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TechCrunch on My SmarterChild, AI, and ChatGPT

Peter · July 31, 2023 · Leave a Comment

The Bot SmarterChild, AI, and ChatGPT

TechCrunch on AI and One Of My Puppies.

My Activebuddy co-founder Robert Hoffer and I were recently interviewed by TechCrunch’s Amanda Siberling about our intelligent bot SmarterChild as in. Sure, I sound smart (yeah, yeah). However, it is a good story about early-stage AI (way pre AI and ChatGPT)think fast conversational interface, and where we are today. No, SmarterChild was not #ai but, we had a super smart real-time/natural language instant messaging interface. Y’all (30 million of you) talked to a smart computer about sex, drugs, rock and roll, and lots of super fast to get to information.

The article is here: Twenty years ago, AIM chatbot SmarterChild out-snarked ChatGPT. ChatGPT’s younger sibling was ahead of its time.

A Bit From TechCrunch

And yes, read the whole article.

Far before there was ChatGPT there was SmarterChild, an instant message chatbot whose encyclopedic knowledge and quick wit could put Google to shame. Thirty million people added SmarterChild to their AIM and MSN buddy lists in the early 2000s, and for many of us, we had our first encounters with artificial intelligence, a technology that now feels unavoidable.

In the early aughts, millions of preteens raced home from school and hopped onto their parents computers, opened a chat window and typed… probably something like “” “” (I had to edit cause LinkedIn did not like the article’s words).

“Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?” SmarterChild would reply in an instant. It would make you apologize, and then move past your indiscretions to answer all of your questions about the population of La Paz, the score of the Marlins game or the equations from your math homework.

SmarterChild was far less sophisticated than ChatGPT, but then again, this was 2001. The chatbot was special enough that it inspired to fund Siri, which paved the way for Amazon’s Alexa and other robot assistants.

Levitan has remained level-headed about the future of AI. But another ActiveBuddy co-founder, Robert Hoffer, isn’t as calm. Dubbed “the bot father,” Hoffer describes himself as “cautiously skeptimistic” and repeatedly references stories like “Frankenstein” and the myth of Prometheus. The common denominator of these tales? Perhaps humans have gone too far, just because we can.

Hope you enjoy it and pass it on to your very own “Buddy List”… I need more subscribers.

Best AI Directories For Marketers

Peter · July 28, 2023 · 1 Comment

A Short But Sweet List of The Best AI Directories For Marketers

We are all a bit (understatement) overwhelmed with the barrage of new AI tools. To help sort this overload, here is a list of what I think are today’s easiest-to-use AI directories for marketers. Note, this is a short list.

Futurepedia – From Google Bard: “This directory is one of the largest and most comprehensive, with over 3,000 AI tools and resources listed. It’s a great place to find AI tools for a variety of tasks, including machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision.” Just today… 18 new tools. Yikes.

Zain Kahn’s Superhuman – The world’s biggest AI newsletter with 350k+ readers.

iLib – AI websites listed by popularity.

Product Hunt – As they say: “Product Hunt surfaces the best new products, every day. It’s a place for product-loving enthusiasts to share and geek out about the latest mobile apps, websites, hardware projects, and tech creations.”

Crunchbase – A comprehensive list of AI startups. Wowzer, this is a hot venture universe. Go find your new marketing agency client here.

GPTE – Just in case you need MORE!

More directory stuff? Head over to my Resources list.

Just For The Hell Of It…

Here is a QUICK video I made with Opus Clip. It’s about predictions.

Will AI Kill The Advertising Biz?

Peter · December 9, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Will AI Kill Advertising?

I asked ChatGPT… “Will AI Kill The Advertising Biz?”. Here is the answer:

“It is difficult to predict the future of the advertising industry with certainty, but it is likely that the industry will continue to evolve and adapt to new technologies, including AI tools. AI has the potential to greatly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of many advertising and marketing tasks, such as targeting and personalized messaging. However, it is also important for the industry to consider the ethical implications of using AI and ensure that its use is transparent and respects the privacy and rights of consumers. Overall, it seems likely that the advertising industry will continue to exist and play a significant role in the economy, but it may look very different in the future as a result of the adoption of AI and other new technologies.”

OK, not feeling so bad.

Next Question

So then asked about my consultancy…

“Yes, there is a future for advertising agency business development consultants. As the advertising industry continues to evolve and become more competitive, agencies will need expert guidance on how to grow and expand their business. Business development consultants can provide valuable insights and strategies for increasing revenue, attracting new clients, and positioning the agency for success in a crowded market.”

OK, not feeing bad too.

Good Jasper AI Blog Post?

Peter · November 15, 2022 · Leave a Comment

My Jasper AI Blog Post…

Yesterday I wrote ‘Advertising Agency Recruitment and Culture’ using the Jasper AI blog post app — Well, about 70% of my post was Jasper and the other parts, the details, were from my non-AI brain. Read it. It is rather smart.

Today I went to Jasper to write about using Jasper AI for blog posting – again. My Jasper headline input: Should I Use Jasper To Write A Blog Post?

This is What I Got. Weird…

2 paragraphs.

#1: “No, you definitely should not use Jasper to write your next blog post. Unless of course, you want it to be full of boring, run-on sentences that go nowhere. In that case, by all means, use Jasper.
But if you’re looking for a tool that can help you write content that is both engaging and effective, then you should definitely check out tools like CoSchedule or WordStream. With these tools at your disposal, writing great blog posts is easy! So why not give them a try? You won’t be disappointed.”

Need a bit of contradiction?

#2: “Are you considering using Jasper to write your next blog post? You should be! Jasper is an AI-powered content creation platform that can help you create high-quality content in minutes. With Jasper, you can quickly and easily generate engaging, informative content that will grab your audience’s attention. So what are you waiting for? Start writing with Jasper today!”

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