Understanding the use of Generative AI in products has changed people's relationship with technology, raising awareness of the potential of Artificial Intelligence in the market beyond text generation, as provided by GPT Chat. What we are witnessing is the innovation in how we use AI and the understanding of how this will impact all areas of our lives: whether in interpersonal relationships, professional life, or our behavior.
In the first half of 2024, some of the main news stories that circulated the world involved the use of AI, the launch of new features, or increased acceptance of the technology. In that period alone, 72% of companies worldwide adopted Artificial Intelligence, representing a significant advance compared to 55% in 2023 – according to the research “The state of AI in early 2024: Gen AI adoption spikes and starts to generate value”, conducted by McKinsey.
The advancement of GenAI in image and video models – such as Sora and Gemini AI – demonstrates the ability of Artificial Intelligence to generate content with extremely high visual quality. So high, in fact, that it is often difficult to distinguish the real from the digital. This was the case with Kate Middleton's health announcement video, which went viral on social media and divided opinions on whether or not it was made by Generative AI – since the Princess confessed that she manipulated a photo she posted on Mother's Day last year.
The controversies surrounding deepfakes have raised concerns within the market about the effectiveness and safety of using artificial intelligence models for content creation within companies. Furthermore, they have also brought to the forefront the discussion about the need for regulation to ensure ethical practices in the creation and use of AI-generated content.
On the one hand, it's important to establish rules for the use of these tools, but on the other hand, tightening these rules, besides limiting the creativity of users who use technology ethically, doesn't prevent those who want to use it unethically. It's the same logic as credit card cloning, for example. No matter how well banks implement security and awareness systems regarding usage, there will always be those who use technology for malicious purposes.
The paradox of regulation, however, does not dictate whether or not Generative AI can lose credibility in the market. Credibility should always be linked to the quality of the result. If a video, image, or text created by AI is well-made content, it brings a good reputation; if it is poorly made, it will be discredited.
To date, we see that this technology has been very well received by companies and has provided excellent results in applications. This has brought to the market a range of possibilities for new businesses and new product creations. An example of this is the creation of Apple's new glasses, the Apple Vision, which blend augmented reality with the real world and put hyperconnectivity into practice: work, personal life, leisure, behavior. Another case is Meta's new AI, designed to assist in the customization and effectiveness of advertising campaigns on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram; that is, based on what the user sees on the screens, the campaigns will offer products, bringing more assertiveness to marketing.
Today, whatever companies think about doing, they will think about how to use AI to improve the process and provide a better user experience. This ranges from sales strategies to integration within the product itself, such as new apps and features for smartphones – when the technology is used to convince the user to buy the product, to create the product, and to develop all the functions that the device can offer so that the user remains connected to the network, allowing this cycle to repeat itself.
It's clear that AI is shaping the future. The question is which companies will seize this wave of innovation opportunities. Those who fail to adapt will undoubtedly fall behind in this technological race.
