This is not a blog about how AI is gunning for your job, but instead, how it could absolutely result in a large influx of spam content online – even more so than there is now if you can believe it. Artificial intelligence technology may have some fantastic uses but it could also give way to the mass production of fake news and spam.
AI-generated content
With the help of machine learning, algorithms have been developed which allow marketers to make sense of huge data sets, in much quicker time scales. They are then able to use this data, alongside AI, to generate content in expedited time scales.
Automated content is already being created, en masse, by notable media organisations including Reuters, Yahoo! Sports and The Press Association. This allows them to create content to a formula, but with recent developments, AI is actually able to be more creative.
Why is it great?
AI has the capability to follow news cycles, analyse information and potentially create suggestions of what could go viral. For marketers and brands, this could be the silver bullet to determining your next set of content for social media.
Through rigorous and ongoing testing and learning, the content process can be streamlined to determine the best themes and topics to cover, before they even become a conversation. AI even has the capability to advise on positioning, headlines and the construction of the content based on data gathered from other posts which resonate well with audiences.
This allows content creators to optimise their strategy with ease, monitor performance and responses and adapt accordingly. The ultimate approach to performance-based content marketing, offering insights down to the smallest details to make it more successful.
This could include switching an image or video out, amending content in real-time to respond to comments or questions and even tweaking headlines to be more captivating.
Why could it go bad?
AI-generated content is not necessarily a bad thing. It actually has some wonderful capabilities and can allow companies to create some exceptional content a breakneck speed.
There are, however, issues with the likes of Google algorithms, designed to prevent sites from abusing SEO tactics, which may not be able to pick up the advanced spam capabilities of AI. It could allow content spammers to spread inaccurate or damaging information at speed, which is troubling when considering that not all users and customers are not all exceptionally savvy online.
Mostly, the technology is currently used to generate simple stories and reports, such as those for reports or finance. The key question hanging over the use of AI for content is the value it delivers. Can it really deliver the same value as a human insight and author? And when it comes to being able to do so, relying solely on this approach could mean undue bias in the way it records events and history.
AI and social media
AI’s ability to make sense out of huge sets of data makes its implementation on social media all the more useful. It can help by providing insights into social media use – not just for marketers or brands – but also to users.
By presenting users with their data and feedback on the content they view, they can almost be scared or shocked into reducing their contact time with social media. As a result, social media platforms can actually alter the behaviour of users.
Whether this is helping users reduce screen time or even adapting their viewing habits to be more healthy, such as recognising patterns of viewing toxic or negative subject matter and providing support or guidance, AI has the capability to help users build better habits.
Also published on Medium.
