How generative AI will change social media

Hyderabad: The landscape of social media has changed drastically over the last few years. It has revolutionized the way we connect and communicate with people. When social media had just started we only had a limited amount of features. Fast forward to now… we have a myriad of features. We can video call someone who is in a whole other country. We can look at their photos, and interact with them. Not only that, people are earning money by making videos and sharing their photos on social media sites. With such advancements in technology and the way we communicate, you can say it’s a world in itself and we are just living in it.

The technologies are developing and we are standing at the cusp of a new era of integration of generative AI into social media apps. This integration of generative AI promises a more seamless and personalized experience that is tailored to your preferences which is exciting but also raises privacy concerns that cannot be ignored.

So let’s dive deep into the sea of social media and see the good and messy sides of integrating AI into it and what we can expect.

Generative AI: An Overview

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can learn through patterns in its training data and can mimic human creativity. From catchy taglines, engaging blog posts, fiery copy that converts, breathtaking graphics etc. it can do it all.

It is every marketer’s dream come true, isn’t it? So now let’s explore how AI can impact content generation and how you can use it to accelerate your marketing efforts using it.

Impact of Generative AI on Content Creation

● Automated Content Generation

We are humans and not every day is the same for us. Sometimes, we have off days where we can’t think straight but the work can not stop now, can it? On days you are overburdened with your task list, you have a copywriting partner, a not-so-shabby designer, a brainstorming buddy, and a competent editor all available to you 24/7 so… it is wise to use it to your advantage. Having said that, attuning the work of AI to your style and preferences and adding a human factor and touch to it is equally important to make it not sound robotic and monotonous.

● Research

AI, at its core, is a machine and machines are good with numbers which can help you gather statistics to make informed decisions. It can gather large amounts of data and draw rapid conclusions, can predict future trends, and can uncover unseen correlations and patterns so that you can make the best out of your marketing efforts. Also, while you are at it, it is important to note that social media is used by humans and solely focusing on data may not be the right thing to do, so remember to keep the human element intact on social media and authenticity always wins in the end. We know how social media is infamous for unrealistic expectations from humans who are inherently flawed and we need more authentic content which is personal and touching.

● Ideation

Ideating is a process that takes time, and patience, your first idea is probably not going to make it. And that can be quite frustrating but it doesn't have to be.

If you have AI in your team, it can change your game. AI is trained on all sets of data. It is efficient in detecting patterns, it knows what has worked in the past and what hasn't and can build on it from there. With that being said, AI will not give you a one-in-a-million idea but it can give you a premise, that you can build on, and that my friend is a cocktail of success.

Now, let's talk about the messy side of AI and what you can do to not get entangled in it.

● AI Hallucinations

AI can sometimes hallucinate, meaning that sometimes it is prone to give out responses that sound just about right but on close inspection are nonsensical. So it is important to stay on top of things and taking everything that AI says with a grain of salt is always wise.

● Realistic Deep Fakes

Recently, one tiktoker posted a clip of a collaboration between two singers, which sounded so real that you couldn’t tell it wasn’t real with the help of AI. So people impersonating others is going to be a huge concern in the future. AI is also raising eyeballs as it can seamlessly replicate humans and is even said to replace actors.

● Data Privacy

The AI is fed a large amount of data sets. Users' data, photos, videos, and interactions are highly monitored, and keeping their information anonymous is paramount. Personalization algorithms can become too intrusive and can reveal sensitive information so striking a balance between personalization and not becoming too intrusive is going to be an ongoing challenge.

● Loss of Authenticity

The prevalence of wide use of AI in social media can make social media less authentic and less human-driven. The main point of social media is human connection but if it keeps going on as it is, we may lose humans and soon, and as bizarre as it sounds, we will have one chatbot talking to another. So, maintaining authenticity is paramount to keeping social media alive.

Using social media raises a lot of privacy concerns. Navigating the uncharted water of social media and the privacy side of things is tough. As users, we don’t know how and what data these apps use and if they even need it. So, it is important to have proper sets of policies to protect us from such data invasion.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) recently has brought new digital laws that are said to protect user’s privacy. Companies like Meta, Microsoft, Google, etc. collect data from users targeting their preferences, gender, and other demographics. This newly passed bill restricts such companies from doing so. The EU will now strictly oversee the data collection, and content moderation and will ensure transparent data collection practices to protect the privacy of the users. This policy has sent a ripple effect in the tech industry worldwide, leaving no option but for companies to adjust their strategies according to the law.

We need more such policies worldwide to ensure that user data is safe and is not being used for malicious practices. The government or regulatory Body’s intervention is the need of the hour and needs to be looked into, to prevent machines from taking over humans.

(This article is written by Karishma Chandnani from TechDoQuest. Views reflected in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of NewsMeter)