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It happened to me today: $80/hr writer replaced with ChatGPT

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Re: It happened to me today: $80/hr writer replaced with ChatGPT

#101
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is AI then … not providing value if it just does the same job?

In some cases, certainly not! Companies will use AI to create all sorts of blogspam and filler content. But perhaps it's better for an AI to be doing it than for a human life to be wasted on creating such things.

I’m not sure those people have better talents or alternatives, or will get to use them if they do.

Re: It happened to me today: $80/hr writer replaced with ChatGPT

#102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As horrified as I am for people whose jobs will be lost (including mine, quite possibly), "content" is such a plague on humanity I'm glad it will soon be devalued into the ground. Moutains of useless tweets and blog posts will be rendered meaningless when ChatGPT has all the answers. Dust to dust.

I both strongly agree (“content is a plague”) and strongly disagree (artisans, even digital ones, make society better). I’m glad that we’ll hopefully see the end of content as an industry, where people churn out text and images and posts trying to monetize attention by the penny. It’s inevitable as content becomes effectively free. How long before TikTok makes AI generated videos without creators? I’m pretty sure med…

> It’s something people love to be, but in a world with recorded audio, you don’t need as many musicians as you once needed (and it was actually a fairly common job).

I do wonder if people are going to start valuing in-person experiences more and more, as anything on the internet can now be faked (or AI-generation, which, artistically speaking, is close to the same thing). If we do, might we see a boom of live performers? Will minstrels make a comeback? An interesting possibility, if still not reassuring.

Re: It happened to me today: $80/hr writer replaced with ChatGPT

#103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They could. Just don't expect the same pay when the assistant is performing a big chunk of the work. Same goes for engineers. Just wait.

I see no reason to think that their pay will not increase. They can now produce 2-10x the amount of content. Did compilers decrease engineers pay because they performed a large portion of the work compared to writing assembly?

Machinery and automation also increased the output of individual workers but workers don't own the means of production so they didn't see the benefits of increased income. If you think engineers are any different then I've got a chatbot to sell you

Re: It happened to me today: $80/hr writer replaced with ChatGPT

#104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As horrified as I am for people whose jobs will be lost (including mine, quite possibly), "content" is such a plague on humanity I'm glad it will soon be devalued into the ground. Moutains of useless tweets and blog posts will be rendered meaningless when ChatGPT has all the answers. Dust to dust.

With how rich YouTubers / influencers are getting, I think relationship building / becoming a celebrity will become more and more necessary

To rift off your observation, Perhaps becoming more and more human will become the de facto trustworthy brand?

Re: It happened to me today: $80/hr writer replaced with ChatGPT

#105

If AI output is 60% as good as a person, but costs 1/1000th the price... what decision maker is going to justify paying 1000x more for 40% more quality? We're really in for it. What if there was a cheeseburger that was 50% as good as McDonalds but was only a nickel? That'd be real bad for the McD's share price.

I don't think I'd accept anything worse than McDonald's if they paid me to eat it.

That was my conclusion last time I ate at Harveys. The "meat" was just plain bad.

Re: It happened to me today: $80/hr writer replaced with ChatGPT

#106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see no reason to think that their pay will not increase. They can now produce 2-10x the amount of content. Did compilers decrease engineers pay because they performed a large portion of the work compared to writing assembly?

Machinery and automation also increased the output of individual workers but workers don't own the means of production so they didn't see the benefits of increased income. If you think engineers are any different then I've got a chatbot to sell you

A big issue here is "production" is basically anything that happens in front of a computer. Individual workers will be fired, yes, but entire companies, sectors even, can now be made obsolete overnight. What happens when thinking is no longer a requirement for any job?

Re: It happened to me today: $80/hr writer replaced with ChatGPT

#107
I wrote about this same exact thing (on a throwaway so my other employees don't see this) from the perspective of the employer.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35484643

---- I'm writing on a throwaway account for obvious reasons. I run a mid sized software company that does a mix of software consulting and saas. Quite common these days. I want to share a real story about how chatgpt eliminated a marketing job. I have a full time marketing person who writes content (case studies, blog posts, client testimonials etc) and does SEO optimization for our website. He's not technical, but understands the problem we are solving and knows how to talk to customers.

Writing a case study, blog post or a marketing tweet took a bit of work. I'd brainstorm with him what topics to write about, he'd run some drafts by me and then after 2 - 3 revisions we'd publish it. With chatgpt I'd just write what I wanted in point form and get back a polished product in a few seconds. It gives you exactly what you wanted but puts it across in a way that's much better quality than what what the marketing person could do. Most importantly, none of the key points I wanted to make get lost in translation.

I decided last week to lay off the marketing person (2 months full pay severance) because I did not see the value in paying for a full time marketer when I can do a better/faster job with AI. I think this is the new reality that a lot of sales/marketing jobs will face.

Re: It happened to me today: $80/hr writer replaced with ChatGPT

#108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As horrified as I am for people whose jobs will be lost (including mine, quite possibly), "content" is such a plague on humanity I'm glad it will soon be devalued into the ground. Moutains of useless tweets and blog posts will be rendered meaningless when ChatGPT has all the answers. Dust to dust.

I both strongly agree (“content is a plague”) and strongly disagree (artisans, even digital ones, make society better). I’m glad that we’ll hopefully see the end of content as an industry, where people churn out text and images and posts trying to monetize attention by the penny. It’s inevitable as content becomes effectively free. How long before TikTok makes AI generated videos without creators? I’m pretty sure med…

> artisans, even digital ones, make society better

The word "content," when applied to digital media, usually carries some implications of artlessness. Content is something that fills a container.

Music that moves you and changes you is art, and is unlikely to be automated any time soon. Music that plays in an elevator (or fills the silence in an elevator) is Content, and is highly likely to be automated soon.

Re: It happened to me today: $80/hr writer replaced with ChatGPT

#110

I wrote about this same exact thing (on a throwaway so my other employees don't see this) from the perspective of the employer. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35484643 ---- I'm writing on a throwaway account for obvious reasons. I run a mid sized software company that does a mix of software consulting and saas. Quite common these days. I want to share a real story about how chatgpt eliminated a marketing job. I…

I don't know why you got the downvotes, I guess people decided your story was a lie. Interesting nonetheless.
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