ChatGPT Invades Radio.

Last November, shockwaves were sent through Silicon Valley with the debut of ChatGPT. Most of us didn’t become aware of this artificial entity till a story broke recently of Bing’s HAL 9000-like behavior. Despite how scary that is, one thing has even its detractors mystified. This interactive form of artificial intelligence can create cogent blocks of text instantly.

 

As of this writing, Amazon Kindle reports over 200 titles that list ChatGPT as coauthor or author. That number could be considerably higher due to many authors’ failure to disclose the use of ChatGPT.

 

If this is being utilized in the self-publishing industry, how long before someone decides to apply it to script writing and even on-air content for radio?

 

Someone has.

 

On February 23^rd, Futuri announced that it has created RadioGPT, AI created audio to radio. RadioGPT uses AI voice tech and Futuri’s TopicPulse to create a script for on-air use and turn the script into audio. Beta partners for the new service include Alpha Media and Canada’s Rogers Sports & Media.

 

RadioGPT users will have choices of voices. They can also program as a two or three person show. The program is available for all formats. And it generates it’s own social media posts.

 

Now, before we start hitting the panic button, take a look at an experiment conducted by Aidan Pollard, reporter for Business Insider.

 

Pollard asked Chat GPT to write three viral commercials for the Super Bowl, Skittles, Lexus, and a Beer commercial. He submitted the scripts to Ad Agency Creative Directors for critique. The assessment, all three lacked nuance and a creative touch.

 

The beer commercial was at best generic.

 

Lexus was flat.

 

The Skittles commercial had one entertaining factor. AI announced new chicken flavored Skittles.

 

Then comes the question of the content’s authenticity. ChatGPT learns to write by scanning millions of pages of existing text. Online publication CNET banned the use of ChatGPT because it found over half the content was plagiarized.

 

These issues will no doubt be rectified as AI only gets smarter and more user friendly. Right now, it’s learning to write by copying and imitating. As time goes by, it will begin to coherently create its own content.

 

Is this a doomsday scenario for those of us who write and produce?

 

We think not, if for one reason only.

 

AI still lacks emotional intelligence. And we all know that it’s emotion that sells, not just correct grammar. This is something we with SummitMedia's Production Network have done from day one. It has always been our modus operandi that it's emotion that sells, not just raw data. 

There will no doubt come a time very soon when someone releases a ChatGRT script generator. When you combine the drawbacks listed above, you'll basically have Dan O'Day's infamous "bad commercial generator." There will no doubt be companies that will embrace it solely for economic reason. 

However, this is where we as content creators and  effective campaign strategists can win. It will only be a matter of time before ChatGRT learns from us, as it scans the never-ending online landscape. 

We may not be able to outthink AI. But, we can definitely out create it. 

 

Sincerely

Mike –The Reel Architect.