What ChatGPT means for your small business
ChatGPT is one of the newest kids on the AI (artificial intelligence) block and you’ve probably heard a little about it recently. There’s been a lot of ah, ‘chat’ in the media about students at secondary and tertiary level using it for assessments leaving educators needing to quickly hustle in creating some ‘best practice’ methodology for the use of AI technology now and in the future.
For those unfamiliar, ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot developed by a company called OpenAI, based in San Francisco, California. It uses natural language processing and machine learning techniques to generate human-like responses to user inputs and questions on a wide range of topics then delivers the information back. So whilst I’m no expert, below you’ll find a few of the most common Q&A’s relevant to a small business owner such as yourself.
So what’s the difference between Google and ChatGPT?
Well, there is a fair amount of debate around this and how eventually the differences between will be few. However, a simple way to look at it as that a SEARCH engine like Google gives you information collated from and sourced as it appears already on the web. Whilst ChatGPT is essentially a content tool, giving you text based, conversational style information with human language nuances to the topics you choose.
How can a small business owner leverage ChatGPT?
The biggest use for a small business owner is around your CONTENT. You can literally type in any question you please, so it’s assisting you with content creation that has a text element. Others include:
It provides idea generation. If you find yourself stuck for blog post or caption ideas? ChatGPT can help with thought starters to get your creative juices flowing…
Actual copy generation: Not sure how to word a particular sentence or a paragraph of copy just isn’t flowing properly? ChatGPT can help there. Essentially saving you time.
BUT! And this is a biggie, while our new chatbot friend can appear appealing at first glance, at this point, it really can’t replace a human being, keep reading to find out why…
What are the negative’s of ChatGPT?
There is no emotion. The answers, whilst in basic human language, they are bland and generic. The responses are not unique to your brand voice or your unique customer. Remember, ANYONE can access the same information, it’s not tailored to your needs.
It’s not creating content for YOUR audience. It doesn’t know anything about your customer, your brand, sales history, what you actually do for people and how you deliver it to them.
It lacks context. ChatGPT doesn’t know the intention behind the text you need for creating a particular piece of content. It doesn’t know if your motivation is the sales of a product, promotion of an overall category, or to educate and inspire your audience etc.
It doesn’t have your experience. Your intelligence. Your expertise. Your data and learnings in the real world that motivate your business needs and decisions.
It’s still in Beta phase (a test phase in the tech world.) Which usually means...there will be bugs.
All in all – ChatGPT and other software like it, are a great ‘go to’ for thought starters to spark ideas when you’re feeling a bit creatively stuck. However without knowing the real detail of what makes your brand unique - your brand voice, your brand strategy, your target audience, your industry and specific product offering, ChatGPT can’t yet replace the human expertise that is vital in creating standout content that really connects with your specific audience and elevates your unique brand.
What do you think? Have you used ChatGPT yet, was it helpful?