Artificial intelligence is (without a doubt) one of the most transformative and momentous advancements of the modern age. For marketers, the use of AI, machine learning, and predictive technology has been a gamechanger – and the latest GPT autocomplete tool is certainly no exception.
Marketers have been finding multiple ways to integrate AI into their daily tasks and overall strategies for years. Currently, AI is most commonly used in marketing for predictive technology to personalize shopping experiences and even predict the best slots for media buying. Some are using it to monitor social media and track customer sentiment.
Most businesses have seriously increased their spending towards this type of technology – and 72% of business leaders strongly agree that AI improves productivity and the quality of work from each employee.
But the latest AI-powered technology could be truly revolutionary for marketers – and particularly for content creators. Ever since its release, GPT-3 has been making waves across the internet.
What Is GPT-3 Exactly?
GPT-3 is the latest mega-machine learning model created by OpenAI, an AI development firm based out of San Francisco. This new coding language (which stands for the third version of “generative pre-trained transformer”) is far more advanced than its predecessors – and has taken OpenAI years to develop.
Its purpose is deceivingly simple: it’s a language model that makes it possible to code in natural language through intelligent predictions. The machine learning model can create its own poems, articles, newsletters, and working code through just a few simple commands.
Essentially, it predicts the likelihood of a sentence and can fill in words using the overall context of existing content. GPT-3 is designed to “think” like a writer – it picks up on contextual clues and generates additional sentences – which create cohesive thoughts.
Developers have already used GPT-3 language to create layout generators which can create webpages through simple plain-English commands. It can even auto-populate spreadsheets with information with perceived patterns. It has even been used to create a chatbot that responds like various historical figures!
Ever wanted to learn about rockets from Elon Musk?
How to write better from Shakespeare?
Philosophy from Aristotle?
GPT-3 made it possible.https://t.co/SScjQvUk68 pic.twitter.com/13Yi9p8NnY
— Mckay Wrigley (@mckaywrigley) July 17, 2020
Now, this type of language model is not brand new and of itself. Similar programs have been available in the past. One of the most significant language models used by Google is BERT, which was created to provide more relevant results through intelligent language processing.
But OpenAI GPT-3 is far more sophisticated and expansive. In fact, it currently has 175 billion parameters, making it the largest language model ever. To put this into perspective, the first GPT had just 117 million. GPT-3 also requires far less fine-tuning and coding expertise than other models – since you can create a simple command rather than using a large training dataset.
The possibilities for GPT-3 seem almost endless. There is no doubt that it will revolutionize AI even further.
But, do you want to use GPT for marketing?
Let’s discuss what it may mean for our industry.
1. It May Change The Content Creation Process Completely
One of the most exciting things about GPT is that it can be used to create numerous types of content in a short amount of time.
Already, companies are creating entire blog posts using GPT-2 (the previous version) by predicting additional sentences based on words within the text. This means that content writers could use simple headlines or descriptions and GPT could create full-blown paragraphs through those context clues.
Ultimately, GPT-3 could greatly reduce the amount of time it takes to create all kinds of marketing content, such as blog posts, product descriptions, and emails. It might also require a totally new approach to the writing process.
Now, it is important to note that GPT-3 is still in the beginning stages.
OpenAI is set to release an even larger 1542M model. This is expected to be even more sophisticated and will be able to programmatically generate content-oriented pages. For now, GPT-3 is best when used for smaller content snippets, such as social media posts or meta descriptions.
2. It’s A Gamechanger For SEO Research And Implementation
Another potential benefit of GPT-3 has fully-integrated search engine optimization capabilities.
This language can be combined with API to collect real-time SEO data – which can be implemented into content as it is being written. This means that titles, meta descriptions, and the content itself is created dynamically with keywords built-in.
GPT may also be used to optimize pre-written sentences for SEO. GPT-3 is designed to incorporate keywords naturally and optimize language. In the future, this could mean that writers can focus more on specific content or points to get across, and GPT-3 can fill in keywords as they fit.
All good content marketers know that SEO is the foundation for web content, but the process of keyword research can be quite tedious and time-consuming. By integrating GPT-3 into the writing process, it could eliminate this task completely and automatically optimize all types of content.
3. GPT Could Change Job Roles For Content Writers
Since AI became a reality – rather than just a fantastical idea that belonged in sci-fi movies – people have worried that it will eliminate the need for human workers in many roles. It is estimated that by the end of 2020, AI will eradicate 1.8 million jobs – but it will also create 2.3 million new ones.
So, if GTP-3 can theoretically create content with just a little context, could it eradicate content writers for good?
The answer is (thankfully) no – at least not any time soon. The program is still in the early stages of development and it is certainly not faultless. Furthermore, it does require content writers to provide instructions and context to generate content.
However, the content writer’s roles may change as GPT-3 is used more frequently. We are still a ways away from allowing AI to create every single piece of content that is published for marketing purposes. So, while content creators may free up some of the time that is taken for writing pieces, it will be allocated towards editing and analyzation.
Further, GPT is not quite sophisticated enough yet to create long-form content, such as e-books, research papers, or pillar posts. Even though GPT-3 can be used to create smaller content snippets like product descriptions, title tags, or social media posts, content writers can focus on high-level pieces instead. They will also likely have to take the time to check auto-populated text and create commands for various projects. Just because GPT can be used to write doesn’t necessarily mean that it knows how to create exceptional blog content.
4. Potential Concerns
As with most things, GPT-3 may be “too good to be true.”
It is still quite nebulous and conceptual. Most developers are just starting to experiment with the language to see what exactly is possible. There is no doubt that it will one day be used for marketing purposes, but that day could be years away.
So, do you want to use GPT right away? Well, first, getting your hands on this program could be a bit of a challenge. Currently, OpenAI has the final say on who gets to access this program – as it is still in private beta mode. This means that you must request access from OpenAI where you will most likely be put on a long waitlist.
It should also come as no surprise that all of its work must be checked and edited – as this program is still being tested and developed. Auto-generated content can sometimes be non-sensical or simply awkward. Plus, since GPT is programmed for SEO, it can sometimes generate odd phrasing in order to incorporate specific keywords.
There is also the potential risk of content repetitiveness. If numerous competitors are using the same GPT program to create content, it could create repetitive language on multiple sites. Further, this could actually diminish the ranking benefits of SEO strategies – as every site has access to the same program.
Finally, there is the issue of biased, sexist, or even racist NLP programming. These systems are text-in, text-out programs – which bases the output solely on the input. It cannot determine sexist, racist, or harmful language on its own. Therefore, it could be used to create biased and untrue information.
There is even an ominous warning for this on the Web UI for OpenAI which states:
Already, there have been some alarming discoveries of racist and problematic generated text from a recent experiment using GPT-3. Therefore, even though companies can access this tool to create content, it must be carefully proofread before publication.
Conclusion
Clearly, GPT-3 is only in the early stages. Over time, it is expected to be improved and perfected. But there is no denying that it will change the game for content marketing and SEOs in the long run.
Gwern Branwen, an independent researcher who published his experiences after testing GPT-3, may have put it best. He wrote:
“Sampling can prove the presence of knowledge but not the absence…. The need for repeated sampling is to my eyes a clear indictment of how we ask questions of GPT-3, but not GPT-3’s raw intelligence… Simultaneously, it’s good enough to be dangerous.”
GPT is certainly impressive, but it definitely has its weaknesses. It is currently not sophisticated enough to be used as a replacement for content writers, but it could be integrated for further automation. The potential here is astounding – but it will take developers more time to get there.
No matter what, it is important for marketers to keep an eye on its development and be open to the opportunities it could present for content creation in the near future. The possibilities for content marketing appear to be endless with AI – and GPT-3 is only just the beginning.
