Hey, Marketers, Not Everything is AI
Some things irritate me. Sometimes, needlessly. And sometimes, I just want everyone to be a bit more particular about their word choice. Right now, for marketers, everything is AI, but why? Is it harmful?
I dare you to visit any tech-related website. What do you see? Chances are, it’s “AI” something. In the past, I came across numerous web systems that performed impressive tasks without labeling themselves as “AI”. However, nowadays, even simple tasks are being labeled as “AI”, like “converting HTML files to PDF using AI”. It seems like we have reached a point where people are showcasing their AI abilities for even the most basic tasks. This has led to confusion about what qualifies as AI and how to differentiate it from regular programming.
Hey, Marketers, Not Everything is AI
Just like with cloud computing, the term AI can be used in a vague way that does not accurately describe its true meaning. While cloud computing involves managing virtual resources instead of dedicated hardware, it was often used to describe anything stored over the internet, including normal websites.
Seems like every single function gets solved by AI without there being actual AI involved. And it’s grating — just like every other buzzword you may remember from the recent past. Cloud computing, web 3.0, blockchain, crypto, AI… There’s always a new hot thing right around the corner, and investors eat it up every time.
Once the term AI is mentioned, investors become extremely excited and are more willing to invest in your project. I am oversimplifying, of course. But it doesn’t mean it’s not true.
I know people who have been hard at work developing an algorithm-driven app that suddenly became an AI app because it sounds better. And for the vast majority, there’s no difference. While it’s just an algorithm, a system that utilizes calculations and if/then decisions can and will be perceived as AI. People tend to believe that there is some sort of mystical force at work when in reality, it is simply their own computations being executed by a computer at a quicker pace, with decisions made at crucial points determined by a confidence score.
is there harm?
But is it harmful? I believe that being informed is important, and people just can’t understand what modern AI is. That results in it not meaning anything, really. Just another marketers’ buzzword that hints at magic while being no more than a smart system. But that’s not new. We’ve been referring to all kinds of things as AI just because it’s fun and easy to say.
How do we explain the meaning of AI? Is it solely related to the use of neural networks in training? We’ve been discussing AI and NPCs in games, as AI is often used to refer to NPCs despite not involving neural networks. What it really means? Nothing, but it’s already the word of the year.