Are We Losing the Human Touch in Our Rush to Embrace AI?

This Week

• Why AI can’t replace human copywriters

• Elon Musk bets AI will be smarter than humans by 2025

• Google’s 101 prompting guide

• Find the AI tools you’re looking for

• Ramp raises $150M for AI Features

• How AI can save event marketers 19,000 hours

Why AI Can’t Replace Human Copywriters

Is our fascination with AI making us forget the human touch? 

Artificial intelligence has drastically reshaped our work with its ability to magic answers out of thin air. There's a temptation to let technology take the wheel because, let's face it, it's incredibly efficient. 

I find myself asking ChatGPT all manner of questions these days; I ask it to evaluate my work, to give me the population of Kansas City, or the valuation of a startup I’m researching. It tells bedtime stories and mediates family arguments over what to eat for dinner. 

But there are some things AI is (still) really bad at: original ideas, copywriting that surprises and delights, and truly understanding a brand.

Take this Grammarly ad campaign I saw on a recent trip to NYC: it’s fun and clever and perfectly illustrates Grammarly’s value prop. I also happen to love Grammarly’s AI copilot, but it’s nice to see they’re still using humans for the important stuff!

I’ve used LLMs for all manner of copywriting tasks—brainstorming, outlining, grading, assessing—but never for actual copywriting. That job is still better done by humans.

That’s because a deep understanding of human emotions and desires is at the core of every standout marketing campaign. For brand strategists and marketers, finding the sweet spot where AI supports but doesn't overshadow is key, just like Grammarly has done here. 

So, all of us marketers and copywriters can breathe a sigh of relief (for now).

AI Smarter Than Humans (Coming Soon)

Elon Musk predicts superhuman AI will be smarter than people as early as next year.

He admits that the rising demand for energy and a shortage of training chips could slow things down a bit, but he claims AI outperforming humans is closer than we think. 

NYU Professor Gary Marcus doesn’t agree. He bet Elon Musk a million dollars that his prediction is miles off the mark. As he says, “It is one thing for language models to predict sequences of words, another to have an AI that truly comprehends the world.”

If you want in on the prediction, you can add your bet at Manifold.

Google’s 101 Prompting Guide

Who needs another prompting guide? No one? Well, Google’s giving you one anyway. They promise you'll learn simple ways to write effective prompts tailored to different jobs and needs. 

It's specifically designed for use with Gemini for Workspace, but it includes:

- A nice, clear guide to prompting in general
- How to use each of the Gemini for Workspace features
- Help me write (Google Docs & Gmail
- Help me organize (Google Sheets)
- Create an image with Gemini (Google Slides)
- Create background images (Google Meet)

You can skip to page 26 if you want the marketing-specific prompts. 

Get the guide here.

Find the AI Tool You’re Looking For

From image generation and marketing strategies to ebooks and survey forms, discover the latest AI tools at There’s An AI For That. The listings contain a lot of junk, but if you look hard enough, you’ll find a gem or two. 

Are you worried about AI replacing your job? The Job Impact Index shows the overall impact automation will have on a particular role and how many AI tools exist to automate those tasks.

Access the TAAFT directory here. 

Ramp Raises $150M for AI Features

Ramp just raised $150M in Series D-2 to build its AI capabilities — or that’s what it says. It seems everyone today is boasting their AI functionality, and rightfully so. It attracts investors and buyers. It boosts valuations. If you don’t talk about AI, people wonder if you’re a dinosaur already. 

While most of Ramp’s AI functionality is still in beta, it has some impressive-looking features. Ramp says it wants to enhance its financial automation services, making processes more efficient and user-friendly. This move into AI is part of Ramp's bigger strategy to expand beyond corporate credit cards into comprehensive finance management.

Ramp has also been actively acquiring companies as part of their growth strategy. This includes companies like Cohere.io, which specializes in AI-driven customer support.

Ramp is positioning itself as a go-to solution for travel and expense management, but it faces formidable competition from Brex (among others). Last valued at $12.3 billion, Brex is a key player in the space, touting its existing AI-powered travel and expense management features. 

While Ramp doesn’t focus primarily on travel management, its approach to finance automation makes it a noteworthy contender. Its investments in AI could give it an edge over Brex, which recently laid off 20% of its employees and received an uncomfortable review on The Information.

You can find the full CB Insights profile here. 

How AI Can Save You 19,000 Hours

Who has time to sit around watching virtual conferences these days? ACTIVATE wondered the same thing, so it’s hosting an online conference for event marketers that lasts only one hour. 

The organizers claim the event is packed with useful, straightforward tips, without any of the fluff. Even better, attendance is free.

You’ll find topics relevant to event marketing, including how to generate interest in events, build a community, and how to use AI to save you 19,000 hours. 

You can register here.