If AI is the Answer, What is the Question?

Looking further into AI... based on a scathing review from earlier this year 

Original Posted Content (Go to AI content)

We've dabbled. The results are quite boring and not always accurate. AI is not free-thinking intelligence but is a quick method of assembling and sorting words or image elements from the web. Essentially, it's stealing from others. Are you happy to be an accessory? 

Sure, if you have a few gaps in your own knowledge or if you are incredibly busy or just plain lazy, it seems the perfect tool for you. However, what about the people you serve - readers, followers, potential clients, etc.? Are they getting value for money from you? Are you are feeding them hearsay or gossip? Surely they deserve your original thoughts - unless you don't have any - so why pretend that you do? 

We think that, when 'policing' organisations investigate how companies use AI to publish 'their' insights, there may be a strong case for all AI written content to contain a statement to that effect - similar to an acknowledgment when quoting from others' work or disclaimers that the writer accepts no responsibility for the results of anyone acting upon information contained herein.

The question of when and how to use AI needs to be addressed. 

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This content has been written without the use of AI.
We accept no liability for direct, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind (including without limitation loss of profits) arising from any use of the information and material contained on this site or any site you may access through this site. Any information obtained from or via this site should be verified independently before acting upon it.

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AI Version

AI: Tool or Trickery?

The Allure and the Issues of AI-Generated Content

While AI offers a quick way to churn out content, the results are often uninspired and inaccurate. Essentially, it's a glorified search-and-replace function, lacking true understanding or originality. Is this just a shortcut for those lacking time, knowledge, or creativity? More importantly, are we doing a disservice to our audience by feeding them regurgitated information?

The Need for Transparency

As regulatory bodies scrutinize AI use in content creation, perhaps a clear labeling system is needed. Similar to citations or disclaimers, AI-generated content should be marked as such. This transparency allows audiences to make informed choices about the information they consume.

The Bottom Line: Using AI Responsibly

The question isn't if AI has a place, but when and how. Used ethically and with clear boundaries, AI can be a helpful tool. However, relying solely on it for content creation undermines our own originality and potentially misleads our audience.

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Conclusion

AI is getting better. This is how I used it: I bashed out a passionate few sentences which could be called unprofessional and, perhaps, rude; typically attention-grabbing to make people think. I ran it through AI which has kept the essence of meaning but lost the personality. A business professional would clearly prefer the AI version. In this case, I think I do, too. 

Except for the American spelling of labelling. Ensure that you check the final content. Good luck. 

Employers and Employees

Early background - a new Employee 

This will probably be a bit of a ramble, having been on both sides over the past five decades. As a teenager with good qualifications from a grammar school, I applied for a clerical position at a local branch of a national company. Despite my extremely short 'skinhead' haircut and fashionably smart clothes of the era, the interview with the 'old boy' in charge (probably aged around 50) went well and I was offered a job at a reasonable salary. A fast learner, I quickly progressed until such time as the office was taken over and closed. It was a great experience for a first job where I started from absolute zero and learned at my own pace. 

Eventually, the experience from this and my next job landed me a role as team leader in the British HQ of an international company. This is the first time I encountered a 'ceiling' within the profession, as the company valued higher qualifications. To be fair, they agreed to release me at full pay for one day a week so that I could pursue a business degree. Part of the course covered computer programming and, at my request, the company assigned me as liaison between the administration department and the new computer department, in preparation of automating some of the menial admin tasks.  

Recruiting: The Thatcher Years and the Fallout 

The Thatcher Years meant that, in the London catchment areas, there was a demand for staff and the rewards were good. Having worked my way through various departments of a multi-national technology corporation over the years (information systems analyst, computer-user trainer, technical support and marketing support at management level), I was head-hunted to run the European Sales and Support department for a USA-based software company for a few years. Subsequently, I was again head-hunted to set up and run the UK office for a German tech company. Both these roles required staffing from scratch. Having used local recruitment agencies for the more generic vacancies, I used industry knowledge and contacts to fill the specialist roles. 

When the boom years were followed by recession, HQ asked the likelihood of the UK office breaking even in the next business year. Having advised them that it was unlikely, I was asked to arrange termination of staff contracts by the end of the current business year. Staff were given a generous redundancy package and references for their next employment. Personally, I applied for a few positions but was never invited for interview. Jobs were like gold-dust. In one case, an agency's recruitment ad described me perfectly so I followed up their puzzling non-response with a telephone call. I was advised that there were so many applicants that the agency just picked the first twenty who ticked most of the boxes and discarded the rest, not even bothering to read them nor reply. Unbelievably rude and a poor service to their clients. Contacts from over the previous decade meant that I was able to offer freelance ad-hoc assistance therefore results of the recession were less significant than for those who lost all equity in their homes. It was a terrible time for many families.

Today - a young person's search for employment 

Generally, for a career in admin or commerce, it is expected that GCSEs will be followed by A-levels or an equivalent BTEC, which will lead to a place at University. 

The job search comprises endless applications that are mostly ignored. Companies are generally more inclined to respond than agencies, as those with good reputations will want to keep them. A good tip for applicants is to find out about the company from their website and contact them before submitting your application, asking a relevant question. This means that your name may be more familiar to them when they see your CV. 

Personal bug-bears include the over-use of the word 'passionate' when describing the 'ideal candidate'. How can people be passionate about an aspect of a job they don't have? They can be very interested but passionate is definitely unlikely. Another annoyance is starter-level roles in which the potential employer lists the years of experience the ideal candidate will have, yet is offering very little remuneration. In certain industries, there is a pro-BAME policy therefore denying opportunities to applicants who, for example, are Caucasian, heterosexual males who live with their parents in a middle-class home. 

It's tough. I wish both employers and employees the very best of luck. The unemployed, homeless, those with mental health issues, etc. are yet another topic. 

Virtual Living vs Life Experience

We recently published a blog post, considering the reasons why people are not reading blogs so much any more (blogging vs vlogging) then - lightbulb moment - we were discussing how so much has changed in such a short time. 

Two of the contributing factors are AI and the pandemic. Let's assume that blog readers want to learn something new or be entertained, many bloggers are now relying on AI to assemble information from the internet - unoriginal and uninspiring, so why bother to read that when you can do it yourself? 

There are long-term lifestyle changes in the aftermath of covid and lockdown. Bloggers who used to entertain readers with their travel experiences (be it a holiday, reviews of local eateries or live gigs) aren't pushing their boundaries, opting instead for a life in front of the computer or the TV. 

How popular are bloggers' reviews of TV shows, movies or books? Not very, we believe. What readers really want is an insight into something less standard and less available which will inspire their future plans - they almost certainly are not wanting to plan a future of TV channel streaming. 

So, how to regain your readership? Get your life back. The one that your readers were interested in. Leave the computer on the desk and experience life as you used to know it. Then write about your new adventures in your blog. 

And we'll try to follow our own advice!! 

Over-Used Exclamation Marks!!

We're all guilty of this, sometimes. Possibly because there can be such unbelievable stupidity in the world? The BBC/ITV morning 'news' programs are masters of stating the obvious and 'news' is often a feature from a few weeks, months or even years ago. So we despair and we use exclamation marks to signify that we remember when there wasn't a need to constantly fill air-time.  

Is it Too Much Information or is it just too much repetition? We need to switch off - and this is meant in two ways. Switch off the news feed now and then, whether it's TV, social media or whatever source is your personal addiction. Switch off our brains now and then, assimilate what we know and decide how much we need to know. 

It's difficult to avoid the bombardment of collective opinions (because that is what much of the 'news' seems to be). For example, which reporters have researched their facts and which ones are merely repeating a point of view, either theirs or the spokesman for whatever is being reported? 

The over-sharing of opinions, that is the way of the world right now, is having an impact on mental health, particularly on younger people who have very little personal experience of history. Older people who are in authority often make it worse. 

Sometimes, everyone needs to stop, step back and evaluate. Maybe, instead of patching up the systems that have been in place - and failing - for some time, it would be a good idea to start over. And if this were to happen, it may still not work out well because the wrong (overpaid, not living in the real world) people are likely to be making those decisions, wasting much time and money. 

I went way off-topic in this post, not even touching on grammar but I think this is warranted (drumroll please, I've left it till the end...) aargh!!!