Will AI replace the need for websites?

27 September 2023 | Issue #16

I was part of a fascinating round table yesterday with Andy Crestodina. Of course, it's impossible to have a conversation with marketers without talking about AI. As we were talking about the differences between search engines and ChatGPT, SEO and SGE, Frank Prendergast asked an amazing question: does this mean we'll see the end of the website?

We all know that searches lead to fewer and fewer clicks these days. And then consider the idea that the big difference between search and genAI is search feeds you millions of answers, and genAI feeds you the answer.

With this in mind, does it spell the end of the website? Andy said no, but he expects we will see far more activity on apps, rather than web browsers. Karine Abbou (another pioneer in this space) mentioned that our websites will become the repository for our content and to get conversions. It's still an owned property. Plus, Google will continue to link out to sites in its SGE results because it doesn't want to get sued for presenting false information.

Website traffic will continue to decline, but that can be a good thing. It means the people who are arriving there are higher quality. So keep those portfolio sites updated. You still need to be seen as the authority in your space.

BTW, Andy is one of the smartest people in marketing. Follow him. And check out Frank's new AI tools newsletter. It's a lot better than this one ;) The conversation was a part of the VIP series within the RISE community.

NEWS AT THE INTERSECTION OF MARKETING, DESIGN, & AI

Some weeks I have to dig to find relevant articles. This was one of those weeks where I had to work to cut it down to just four.

📷 Getty made an AI generator that only trained on its licensed images

Getty Images has teamed up with Nvidia to launch a new AI tool that allows users to create images using Getty's extensive library of licensed photos, offering full copyright protection to users. This is the direction that genAI companies will have to take.

The tool, called Generative AI by Getty Images, is trained solely on Getty's library and offers users legal protection, ensuring that any images created can be used commercially without copyright issues.
Getty's AI tool performs impressively in generating realistic human figures and will not include any AI-generated images in its existing content libraries. The company plans to share revenues generated from the tool with creators.

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🎬 Generative AI's Act Two

The article from Sequoia Capital delves into the current state and future prospects of generative AI, emphasizing that we're transitioning from "Act 1" to "Act 2." Act 1 was all about the technology itself, while Act 2 focuses on solving real human problems and creating value.

The article suggests that generative AI is at a critical juncture. After an initial burst of excitement and investment, the field is grappling with issues like ethics, regulation, and most importantly, proving its value to end-users.
"Act 2" of generative AI will be customer-centric, aiming to solve human problems end-to-end. The applications will be more comprehensive, often using foundation models as a part of a larger solution rather than being the entire solution.

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It's starting to look like Scott Brinker's MarTech chart

🧾 Hundreds of consultants were given AI tools. What happened next shows the promises and pitfalls of the technology.

The article discusses a study by Boston Consulting Group that gave AI tools to hundreds of its consultants to see how it would impact their productivity and work quality. Spoiler: It helped level the playing field

The study found that AI significantly boosted productivity and work quality in 18 consultant tasks. Those using AI simply "crushed it," completing more tasks more quickly and with higher quality.
However, AI is not a one-size-fits-all solution. For tasks that were "outside the frontier" of what AI can do, consultants using AI were more likely to make mistakes.

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🥊 Amazon to invest up to $4 billion in Anthropic, a rival to ChatGPT developer OpenAI

Amazon has entered the chat. Amazon is making a big move in the AI space by investing up to $4 billion in Anthropic, a company that's emerging as a rival to OpenAI.

Amazon's investment aims to bolster its AI capabilities and keep up with competitors like Microsoft and Google. The deal includes a strategic collaboration to advance generative AI technologies.
Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI execs, will provide AWS customers with early access to unique AI features and will use custom AWS-designed semiconductors for training its AI models.

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We're going to see the consolodation of power with AI. All of the big tech players (except for Apple) are teaming up to stake their claim on the AI goldrush.

Also, if you have a New York Times subscription, I recommend this opinion piece that talks about how the Internet will get worse due to AI.

NEW RESOURCES FOR YOU

The Future of Creativity & Monetization Report

This Adobe report dives deep into the evolving landscape of the creator economy, focusing on how content creators are increasingly monetizing their work.

Almost half of content creators are earning money from their creative activities, with 77% of them starting to monetize within the past year.
The creator economy is expected to thrive in the next two years, especially among Gen Z, who are earning more per hour and are optimistic about future earnings.

Keep reading

Isn't it fascinating how the creator economy is not just surviving but thriving? This new wave of digital artisans are crafting their future, one post, one video, one artwork at a time. And the best part? They're optimistic about it!

What are you doing to prepare for an AI future? How often are you using ChatGPT, Midjourney, or some other genAI tool? Does it scare you? Are you excited about it?

I'd love to hear what you think about where this is all going.