The AI that we’re being inundated with now doesn’t seem to be a gimmick or a phase, as it is actually capable of some really cool things. The problem is, the constant AI-focused marketing is starting to drive me nuts.
I’ll Admit: AI Models Bring A Lot Of Very Impressive Things To The Table, So I Get It…
Your boss sends you a 1,673-word tirade on your not showing up for the seventh weekly virtual meeting in a row. You’re a busy person and he doesn’t get that. You don’t need to read all of that when you can just feed it to Gemini or ChatGPT and get a nice concise summary of whatever he’s trying to say. In fact, you can even get it to draft a full reply for you to save even more time.
Hey, you want to know everything about the Aztecs and Mayans without needing to take a trip to the library to blow off some dusty books? Just tell your AI chatbot to give you the CliffNotes version of things. Now you know the procedure involved with sacrifices to the Sun God.
I get it, AI makes life very convenient. These chatbots can basically serve you like a more conversational form of Google Search, and I find myself taking advantage of that here and there. Besides the very confident way that these AI models can be factually incorrect, there’s a lot of potential for them going forward, and even in what we can consider their immature phase, they’re very capable.
…At The Same Time, I’m Simply Fed Up Of “AI” As A Buzzword
I’m mature enough to acknowledge the good side of AI, but I’m genuinely tired. Nearly every day, there’s something new to add to the AI portfolio and it’s starting to turn into a buzzword that companies stick in when they meet the barest minimum criteria.
Okay, your keyboard app can pop up suggested replies to a message I receive, like “Sounds great!”, “Okay, got it.”, and “I’ll be right there!”. Do they really have to call that AI? No. Will they still end up advertising “AI Smart Replies”? Yes, probably.
I’ve followed the Android scene since it was delivered into this cruel world and I’ve seen brands hop on innovation, so I’m not surprised by the way things have played out. However, most of these companies aren’t doing anything exceptional or different when heavily advertising how their next smartphone is going to have “AI” built-in.
I have a Samsung S22 Ultra with One UI 6.1 and Galaxy AI (which was pretty heavily advertised) and I simply don’t see it being exceptionally useful in my daily life. Certainly not to the point where it’d sway a purchasing decision for me to any significant measure.
Call me an old man who refuses to get with the times, but perhaps manufacturers and developers are starting to overestimate how much people care about seeing “AI” when shopping for a new smartphone.
