Generative AI is a hot topic in tech and digital publishing, with ChatGPT and Bard offering limitless possibilities. While generative AI’s impact on content creation is uncertain, it’s already boosting efficiency in several ways. This article will define generative AI and explore its current applications.
What Is Generative AI?
When asked this question, ChatGPT answered: “Generative AI is a subfield of artificial intelligence (AI) that involves using machine learning algorithms to create new, original content that resembles human-generated content.”
How Can It Be Used?
1. Search (Coming Soon)
Microsoft reports that there are approximately 10 billion search queries from people overall per day, but nearly 50 percent of them go unanswered. While search engines are effective at locating websites and resources, they are not designed to handle intricate requests or tasks.
The new Bing search engine is designed to address these limitations and offer comprehensive solutions. Soon, ChatGPT and Google’s Bard will be integrated into search, providing snippets of answers from generative AI.
2. Generating and Updating Content
A common concern from publishers, writers and marketers is that generative AI will take over content. While NLPs can aid with headings, meta descriptions, and basic information, they can’t provide specific details or examples.
To be creative still requires a human. Generative AI, then, is not as much of a writer as it is an editorial assistant.
Instead, AI can help writers in generating charts or verifying data. It can suggest H2 headings, create outlines, find and answer FAQs, summarize social media, and help with writer’s block.
Additionally, you can ask it questions with straightforward answers—explain how an engine works like I am 10 years old—and it will provide an answer fit for a fourth grader:
“An engine is like the heart of a car. Just like your heart pumps blood to keep your body moving, the engine powers the car so it can move. The engine takes in fuel, like gasoline or diesel, and mixes it with air to create an explosion. This explosion makes the engine’s pistons move up and down, which turns a shaft that powers the car’s wheels.”
Just make sure to fact check the information it gives you; sometimes, in order to fulfill its task, generative AI gives false information. These are called hallucinations.
3. SEO
ChatGPT has accelerated the SEO research process, including keyword research.
However, publishers should exercise caution in relying exclusively on generative AI to carry out all of their research tasks. The essence of SEO still hinges on quality research, which cannot be entirely replaced by AI. Presently, generative AI lacks the crucial human touch that keyword research demands. For all it can do, ChatGPT is incapable of assessing the psychological subtleties of keywords, which is a crucial element of human input in keyword research.
SEO is an ever-evolving field, and the incorporation of generative AI is contributing to its evolution. It is highly probable that generative AI and similar tools will soon be integrated into keyword planning and content analysis features.
Although it might seem intimidating, publishers and marketers who are open to learning how to use generative AI, particularly as it evolves, will be better equipped to excel in their fields.
Whitney Wright is an Events and Brand Promotions Manager with Ezoic, an AI technology platform for digital publishers.