Influencers influence influencers, and us, too

Welcome back, AI enthusiasts 👋

Max is here, and I have prepared my new 3-minute newsletter for you, reader. Whether you're seeking the latest AI trends, looking for a dose of motivation or craving some fresh perspectives, you're in the right place 😉

Get a cup of coffee if you haven’t had one yet, subscribe if you haven’t subscribed and let’s kickstart this week on a high note! 🚀

1. Better than Gosling 🏃⏳

I really loved ‘Blade Runner 2049’, Ryan Gosling is great, and the visuals are fantastic. Though I'm pretty hesitant about embracing this world as my everyday reality 😳 Unlike Spanish artist Alicia Framis, who appears quite enamoured with the idea of dystopia: the woman prepares to marry an AI-generated hologram named AiLex.

To be fair, that’s not the first affair Alicia has had with no-so-much-human in her life. Before AiLex, the artist was in love with a mannequin named Pierre 👨‍🎨, delving into the notions of romance and connection. However, her current relationship clearly steers toward a more futuristic path. If you're intrigued by this type of art/family, feel free to follow Alicia on Instagram @hybridcouples.

Framis's artistic exploration promises to delve deeper into the complexities of a relationship 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 in an increasingly digitised world: "We know that soon robots and humans will be sexual partners, but for me, the next important step is emotionally involving artificial intelligence with humans." While the concept is undeniably thought-provoking, the practical limitations of hologram technology remind us that we're not quite in the realm of science fiction yet—thankfully 😅

2. Bigger does not mean better 🤳

Influencer marketing continues to surge in 2024. Marketers are increasingly investing in this strategy, with one in four consumers making purchases based on influencer recommendations.

Apparently, the bigger is not always the better ☝🏻. Kyle Denhoff from HubSpot highlights the effectiveness of partnering with niche creators: the trend towards micro-influencers is evident, with 47% of marketers finding success in such partnerships: “Creators in their niche create demand and drive sales through channels like YouTube, Newsletters, Podcasts and Social. More than half of our YouTube demand comes from Creator partnerships”. 📈

Quite a valuable tool as these smaller influencers offer access to engaged audiences at a lower cost, making influencer marketing a sustainable growth channel. Effective marketing teams embrace influencer collaborations, with 53% investing in them, compared to only 25% of less effective teams. Make a note that it’s not about looking for a new face 👩🏽‍🦰 every night: repeat collaborations with influencers are common, with 49% of marketers working with influencers more than once. The reason is pretty simple: after mastering a brand's voice, tone, and guidelines and establishing awareness with its audience, influencers consistently generate comparable or enhanced results in future campaigns.

For better or for worse, influencer marketing remains a vital component of modern marketing strategies, especially for B2C brands and agencies looking to maximise brand awareness and drive sales 🏎️

3. A Safe Space 🧑‍🔬

AI is safe. Safer than safe. Super safe. Safe indeed. S-A-F-E. Still don’t believe it? The University of York launched the Institute for Safe Autonomy (ISA) for you and people like you. This promising initiative is aimed at addressing public concerns surrounding Artificial Intelligence. With a focus on providing research and evidence to ensure the safety of AI in everyday use, the £45m (🤯!) institute is set to become a hub for interdisciplinary research and collaboration.

Director of ISA Professor Miles Elsden underlines that technology is already "a big part of our daily lives", like phones and Smart TV; several ongoing projects involve exploring the safe integration of robots into triage procedures within emergency hospital departments 🏥; the researchers are trying their best to build public trust as soon as possible.

Supported by funding from Research England, the Lloyd's Register Foundation and the University of York, ISA's work holds significant potential to advance the responsible development of AI while addressing societal concerns. Will it be enough – time alone, oh, time will tell 🎶

And that’s all, folks! There are lots to take in and think about, but it is how it is. At first, I was afraid, I was petrified…but we’ll survive! 🦾

Catch up next week and stay curious! ✅

Max

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