In the world of online media, content creation is king. With more competition for eyeballs and clicks, media outlets are constantly on the lookout for new and innovative ways to create compelling content. One of the most interesting developments in this realm has been the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) based content creation tools such as ChatGPT. Now, BuzzFeed and CNET have taken dramatically different approaches to this technology and its potential to revolutionize content creation.
When it comes to serving up fresh takes on trendy topics, BuzzFeed is always ahead of the curve. In its most recent pivot, the outlet announced it is embracing ChatGPT and its AI-written content with the launch of a ChatBots group. According to BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti, the project is part of a larger call to “redefine the boundaries of content creation, by exploring the still nascent world of AI-generated content”.
The ChatBots project will launch with two separate teams to explore use cases for the AI-written content. The first team, based in London, will focus on creating engaging pop culture-related content, personalizing the questions asked by users in the Messenger app and adapting messaging strategies to human-like conversations. The second team will be located in San Francisco and will create in-depth stories about complex topics for the news section of BuzzFeed.
On the other hand, when it comes to AI-written content, CNET has taken a drastically different approach. Instead of deciding to capitalize on the potential of ChatGPT and its AI-generated content, CNET recently announced that it is shutting down its Messenger bot experiment.
The blog post associated with the decision explains that the cost of developing the project was simply too high. CNET says that it simply could not justify the cost when compared to the potential return. Furthermore, the site notes that developing AI-written content would require an extensive and time-consuming process that would likely be too costly for the company.
As technology continues to evolve, AI-written content looks set to play a bigger and bigger role in the realm of content creation. BuzzFeed’s move to embrace the technology, while CNET has chosen to take a step back underscores the divergent paths the two outlets are taking in this domain. It remains to be seen which of the two strategies will be more successful, but it’s clear that the way we produce content is changing, and ChatGPT could be a major player in this evolution.