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Will generative AI apps like ChatGPT help us be more productive, save time, and be healthier, smarter, and happier?
Generative AI is as real as it gets when it comes to revolutionizing the nature of work, culture, and creativity. This is a game-changer for many industries and could become as ubiquitous in our homes as Siri and Alexa.
“Star Wars” director George Lucas saw it clearly. If you ask me, this year’s kids will have talking robots under the tree, whether in his R2D2 form as a little one, or his sleek, golden form with generative AI in his 3PO form. So, I expect to open a ridiculous Christmas present this year.
I am an advocate for generative AI, not only as a tech company owner, but also as a parent. I’m not scared to think my kids are playing with AI. I prefer interacting with AI (indexing trusted information) to learning about science, healthcare, and life hacks on TikTok. Likewise, I prefer my children to test their thinking skills with video games such as Zelda rather than mindlessly watching TV.
Despite its popularity, generative AI is still in its early stages.
For AI to bring about a new boom, two things need to happen to benefit not only innovation, education and investment, but also our children.
1. Generative AI needs training on trusted information
The Large Language Model (LLM) underlying our generative AI app learns how to generate conversations by scraping the vast web of data sources and then predicting meaningful words. This reminds me of Google’s “autocomplete” when searching, or Google’s “did you mean” just enhanced.
Play around with generative AI a bit and you’ll see that it’s already pretty good. Perfect? No, but he definitely talks about a lot of things and seems intelligent.
However, because generative AI is trained with fallible humans, it floods these channels with false information. Some of this bad news is humorous, like asking Google’s chatbot Bard, “Did Anakin Skywalker fight Darth Vader?” “Yes, they fought three times.” (It’s funny because they’re the same person.)
Or it could be harmful, such as asking an AI, “Is sunscreen good for you?” This is because the AI is being trained based on inputs that emerged after the popular TikTok misinformation campaign.
That’s where publishers come in and explain how they will play a big role in an AI-driven future. By training these smart systems with trusted information and high-quality media, generative AI reflects the better nature of what the world has to offer.
News publishers put checks and balances in place to accurately report their news. News editors dedicate their careers and lives to this. I always trust journalists’ assessments of breaking news stories more than the passionate opinions of TikTok influencers. I said yes.
2. Generative AI needs attribution and compensation
The business of generative AI companies in terms of how sources are indexed, how these sources are valued for their contributions, and how they are ultimately rewarded I have a fundamental question about the model.
Generative AI companies need to standardize on exactly what they index, how often, and how that is reflected in the answers they disclose. There should be more transparency on this than just listing the sources as bullet points below the answer.
Generative AI companies need to take a stand. Will we pay for the data sources we ingest every day? News publishers contributing to the correct answers in generative AI are providing an important service in a time when misinformation is prevalent on social networks. The media should be paid, but the question is how.
Adam Singolda is the CEO of contextual online advertising company Taboola.
