tools actually generate text, so we turned to Google. Believe it or not, it was pretty tough to find any actually informative articles, so we thought we would ask AI itself. Here's the answer we got back:
AI generates text using a technique called natural language processing (NLP). NLP is a branch of AI that focuses on teaching machines to understand and manipulate human language.
There are different methods for generating text with AI, but one of the most common approaches is through a technique called "deep learning," which involves training a neural network on large amounts of text data.
The process involves feeding the neural network with text data, allowing it to analyze patterns and relationships within the data, and then using this knowledge to generate new text based on a given input or prompt.
For example, a text generation model could be trained on a large dataset of news articles, and then given a prompt like "The United States and China are..." The model could then generate a coherent and plausible sentence or paragraph about the relationship between the two countries based on what it has learned from the training data.
Another common approach to text generation is the use of "language models," which are neural networks that can predict the likelihood of a given sequence of words based on the patterns it has learned from a training dataset. These models can then generate new text by sampling from the predicted likelihood distribution.
Overall, the process of generating text with AI involves a combination of statistical techniques, machine learning algorithms, and natural language understanding to produce coherent and meaningful text.
So, What Can You Do With AI Copy Generation?
The possibilities for using AI copy generation in marketing are virtually endless. You can use it to:
- Create product descriptions that stand out from the competition.
- Write email newsletters that engage your audience.
- Craft social media posts that get people talking.
- Autogenerate SEO pages to drive more traffic to your website.
- Outline ideas for new blog posts or even write the entire post.
- Brainstorm headlines and titles.
You can even write entire children's books that will entertain your children in real time!
This children's book was written in the carpool line as I was dropping off my kids at school.
Meet Max and Daisy
Max and Daisy are the lovable monsters from the AI generated children's book shown above. They are also created in AI, but we'll get to AI image generation in a little bit.
But I digress...The best part? NLG can be used to generate large volumes of content quickly and efficiently, saving you time and resources. It's kind of like having an army of robot copywriters at your fingertips, that you can control with your mind, but really more accurately with your finger tips!
Text-based Platforms Worth Exploring:
While there are countless text based AI platforms that are worth exploring, here are a few we have found easy enough for anyone to start using:
- OpenAI's GPT-3: OpenAI's language model is one of the most advanced AI platforms for natural language processing. It can generate text that is almost indistinguishable from human-written text, and can be used for a variety of tasks, including content creation, customer service, and chatbot development. GPT-4 is already in Beta and available through the Bing search engine.
- Copy.ai: Copy.ai is a platform that specializes in AI copy generation, offering a range of tools for creating content, including ad copy, product descriptions, and social media posts.
- Jasper.ai: Jasper is an AI-powered virtual assistant that is designed to help businesses automate their customer support and engagement. It uses natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms to understand customer inquiries and respond with relevant and helpful information.
Our favorite? OpenAI’s Chat-GPT ✅
AI Image Generation: Deep Learning For Dummies
Next up, we have AI image generation. Often criticized as just stealing existing images and repurposing them, this is actually not an accurate explanation of how it works. So, how does it work?
This technology uses deep learning, a type of machine learning that uses artificial neural networks to identify patterns in data to generate images that are visually similar to real-world photographs. By training these networks on large datasets of images, AI algorithms can learn how to generate new images that look like they could have been captured by a camera. So you can now create photorealistic images of places that don’t actually exist or generate graphic renderings of whatever you can muster up in your thoughts without years of experience using 3D render software.
For a slightly deeper analysis of how AI generates images in light of a recent class action lawsuit against some popular platforms, check out this article: Artists file class-action lawsuit against Stability AI, DeviantArt, and Midjourney
What Can You Do With AI Image Generation?
Just like with AI copy generation, the possibilities for using AI image generation in marketing are virtually endless. You can use it to:
- Design, or at least inspire direction for, stunning websites.
- Create eye-catching social media posts.
- Develop advertising campaigns that grab people's attention.
- Explore unique approaches to trade show booths and banner ads.
- Enhance stock imagery to better match your brand.
- Create images to support and liven up your blog posts.
The best part? AI image generation can save you time and resources by automating the process of creating visual content. As a creative agency we not only use AI generated images ourselves, but we also often use these images as a source of inspiration and added direction and instruction when we need to hire a designer for a particular task.
Image-Based Platforms Worth Exploring:
While there are countless image-based AI platforms that are worth exploring, here are a few we have found easy enough for anyone to start using:
- Midjourney: Midjourney uses generative adversarial networks (GANs) to create high-quality images from scratch, allowing users to select a style and generate new images that match that style. The platform also offers a range of pre-trained models for image processing, including image restoration, super-resolution, and colorization.
- DALL-E: DALL-E is an AI platform developed by OpenAI that can generate images from text descriptions. The platform uses a combination of natural language processing and computer vision to understand and interpret text descriptions, then generates an image that matches the description.
- RunwayML: RunwayML is a platform that allows users to experiment with a range of AI models and algorithms, including those for image generation. It offers a user-friendly interface that allows users to upload images, adjust settings, and generate new images in real-time.
Our favorite? Midjourney ✅
The Pros and Cons of AI-Generated Content
While there are many benefits to using AI-generated content in marketing, there are also potential downsides to consider. For example, AI-generated content may lack the creativity and nuance that human writers and designers can bring to the table. Additionally, there is a risk of errors or inaccuracies in the content produced by AI algorithms. It’s always a good idea to check everything you create using AI and also to understand that this technology is only so capable. There is still so much it cannot do and real life writers and designers are still, and always likely will be, a huge part of the creative process. However, by balancing the use of AI-generated content with human creativity and judgment, businesses can achieve the best of both worlds.
Should We Be Worried About AI?
This is a question we are often asked, and to be honest, from a doomsday, end-of-world-scenario point of view we don't really know. But what we do know is that photographers feared the digital camera, graphic designers feared the computer, math teachers feared the calculator, and many people still fear the internet. Often it's not about what a technology can do, but how we use it that will determine whether it's a good thing or a bad thing.
Technology is constantly evolving, and with this evolution the way we do things changes. We can't really stop it, so the more we can understand it the more we can adapt. Will AI replace the need for designers and copy writers? In some ways, sure, but just like the calculator didn't replace the need for #2 pencils, there will always be a need for human touch. The question might just become how can we as humans use AI to create more immersive and creative experiences, as opposed to worrying about whether AI is going to put us out of business.
In Conclusion: AI is Here to Stay
As AI continues to evolve and become more advanced, it's clear that this technology will play an increasingly important role in the future of marketing. By leveraging the power of AI copy generation and AI image generation, businesses can create high-quality content more efficiently and effectively than ever before. So what are you waiting for? Get those creative juices flowing and and start exploring the wild world of AI-generated content for yourself!
To buy tickets to the SAMPS Boston Event on December 6th, 2023, visit: https://events.samps.org/.
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