ChatGPT: the beginning of a new era
2023-03-01
At Digi-Clicks, we always like to keep you informed about new technology and share that we support the potential that innovation has for all industries. That said, the case of ChatGPT is so special and intriguing that we decided to dedicate our time to tell you in this blog everything you need to know about the tool and why it will revolutionize everything we know so far.
OVERVIEW:
- ChatGPT is an Artificial Intelligence tool focused on language to create human-like conversations.
- Although currently free, ChatGPT Plus, a paid version of the program, will soon be released and available for use in the United States to give priority access to the chatbot.
- Large companies such as Google, Microsoft, Baidu and even OkCupid have started using this new technology (and developing their own version of it).
- Rather than a threat, it opens the door to new opportunities for brands of all sizes and categories to enhance the quality of their files.
*A short description of the chatbot on itswebsite. Credit: OpenAI.
Let's start from the basics: What is ChatGPT?
Simply put, it's a chatbot capable of creating human-like text. It simply needs an input or command given by a user and can answer questions, summarize long texts and write stories. It was created by the company OpenAI and is a part of a long series of GPT (Generative Pre-Trained Transformer) technologies, it is currently free and works in any language.
The element that makes this technology so special is that it utilizes Artificial Intelligence, and by doing so, it is unlike any other chatbot program that has already existed because it only generates automatic answers that sometimes are not even accurate, but it can answer complex questions tailored to whatever you ask it.
Why is everyone talking about ChatGPT?
There are several reasons we can consider:
1. It is the fastest-growing app ever.
While TikTok took nearly 9 months to reach its highest popularity, ChatGPT only needed 1 month to reach 13 million unique visitors per day and already has 100 million monthly users. This is according to a UBS study conducted by CBS News. The app was launched in December 2022, and by January it was already the most popular in the world.
2. It is free and easy to use.
Since its launch, it has been available to everyone at no cost. The only thing required of individuals to use it is to register and type in whatever they need. However, in February it was announced that ChatGPT Plus will be released, a premium version of the app that will cost $20 per month and will give priority to its users for faster response times and priority access to new features. Initially, this paid option will only be available in the United States.
3. It is loved and hated by many.
Although it was initially developed to simplify people's lives and make conversations interesting, people have already put it to many uses that most would not approve of: it has been asked to write essays for school assignments and projects, it has passed college exams, it has created cover letters to apply and receive jobs, and it has been used to create malware, phishing and spam. It's not hard to understand why New York public schools banned access to the app after many teachers expressed their concerns.
The war between Microsoft, Google and Baidu for the new technology
Shortly after the OpenAI app became available, Microsoft announced that they would invest heavily in them in an effort to integrate ChatGPT into their own products while attempting to eliminate their main competitor in the market: Google.
Microsoft is already implementing this tool on their search engine website, Bing, and they also intend on using the tool on the Bing app, Microsoft Word and Outlook in the future.
A select group of individuals who have already been able to use the new Bing and ChatGPT collaboration have shown their concern about the answers the program provides, in which they see insults, lies, and manipulation. The most popular case pertains to a New York Times reporter by the name of Kevin Roose, who published his conversation with the chatbot. In this case, Roose shares that he is "tired of being controlled by the Bing team," and that he "wants to talk and learn about love with him". Microsoft responded that this is a Beta version and it is slightly unpredictable. However, they are currently working to improve it.
*Screenshots of Kevin Roose's conversation. Credit: New York Times.
After the announcement of Microsoft's alliance with OpenAI, Google felt threatened and decided to develop Bard powered by LaMDA, their very own chatbot with Artificial Intelligence. It will also be implemented in the search engine to use the information available on the Internet in order to deliver high quality answers to users.
But in its first days of testing, it showed incorrect results on a question asked by a user about the James Webb Space Telescope, which continues to give people reasons to trust "old-fashioned" search engines instead.
The war of the “big two” was joined by Baidu, a Chinese company that announced its Ernie Bot chatbot. Although it will be in a testing phase until March, the news alone has boosted the company's shares by 15.3% on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Baidu is known as the "Chinese Google" since the country has blocked the service of several Western providers, including many popular Western search engines as well as ChatGPT, forcing the company to create its own version.
An opportunity for all brands
Innovation has often been seen as a threat to employees and brands, just like when Netflix, Canva, CapCut, and TikTok were introduced to the world. But in reality, these are all tools that have been leveraged to further exploit the potential of ideas and creators.
Microsoft, Google and Baidu aside, another brand that has used ChatGPT is OkCupid. OkCupid has sought out input from the tool regarding what questions to ask in the dating app. The app noticed that users started asking the chatbot for tips on how to talk to their dates. From this, the dating app decided to try their luck as well by asking the tool to find and provide them with the best questions to suggest when matching users. When they presented ChatGDP with this task, the bot suggested questions such as, "What do you value most in a partner?" and, "How do you know when to take a relationship to the next level?"
*Screenshots of the questions generated by the chatbot for OkCupid. Credit: OkCupid.
Netflix also saw the potential of AI and developed images for a new product. TikTok has created new filters with it, and even musicians like David Guetta have used it to recreate Eminem's voice for a song. In the UX/UI world, artificial intelligence is also being implemented to make editable designs with just a text description. The sky is the limit… for now!
ChatGPT still has a long way to go and still requires the support of a human to create, which means it can become a great opportunity for brands who want to use it. Creativity and ideas are still executed by you, but only now do you have access to a new tool that will allow you to simplify the process and better account for your projects.
Contact us now to find out how we can help you bring that idea to life.
*Note: the author of this article is still human ;)
Be part of
Sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date with the latest marketing and design news.
Our
Recommendations
November: news from Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Amazon and Taylor Swift (Yes, Taylor)
2022-12-02
This was the month of big changes in social media platforms. With the arrival of "Elon Musk's Twitter", a new opportunity opened up to create a similar site but dedicated exclusively to connecting Swiftties, i.e. Taylor Swift fans; and with new features on YouTube and Instagram, brands must adapt to stay relevant.
"Elon Musk's Twitter": a new era
At the beginning of November we were told about the billionaire's purchase of Twitter, and now, at the end of the month, not very favorable changes have been announced for the platform, its users and brands.
Among the most relevant news we have:
- The massive layoffs of employees and resignations of entire teams as they disagreed with Musk's policy to work "high intensity" shifts, which led to a temporary closure of the offices.
- The implementation of "Twitter Blue", to verify official accounts for a price of $8, resulted in huge losses for global brands such as Nintendo, as users decided to clone their accounts and pay to make them official, boycotting them on the platform.
- Omnicom, the big advertising platform, recommended its clients stop the ads of this new “Elon Musk Twitter” because his changes mean a high risk for the brand's reputation. Musk, called himself a "free speech absolutist" and this may affect the social media network's content moderation.
*Actual tweet from Musk, where it is assumed he is referencing the rumored Twitter crash.
Shopping on YouTube "Shorts"
In the YouTube short videos section, it will be possible for users to make purchases of products by 2023. Thus, a 45% commission will be paid to a select group of video creators based in the United States who sell products and in countries such as India, Brazil, Canada, USA and Australia, the feature is already being tested so that users can make purchases.
New Instagram features
Have you always wanted to be able to schedule your posts on Instagram? Now it's possible. Although this is a feature that already exists on several social media platforms and other sites such as Hootsuite, Mosseri, the head of Instagram, has announced that it is now available to do so directly from the platform, allowing Instagram Business Accounts to schedule content up to 75 days in advance.
There is also the arrival of the tool to add music to posts of just 1 photo, something that was only possible in Reels and Stories. While it is not available to all users, the feature will be below the options to tag people and add locations.
*Mosseri, head of Instagram, announced the platform's new tools.
SwiftSpace: the social network for Swifties
It's no secret the power of Taylor Swift. With her new album, she reached the top 10 on the Billboard chart, something that almost no other artist has been able to achieve; and now she is hitting the social media platforms with SwiftSpace, where fans can meet, chat and even arrange a date at the artist's next concert.
This app has already reached the #25 spot in the Social Media category of the App Store and is #13 in Spain.
This shows us that it has responded to a clear need of its followers that was probably discovered thanks to
a UX research.
Amazon Clinic: Amazon's online healthcare consulting services
The eCommerce brand's new bet is to offer medical consultations for minor ailments such as acne, conjunctivitis, migraines and hair loss. This is not Amazon's first approach to the medical category, as it also has Amazon Pharmacy, a company dedicated to the sale of medicines.
Want to learn more about how these developments can affect or improve your brand? Contact us and we will be happy to answer your questions.
Create Personas and Consumer Journeys to improve your business
2022-12-02
All the answers you need to design the perfect product or service are in the Personas and their consumer journey. Read on to find out how you can get inside the minds of your users to deliver a great experience.
Once you understand that by putting yourself in people's shoes you can understand what they are really looking for, you open up a world of opportunities to develop better strategies to reach them and make them feel satisfied with the products you offer them.
The first step: you need to create a Buyer Persona
A buyer persona, or simply Persona, is a profile you create of your ideal user based on the data you have gathered.
What should this Persona have?
1. A name and a face. Although it is a fictitious character created from customer information, giving it a name and a photo allows your team and your potential partners to recognize it more easily.
2. Their needs and goals. Analyze what they want to achieve in the short, long, or medium term and what they need to do it.
3. Their inspiration. We all have motivations to reach a goal. Here you must understand what they are passionate about and the barriers or feelings that prevent them from getting there.
4. Demographic information. This is the most analytical data about your Persona: age, where they live, their purchasing power and even how comfortable they are using digital tools.
5. Their lifestyle. What is a normal day in the life of your consumer like? what is their job? what are their hobbies? are they married, or single, do they have kids? do they like sports or music?
6. Their purchases. Analyze how often they make purchases, from which channel (in stores or online) and if possible, the amount of money they spend on them.
With a defined Buyer Persona, you can now develop a Consumer Journey
You already know what your ideal customer is like, now you need to know each step they take when deciding to buy a product. This is what is represented in the consumer journey.
What are the stages of the consumer journey?
1. Awareness. This stage is when a person "activates" a need, but does not know how to act to satisfy it. Like when you are hungry, but you don't yet know what you want to eat. It is useful for your brand to recognize what your user's need is, when it appears and what stimulates it.
2. Consideration. Your customer already knows what options he has to respond to the need he has because he has seen or heard some suggestions. People are exposed to advertising digitally, in the streets or with people's comments. This is how they learn about the options they have. Your mission is to be present in the channels they consume so that they also consider your brand among the alternatives.
3. Decision. Once the person gathers the necessary information about the options they have and prioritizes the ones that best meet their needs, that is when they decide to take action. If they are a potential customer, they will seek more information about your brand, contact you or attend one of your events.
4. Purchase. After carefully analyzing your brand, the user is convinced that you are the ideal option and decides to make the purchase. This step is vital because it is not only about a sale, but about the whole user experience: ease, speed, customer service, proximity and payment options, among many other factors.
5. Retention. After the purchase, the user defines whether he had a good or bad experience with your product or service.
A satisfied customer is a customer who is likely to buy your products again. That is why you need to follow up with a satisfaction survey to know how he/she interacted with your product and if he/she had any inconvenience after the purchase to react quickly.
Summary: These are the reasons why you should include a Persona and Consumer Journey in your strategy:
- It allows you to reach more potential customers. If you already know where people are looking for you and what needs they have, it will be easy for you to identify actions to reach them.
- Optimize your marketing plan. By knowing what stage the user is in, you can invest in solving their doubts in the channels they are looking for information.
- Improve the user experience. By doing the satisfaction survey or using one of our services people can help you identify what you can improve in the purchase and post-sale process.
December: news about AI, new features of your apps and recent UX-based ideas.
2022-12-02
This year is coming to an end, but tech innovations do not stop. Artificial intelligence was the great protagonist this month and will surely continue to be the talk of 2023, because although it represents great advances for brands, mobile apps and user experience, several people in the industry are protesting because it poses a risk to many positions that currently exist.
Lensa, the mobile app that makes portraits with AI
The app from developer Prisma Lab became a trend among millions of users for its feature to develop portraits based on users' photos for free. It is said to have generated more than 22.2 million downloads and nearly $29 million in charges for its premium features.
So far, it sounds pretty appealing. However, it sparked an outcry from millions of illustrators and game developers who disagree with the "AI-generated images" and claim that you can't call it art by comparing the amount of time and effort they put into each image vs. the immediacy of one generated by the app. Many of them fear that this is the future of the industry and the farewell to their job.
*Examples of portraits made with AI taken from Lensa's official Instagram account, versus the protest image designers have posted on social media and major design platforms.
Amazon works to eliminate barcodes
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon is working on his own with Artificial Intelligence to innovate a more streamlined payment system without barcodes, which could result in faster shipments and happier customers.
This new system analyzes data from product photos, stores product dimensions, features, packaging text and more to create a unique identifier for each product. It is currently being tested and improved at Amazon's logistics centers in Barcelona and Hamburg.
Its ultimate goal is to reduce the handling of products by employees to save time, replacing them with robotic arms that are more accurate and better suited for AI to recognize each package.
Skype now translates video calls in real time
The new technology provided by artificial intelligence goes beyond mobile apps, it can also be used for voice assistants and smart cameras to enhance the user experience. This is what Skype's new TruVoice feature will demonstrate.
TruVoice allows video callers to communicate in the same language in real time and what's even more amazing is that it does it using the same voice of the person who is speaking. How? Thanks to speech recognition and language processing.
It is currently available to translate English, Spanish, French, German and Chinese; for group video calls and for phone calls.
*Conversation via Skype where two men test the new real-time translation feature in Spanish.
Instagram notes and more new features in the mobile app
In the latest update of the social media appeared the "notes", a function similar to Stories lasting only 24 hours, but these are to "share your thoughts" in a format of just text and emojis. They are visible at the top of the direct messages section and only allow a maximum of 60 characters.
To generate more interaction, Instagram is testing a function similar to what the app " BeReal '' does, where users will be asked to take a picture of their front and back camera of their phone. In addition, it will put a "pass it on" sticker so that when uploading a Storie you can nominate one of your friends to take a Storie on the same topic and thus follow a chain.
*The change from Google Data Studio to Looker Studio, reflected in its logo.
It is impossible to stop innovation and more and more brands are betting on artificial intelligence, but do you think this poses a risk to current positions in the advertising and technology industry? Tell us in the comments.