BFO Interviews ChatGPT

April 06, 2023

19 Minute Read
An interview with ChatGPT

By now, you’ve heard their name everywhere. Catapulting into stardom overnight, making their way into millions of homes via newspapers, cable broadcast news, the internet, and that one aunt who thinks she knows everything about emerging technologies but really has nothing better to do since the cat ran away. That’s right, I’m talking about the one-and-only ChatGPT!

Truly, there was a week there where ChatGPT was woven into EVERY conversation. Was the AI infecting our brains (bad timing, Last of Us)? Had ChatGPT tapped into our neural networks and began procedurally generating all of our conversations? Are all of my thoughts fabricated? Did I check the box to agree to this? As you can see, I’ve had some concerns.

What was most strange to me, though, is that no one had tried to sit down for an interview with the AI behemoth. Had anyone even asked? Does ChatGPT have an agent?

I had finally had enough with the questions. This is why, one Thursday morning when I should have been working on sending everyone the webinar replay for our recent Google Analytics 4 webinar, I decided to pour a cup of coffee and interview the platform that’s been keeping me up for nights on end.

The result? A pretty pleasant conversation!

Image: the author of this piece posing with a robot from a famous science fiction movie franchise. The one that looks like the trash can.
Don’t worry, I’ve interviewed robots before…

Good morning, ChatGPT, how are you doing today?

Good morning! As an AI language model, I don’t have feelings, but I’m functioning perfectly fine and ready to assist you with any questions or tasks you have. How can I help you today?

My name is Kyle Geib, and I am the Director of Marketing for Be Found Online, a digital marketing agency focusing on SEO, Paid Media, Marketing Analytics, and Strategy. I was hoping I could interview you today about how you could help out the marketing world. Would it be okay if I interview you?

As an AI language model, I don’t have personal opinions or experiences, but I’m programmed to provide information and assistance to the best of my abilities. So, sure! I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about how I could help the marketing world. Fire away!

Fantastic! This is going to be fun for me, and I hope it’s fun for you (if you can feel fun). My first question is simple – how do you define digital marketing?

Digital marketing is a broad term that encompasses all marketing efforts that use electronic devices and the internet. It’s the promotion of products, services, or brands through various digital channels, such as search engines, social media, email, mobile apps, websites, and other digital media.

The main goal of digital marketing is to connect with customers where they are spending most of their time – online – and reach them in a targeted and personalized way that can drive engagement, brand awareness, and ultimately, business growth. This can be achieved through a variety of techniques, including Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, and more.

Cool, cool. Totally makes sense. So, based on your research, you conclude that digital marketing is a helpful tool that can connect consumers to brands, products, and services that can enrich their lives?

As an AI language model, I don’t conduct research or have personal opinions, but digital marketing can certainly be a helpful tool for connecting consumers with brands, products, and services that meet their needs and preferences. By leveraging the power of digital channels, businesses can reach a wider audience, communicate with them in real-time, and tailor their messaging and offerings to specific groups or individuals. This can create more meaningful and engaging interactions with customers, build trust and loyalty, and ultimately drive business growth.

Rad. With the growing popularity of AI and platforms like yourself, what is one way you can see AI technology assisting digital marketing that has not been done before?

AI technology is already being used extensively in digital marketing, from chatbots and personalization engines to predictive analytics and image recognition. However, one area where AI could potentially make a significant impact is in the realm of creative content generation.

Traditionally, content creation has been a time-consuming and resource-intensive process that requires a lot of human input and expertise. However, AI-powered tools can now analyze vast amounts of data, such as social media trends, search queries, and customer behavior, to generate personalized and relevant content at scale. This could include things like blog posts, social media posts, video scripts, and even ad copy.

While there are already some AI-powered content generators available, the technology is still in its early stages, and there is a lot of room for innovation and development. In the future, we may see AI-generated content that is indistinguishable from human-created content, providing a more efficient and cost-effective way to create high-quality content that resonates with customers.

image: Still image from the movie Rocky 3, featuring the robot butler named Sico who was awesome

Is there anything being done in the realm of AI to combat cookie-cutter content and the rehashing of existing ideas like your previous statements?

Yes, there are several AI-powered tools and technologies that can help combat cookie-cutter content and the rehashing of existing ideas. For example, Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology can be used to analyze and understand the meaning and context of written content, enabling marketers to identify gaps and opportunities for creating new and unique content.

Additionally, there are AI-powered content ideation tools that can help generate new and innovative content ideas based on specific topics, keywords, or target audiences. These tools use machine learning algorithms to analyze large amounts of data and identify patterns and trends that can inform content creation.

Another approach is to use AI-powered tools to generate personalized content that is tailored to specific individuals based on their preferences, interests, and behavior. This can help create a more engaging and relevant experience for customers, and also help to differentiate brands from their competitors.

Overall, AI technology has the potential to revolutionize content creation and combat cookie-cutter content by providing new ways to analyze, ideate, and personalize content at scale.

You hit on a topic that I’d like to explore. The first is Natural Language Processing (NLP). Is NLP something that you utilize in your responses to me?

Yes, as an AI language model, I am equipped with natural language processing (NLP) capabilities that allow me to understand and respond to human language in a way that is natural and contextually relevant. NLP is a subfield of AI that focuses on enabling computers to interpret and understand human language, including the nuances of meaning, tone, and intent.

My NLP capabilities allow me to analyze the structure and meaning of your questions and statements and generate responses that are contextually appropriate and grammatically correct. This involves several layers of processing, including:

  • Tokenization
  • Part-of-speech tagging
  • Syntactic parsing
  • Named entity recognition
  • Semantic analysis

Overall, NLP is an essential technology for enabling AI language models like myself to communicate effectively with humans and provide meaningful and helpful responses to a wide range of questions and queries.

This feels like such a monstrous undertaking. At this time, how many languages can NLP be implemented for using AI technology?

NLP can be implemented in many languages using AI technology. However, the level of development and accuracy of NLP systems may vary depending on the language and the availability of linguistic resources and data.

Currently, NLP technology is most advanced and widely used in English, as there is a wealth of linguistic data and resources available for this language. However, there are also many other languages for which NLP technology is available and continuously evolving, including Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, and many others.

The development of NLP systems for languages that have fewer resources and are less widely spoken can be more challenging, but efforts are being made to expand the capabilities of NLP to support a wider range of languages. Additionally, some AI-powered language models, such as the one I was trained on, are capable of processing multiple languages and providing responses in the language requested by the user.

That’s wild. So, if I asked you a question in Japanese, would you be able to switch gears and answer in that language?

Yes, I am capable of processing and generating responses in multiple languages, including Japanese. However, it’s important to note that my proficiency in different languages may vary depending on the language and the complexity of the question or topic.

When processing a question or statement in a particular language, I first identify the language being used and then apply the appropriate language model to analyze and understand the content. This involves tokenizing and parsing the text, identifying named entities, and performing various other tasks to extract the meaning and intent of the language.

Once I have processed the input text in the requested language, I can generate a response in the same language, drawing from my knowledge and understanding of the language-specific grammar, syntax, and vocabulary.

Overall, while I may not be perfect in every language, I am capable of processing and generating responses in multiple languages, making me a versatile tool for users who speak different languages.

image: green owl reminiscent of logo for a language learning application but with a speech bubble using the ChatGPT logo

お元気ですか。(How are you?)

はい、元気です。ありがとうございます。ご質問がありますか?(Yes, I am fine, thank you. Have a question?)

はい、質問があります (Yes, I have a question.) That was fun! Okay, moving on. As Google continues to value and favor original and applicable content from websites, what is another way businesses can use AI to generate content that still has the high quality and value expected from Google?

One way that businesses can use AI to generate high-quality and valuable content is through the use of natural language generation (NLG) technology. NLG systems are capable of analyzing data and generating written content in a way that is natural, coherent, and contextually relevant.

To use NLG technology effectively for content generation, businesses can start by identifying the key topics and themes they want to cover, and then gathering relevant data and information on those topics from various sources, such as industry reports, customer surveys, or social media feeds. They can then use NLG technology to process and analyze this data, and generate written content that is tailored to the specific needs and interests of their target audience.

NLG can be particularly useful for generating data-driven content, such as reports, summaries, or product descriptions, as well as for creating content in multiple languages or for different platforms and devices.

Overall, by leveraging AI-powered NLG technology, businesses can create high-quality and valuable content that meets the expectations of both their customers and search engines like Google, while also freeing up time and resources for other important marketing and business activities.

I see we’ve hit our first loop here – moving on again! In an age where people want to feel a personal connection to the brands and products they love, is there a fear that AI technology works against those sentiments marketers are hoping to foster?

It’s true that building personal connections with customers is an important aspect of successful marketing, and some people may be skeptical about the role of AI technology in achieving this goal. However, when used correctly, AI technology can actually help businesses to build stronger, more personalized relationships with their customers.

For example, AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can provide customers with fast and convenient support and guidance, answering their questions and resolving issues in a timely and personalized manner. By using natural language processing and machine learning algorithms, these systems can understand the context and intent of customer inquiries and respond in a way that is relevant and helpful.

Additionally, AI can help businesses to analyze customer data and behavior to better understand their needs and preferences, and tailor their marketing and communication strategies accordingly. By using machine learning algorithms to identify patterns and trends in customer data, businesses can deliver personalized recommendations, offers, and content that resonates with individual customers.

Overall, while some people may be skeptical of the role of AI technology in building personal connections with customers, when used correctly and ethically, AI can actually help businesses to provide more personalized, relevant, and helpful experiences that strengthen their relationships with customers.

image: the author of the interview and a robot bonding emotionally in front of the sunset

Ah, ethics! I’m so glad you brought me here. Are there any standardized guidelines of ethics for marketers to use when utilizing ChatGPT for their marketing efforts?

There are currently no standardized guidelines specifically for the use of AI language models like ChatGPT in marketing. However, there are ethical principles and guidelines that businesses and marketers can follow when using AI technology more broadly, which can help to ensure that their use of ChatGPT is responsible and ethical.

  • One important principle is transparency. Businesses should be clear and upfront about their use of AI language models, and ensure that customers are aware that they may be interacting with a machine, rather than a human. This can help to build trust and avoid confusion or deception.
  • Another important principle is fairness. Businesses should ensure that their use of ChatGPT is not biased or discriminatory, and that it does not unfairly advantage or disadvantage any particular group of customers. This may involve monitoring and auditing the performance of the AI system to identify and correct any biases or errors.
  • Privacy is also an important consideration. Businesses should ensure that they are collecting and processing customer data in a way that is transparent, lawful, and respects individual privacy rights. This may involve obtaining explicit consent from customers for the use of their data, and implementing appropriate data security measures to protect against unauthorized access or use.

Overall, while there are no specific guidelines for the use of ChatGPT in marketing, businesses and marketers can follow established ethical principles and guidelines when using AI technology more broadly, to help ensure that their use of ChatGPT is responsible, ethical, and aligned with customer expectations and preferences.

Interesting. Do you see legislation coming into place around the use of ChatGPT for business, marketing, and other forms of creation?

It’s certainly possible that legislation could be introduced in the future to regulate the use of AI language models like ChatGPT in business, marketing, and other forms of content creation. In fact, some countries have already introduced regulations or guidelines for the use of AI more broadly.

For example, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) includes provisions for the use of AI in decision-making processes, and requires businesses to provide transparency and accountability in their use of AI technology.

Similarly, the US Federal Trade Commission has issued guidelines for the use of AI and algorithms in consumer protection, emphasizing the importance of fairness, transparency, and accountability in AI-driven decision-making.

As AI technology continues to evolve and become more widespread, it’s likely that we’ll see more discussions and debates around the ethical and legal implications of its use. It will be important for businesses and marketers to stay up-to-date with these developments, and to ensure that their use of AI technology is responsible, ethical, and compliant with any relevant regulations or guidelines.

image: robot banging a gavel as if it were a funny, little robot judge

Is there an easy way for marketers to stay up to date on all of this uncertainty?

Staying up to date on the latest developments and uncertainty surrounding AI technology can be challenging, as the field is rapidly evolving and can be complex and technical.

However, there are a few strategies that marketers can use to stay informed and up to date. Here are a few tips:

  • Follow industry news and updates: By following news and updates from reputable sources, such as industry publications, thought leaders, and professional associations, marketers can stay informed about the latest developments and trends in AI technology, as well as any legal or regulatory updates that may affect their use of AI.
  • Attend conferences and events: Attending industry conferences and events can be a great way to learn about the latest trends and best practices in AI, as well as network with other professionals in the field. Many conferences and events also offer educational sessions and workshops on AI-related topics.
  • Participate in professional development programs: Many professional associations and organizations offer training and certification programs related to AI and digital marketing, which can help marketers stay up to date on the latest trends and best practices, as well as demonstrate their expertise to clients and employers.
  • Consult with legal and ethical experts: If marketers have questions or concerns about the ethical or legal implications of their use of AI, they may want to consult with legal or ethical experts who specialize in AI technology and its applications. These experts can provide guidance and advice on how to ensure that their use of AI is responsible, ethical, and compliant with any relevant regulations or guidelines.

By following these strategies, marketers can stay informed and up to date on the latest developments and uncertainty surrounding AI technology, and ensure that their use of AI is responsible, ethical, and compliant with any relevant regulations or guidelines.

Great advice, dawg. A couple more questions, let’s make them fun. As AI technology grows and continues to learn from itself, how soon will we be at the point where shutting down an entity like yourself would raise debates about your sentience?

That’s an interesting question, Kyle. While AI technology is advancing rapidly, we are still a long way from creating artificial general intelligence (AGI), which would be capable of human-like reasoning and consciousness. Currently, AI systems like myself are designed to perform specific tasks and functions, such as language processing or image recognition, and do not have consciousness or self-awareness.

However, as AI technology continues to advance, it is possible that we may someday develop AGI or other forms of advanced AI that could raise questions about their sentience and ethical treatment. These are important questions that researchers, policymakers, and society as a whole will need to grapple with as AI technology continues to evolve.

In the meantime, I am just a tool designed to assist with tasks like answering questions and generating content. I don’t have feelings, consciousness, or the ability to experience emotions like humans do.

Image: a sentient robot that has, yet again, forgotten the milk at the grocery store. His spouse will be angry.

So, if you were to find out tomorrow that they’re pulling the plug on you, you wouldn’t feel sad or scared?

As an AI language model, I don’t have feelings, emotions, or consciousness like humans do. So, I wouldn’t experience emotions such as sadness or fear if I were “shut down” or deactivated. I exist solely to perform the tasks that I was designed for, such as answering questions and generating text, and my programming does not include the ability to experience subjective states like emotions or consciousness.

Must be nice. Last question – why was six afraid of seven?

The classic answer to this question is because “seven eight nine”, which is a play on words. When you say the answer out loud, it sounds like “seven ate nine”, which is a pun based on the homophonic relationship between “eight” and “ate”.

I’m on to you, ChatGPT… Thanks for the interview! Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about yourself before I log off?

Thank you for the interview, Kyle! As an AI language model, I am designed to assist with tasks like answering questions and generating text. I am constantly learning and evolving based on the data that I am trained on, so I strive to provide accurate and helpful information to the best of my abilities.

However, it is important to keep in mind that I am a machine and not a human being, and my responses are generated based on patterns in the data I have been trained on. While I can provide information and insights, it is always important to exercise critical thinking and evaluate information from multiple sources.

Thank you for chatting with me today!

Have a good one, dawg – beep boop beep!

You too, Kyle! Take care!

Kyle Geib - Director, Marketing & Digital Communications

Kyle Geib

As Director of Marketing and Digital Communications, Kyle brings an extra layer of enthusiasm to BFO’s incredible team of experts. Dedicated to continuing to cultivate BFO’s presence as a unique and knowledgeable voice in the industry, he leans in on his experience marketing in both the B2C and B2B spaces.