February 19, 2023

If your InBox looks like mine, you would think the wheel has just been invented…or at least the iPhone.

It’s “artificial intelligence (AI) all day, every day” in my email –Open.ai, ChatGPT, Jasper et al.—and I have to say it’s pretty exciting stuff. The possibilities are endless and we are just scratching the surface.

Besides observing and learning about the technology itself, I am equally fascinated with the feeding frenzy on the topic (both good and bad) …and I can’t avoid giving some observations this week.

One thing is obvious:

Can we turn down the volume just a little bit?

Maybe from a “Spinal Tap 11” to a “10” …or even a “9”?

For every one expert on AI (and there are many who have been involved in this “new technology” for decades) there are at least ten charlatans (and I am being kind).

The experts are measured, all about education; the charlatans are all about the latest money grab while instilling fear in as many people as they can (“ChatGPT will put you out of business in 6 weeks!”) …fearmongers instead of educators.

Because I am a member of some of the most wisdom-seeking marketing and copywriting masterminds in the world—including my own—I am getting a quick Master’s degree in all things AI based on the expertise of those mastermind members.

It has been a rapid and intense inquiry…and it’s picking up steam every day.

I still have many miles to go before I sleep…or even nap. I’m sure many of you are in the same boat.

But that doesn’t mean we are “behind.”

In fact, according to Howard Getson, one of those experts who has been immersed in AI for decades, we are in a perfect spot right now…with the “we” being you and me.

That is, not jumping at every AI shiny object, while experimenting and testing judiciously, learning from the right people.

I submit that as Plan A.

Since I have the luxury of being retired (with a full-time job), I promise to share all I learn with you, while being mindful, learning all I can about AI by walking around on the outside.

I encourage you to do the same…and share anything significant you learn with me so I can share with this online family.

It’s not about having the affliction of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) or the much worse, terminal version, TOMS (Terrified of Missing Sh*t).

My blog/my choice to make one worse than the other. 🙂

It is about getting information and advice from professionals who are experimenting with these new and amazing tools, who are also reporting back to “home base” (i.e., us) …without arrogance or a know-it-all attitude.

I’m calling this “Natural Artificial Intelligence.”

Kind of like the vegan version of AI, eating more carefully and hopefully more healthfully, rather than the meat-eating version, eating what you kill every step of the way.

Maybe vegan with some occasional non-plant-based protein?

The copywriting community seems to be the most scared (or at least concerned) about the rapid proliferation of warnings that ChatGPT and Jasper (to name two leading AI resources) are their worst enemy.

The charlatans and fearmongers are positing the theory that they will be replaced by robots sooner rather than later.

It could happen if you allow the technology to take complete control of your brain.

My take is that if they are copywriters who are mediocre, don’t employ proper research, only use formulas that are old and tired, only write for food (and refuse to become full time, trusted counselors/advisors to their clients) …

…they should be (very) worried.

That is, if you are already a robotyou might want to consider a different line of work.

But those who have a holistic view of copywriting (and marketing), will not only survive—they will thrive—using the current and future permutations of AI, building on top of them rather than relying on them completely.

And as the permutations advance and become even more sophisticated, the holistic among us will grow with them…and hopefully stay at least one step ahead of them at each step.

That is my hope, at least.

From Dan Sullivan, the top coach for entrepreneurs in the world:

“People who depend on answers (i.e., expertise) will become obsolete; people who depend on questions will rule the day.”

That’s not to say you can abandon the expertise you have spent your life accumulating.

Experience on top of expertise will become your differentiating friend in the face of all things AI …and one of the ways to enhance and explode AI in your business.

With more questions…and more complete prompts (see below).

And I repeat: You are not behind.

Reading all you can, weeding out the fluff from the truth (i.e., knowing who to ignore and who to pay close attention to) …and I promise to bring you only dispatches from the appropriate battlefields from the most courageous commanders.

We must move away from the self-proclaimed inventors and move towards the highest achieving innovators.

It’s consistent with my mission, which I call oxymoronically, “altruistic greed.”

al·tru·is·tic

/ ,al,trōō’istik
adjective

having or showing an unselfish concern for the well-being of others.

greed

/ɡrēd/
noun

intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.

I am unselfish in the quest for truth, knowledge, and wisdom from others and for others (in this case about AI) …while remaining selfish in keeping my student hat on at the same time.

I don’t care much about wealth or power…both are overrated. Food on the other hand…

And don’t ask me if oxymoronically is a word. All I know is that spell check approved it.

Where am I seeking out the truth and proper education?

Masterminds and workshops like Joe Polish’s Genius Network, Jeff Walker’s Platinum Plus Mastermind, Dan Sullivan’s Strategic Coach…and many other hand-picked, curated groups of marketers, copywriters, and business leaders I trust (some of whom I have trusted for close to 40 years)—all innovators of the highest order.

I will read and study anything these people put out…look up those they recommend…and follow the right people in the months and years to come as well…once they prove their innovation chops.

And incorporate what I learn into my own business…with my mastermind members…and with you.

I pledge to practice “Altruistic Greed” every day, through my masterminds and the educational products and seminars I present to my online family…and this blog.

In fact, just this week, I wrote a cover letter for the monthly USB I send out to my Titans Xcelerator mastermind (which includes the recordings of our live calls) and wrote a first draft of the letter using ChatGPT (with only 3 prompts).

And frankly, if I sent just that version it would have been embarrassing (at least to me).

It was generic, lacked personality (of course, I could have incorporated more with additional prompts) but it lacked the full experience of me being on each of the weekly calls (which would have been hard to capture, in my voice, with prompts).

Doable I admit…but not ideal. Yet.

And I am an amateur.

I know more sophisticated versions of ChatGPT and other tools are coming…every day…so I will pay attention to what my add-ons need to be on an ongoing basis to create more sophisticated versions of everything I write.

Like everything else, AI can be used for good or evil…good for first drafts (with more to come) …and bad when it is bland, boring, and spitting out what it finds throughout the web and elsewhere…from the past…often lying when it doesn’t know it’s lying.

You are only as good as your next prompt I suppose. 🙂

According to Mike Koenigs, a “recovering marketer” (always an innovator) and an expert you can trust (and I am paraphrasing):

“AI doesn’t give you flack, is available 24/7, will never ask for a raise [although prices can rise], will keep you from staring at a blank page…and it is only limited by your unlimited imagination…and your most creative and targeted prompts.”

It’s here and now…to stay…and I’ll be the first (maybe the second or third) to let you know when we can turn up the volume to “11”



Warmly,



Brian



P.S. Looking for prompts to enhance your AI generated copy?

On the one hand, I hate talking about Breakthrough Advertising and Breakthrough Advertising Mastery as tools to use with AI… because I have always believed in the power of these books to stand on their own, with exercises (in print and available digitally)…and a swipe file of over 300 ads, in full color, to prove the principles.

But with AI reaching a fever pitch, with no end in sight (not that there should be an “end”), I realized that these two volumes will only enhance your use of the technology.

The principles have been working since 1966…and I know of thousands of marketers and copywriters who are applying them successfully today…with AI tools…or not.

The companion volume, Breakthrough Advertising Mastery (which we affectionately call BAM), adds so much to the equation…and you can pick both books at one low price here.

If you already own Breakthrough Advertising (and I don’t know why you wouldn’t), you can buy BAM  by itself here.

It’s 500 pages (don’t get sticker shock on the postage if you live outside the U.S.–it’s heavy!)…and included with the book is access to a portal with all of the videos, worksheets and exercises that are mentioned in the book.

Go to BreakthroughAdvertising.com and read about these two super-actionable books…in the spirit of “Natural Artificial Intelligence”…with no additional prompts necessary. 🙂

About the author 

Brian Kurtz

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