Even the youngest stan of big red trucks, clambering ladders, clanging bells, and flashing lights knows about sticking your head in front of a firehose: water up the schnoz, undertow ears, soggy hair, hypothermic shivers to follow. So, you ask, why bother trying to keep up with the torrent of commentary about AI that’s flooding every corner of advertising?

Borrowing from the souls who climb mountains: because it’s there.

Item: hopping onto ChatGPT yesterday, was greeted with an “at capacity” dialogue box and an invitation to leave my email address so they can “let you know when we’re back.” Item: Shelly Palmer, a super smart tech blogger, reports that Open AI, parental unit of ChatGPT, is going to start charging for access.  Now there’s a shock (Open AI is an Elon Musk joint). Item: the industry lurches between respected creative names waving the white banner ad of inevitability and equally luminous lights digging in like it's humanity vs. Skynet.

Personally, I’m inclined to plotz squarely in the middle. No question, in the near-term, AI will become useful in ways ranging from what you could call “Google search on ex-lax,” to first drafts of block and tackle prose like draft press releases and market reports, to a fast way to scratch the curiosity itch when nothing’s coming.

But does this shiniest of shiny new objects spell the end of putting brain in gear, fingers on keyboards, or, gasp, thoughts and doodles on paper?  Nope. And credit where due, I’d quote Kiri Masters, head of retail strategy at marketing platform Acadia for the real reason why:

“AI writing tools will make it faster and more affordable for many brands to bridge their existing product and brand content gaps,” she notes in a Tuesday Adweek article. “But widespread adoption will create an ocean of undifferentiated content.”  

Bravo.  Makes me want to paraphrase the famous Maslow coinage, “if we’re all using identical hammers, will the solution to every problem wind up looking like identical nails?  

I’m with Ms. Masters in thinking it will.

P.S. For a topical take, check out Ryan Reynolds reading a Mint Mobile spot that he says was “written by Chat GPT.”  Is it unique because of the script?  Or because of the unique character who’s reading it?

P.P.S. Don’t miss Brainchild’s laugh-, sob-, and bladder-leakage-inducing look back at the frolic that was 2022.  https://online.fliphtml5.com/xfjl/ytmu/