Justin's AI Newsletter

The most interesting content, news, and insights in AI each week.

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Hello friends, greetings from Phoenix, Arizona. I'm here for a cousin's wedding and I forgot how refreshing hot weather can be. It’s a much needed relief from the NYC cold…

This was a relatively slow week for AI compared to recent weeks. When you compare it to last week's ChatGPT plugins announcement, GPT-4 the week before, and the hundreds of enterprise AI products that came out in the previous couple of weeks, this week seems "slow."

However, I spent a lot of time thinking this week, and I truly believe we are on the cusp of a fundamental change in society. Let's dive in.

Redefining Search: ChatGPT’s Impact on the Future of Online Discovery 🔍

I’ve been playing around with ChatGPT plugins this week, and I can’t stop thinking about what this could mean for businesses. If you haven’t seen my overview of ChatGPT plugins, you can check it out here.

I tried an experiment on TikTok where I asked ChatGPT to find me a red swimsuit for under $75, and it came back with three great choices. The more specific I was with my request, the better the suggestions.

This experience offers a peek into what the future might look like beyond Google Search. I foresee four main trends emerging in the world of online search:

1. Putting the consumer first: ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs) have the potential to deeply understand what people are looking for and offer them top-notch recommendations. This could cut through the noise of SEO and address the traditional search issue of endless results. Consumers will more easily receive valuable and relevant content, leading to improved search results.
2. Differentiation will win for businesses: As AI technology like ChatGPT becomes more advanced, the line between success and failure for businesses might depend on whether their products or services are featured by LLMs. This will push businesses to focus even more on what sets them apart. For instance, if a restaurant is renowned for having the best lobster bisque in San Francisco, LLMs are more likely to recommend it when users specifically search for that dish. AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT will favor businesses that cater to users' distinct tastes and preferences by excelling in particular aspects.
3. Paid Search evolves but is still very important: In a recent video, I showed off Bing’s display ads, which got me thinking about the future of paid marketing. We’re likely to see a whole new arena of paid marketing emerge, with businesses aiming to get their offerings prominently displayed and integrated within LLM-generated responses.
4. Democratizing search results: Traditional search engines often prioritize larger, more established companies with better SEO, making it challenging for small businesses to gain visibility. With ChatGPT, the playing field could be leveled, as the AI will focus on understanding the user’s intent. This shift in focus will empower smaller businesses and niche players to compete alongside industry giants, as long as they offer products and services that align with users’ needs and preferences.

The rise of ChatGPT-powered search will bring significant changes, ultimately enhancing the experience for consumers while providing businesses with new opportunities if they keep up.

AI Safety 🦺

This week, figures like Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak have called for a halt in AI progress. In a letter, they warned that AI systems with “human-competitive intelligence” could pose profound risks to society and humanity. You can read the letter here.

Understanding AI safety may be difficult without a background in AI. You may be wondering, “What are the real threats of AI?” or “How can we ensure AI safety?” or even “How could a future Chatbot kill us all?”.

(If you want to know more about their vision of the worst-case scenario, I made a video about it this week.)

However, I believe that a six-month pause on AI progress is misguided, as it overlooks the vast benefits of the technology. Not only is a pause unrealistic, but it also hinders critical innovation. Instead, focusing on responsible AI development, transparency, and safety regulations will better address concerns while allowing for AI advancement.

This Week's Recommendations

​Sam Altman on Lex Friedman: It’s undebatable about how much power Sam Altman carries at this point. OpenAI is well on their way to creating the most powerful AI technology out there. The economic impact is practically infinite. I highly recommend listening to the podcast. They discuss GPT-4, AI Safety, Political Bias, Elon Musk, and a ton more.

​Attention is All You Need: This article has helped shape a lot of my thinking about the future of LLMs. The author breaks down the idea of ChatGPT becoming the "Action Engine". While we're accustomed to the "Search Engine", ChatGPT opens up new doors with its ability to not only search, but also complete tasks. OpenAI's end game business model is still unclear, but they hold a lot of cards at this point.

​AI could replace equivalent of 300 million jobs: According to a report by Goldman Sachs, AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs, with 25% of work tasks in the US and Europe being automated. However, the report also suggests that AI will create new jobs...

In my opinion, human creativity has no limits; we always find new jobs and things to do.

That's all for now. Have an amazing week!

Justin

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