War, Marketing challenges and AI threat to artists

It is this time again, AI enthusiasts! 🤓

Welcome back to the 3-minute newsletter! Before we delve in, I'd like to preface this edition by mentioning that this week's news is less about entertainment and more about provoking thoughtful reflection. 

Typically, I enjoy sharing intriguing and curious findings with you but this time around, the prevailing atmosphere seems to be one of controversy, yet it's undeniably crucial. Without wanting to delve too deeply into rhetoric, it seems as though humanity stands on the precipice of decisions that will shape our lives in the near future. Perhaps I'm mistaken? 🤷🏻

Well, I urge you, reader, to peruse this letter and draw your own conclusions ⬇️

1. War Zone ⚠️

What morals should we hold AI to? Is it right to just use it if it means killing? The question arises as Lavendar, an AI programme, is being used in the Gaza conflict to predict the potential areas occupied by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. So far, it has targeted some 37000 people connected with the insurgency.

The testimony came from six intelligence officers who gave their info to Yufal Abraham, who published it in the +972 Magazine and the Hebrew-language outlet Local Call.

The Israel Defence Force’s intelligence division 🇮🇱, Unit 8200, developed an AI system comparable to the UK UN’s National Security Agency or GCHQ. With increasing pressure to find targets, Lavendar’s parameters were tweaked. The unit in charge concluded that the tool had achieved a 90% accuracy rate, leaving the IDF to approve its use.

Officers' principal question was whether the “collateral damage” to civilians allowed for an attack. “It’s much easier to bomb a family’s home. The system is built to look for them in these situations,” said one officer to the Guardian. Lavendar is used in conjunction with a programme called Gospel, which predicts which buildings members of the insurgency could potentially be in.

Depending on the seniority of the opposition, the IDF judged it permissible to kill in excess of 100 civilians if it meant the killing of a Hamas senior figure, “We had a calculation for how many [civilians could be killed] for the brigade commander, how many [civilians] for a battalion commander, and so on,” one source said.

Experts in international humanitarian said militaries must assess proportionality for each individual strike. Isn’t it really concerning that making the decision to kill has become too easy, and if left to the cold and calculated programming of AI, we may see more innocent lives lost? 🤍

It is hard to write about any war for me when we have a war in Ukraine. russia invaded Ukraine. It is bombing our cities almost every day. It uses double-strike tactics - it sends missiles and drones to the same spot when firefighters and rescue teams operate there. They do not count lives. They say there: beat your friends so that your foes could fear. INSANE!

2. I’m a Bad Guy 🎤

The world has been talking about the loss of the workforce due to AI development, yet I don’t think big pop stars used to be concerned about it that much…until now. The current circumstances appear to level the playing field for everyone.

Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj and other artists came up with a new idea. However, it's not a music collaboration at all: they have joined forces to denounce the "predatory" use of artificial intelligence in the music industry. The celebrities argue that AI music-making 🎧 tools, tested by tech giants like YouTube, threaten to undermine human creativity and devalue artists' work. 

In an open letter orchestrated by the Artists' Rights Alliance, they urge tech companies to refrain from developing AI tools for music generation that either replace or exploit human artistry without ensuring fair compensation. Their stance is clear: “This assault on human creativity must be stopped” ✋

Interestingly, while some artists vehemently oppose AI's involvement in music creation, others, such as Grimes and David Guetta, endorse its utilisation. This dichotomy underscores the broader issues of ownership, consent and the digital era's evolving landscape of artistic expression. But where does this debate lead us? Stay tuned to know who is the real bad guy in the 21st century 😈

3. Big Challenges 🧑🏻‍💻

Just like mere mortals, marketing leaders face a myriad of challenges in steering their brands towards success. A recent survey commissioned by search-driven content agency No Brainer delved into the minds of over 500 UK marketing decision-makers, uncovering their biggest challenges in 2024.

Topping the list of concerns is the volatility of search engine updates, with 17% of respondents citing it as a significant challenge. The ever-shifting algorithms and ranking factors pose a constant struggle for marketers aiming to maintain visibility and relevance in search results 📈

Close behind is the issue of in-house skills and upskilling, with 16% of respondents expressing worries. As technology advances, marketing teams grapple with the need to adapt and acquire new skills to stay ahead of the curve. Anxiety surrounding AI's potential replacement of human roles is another prevalent worry, also at 16%. Despite the promise of efficiency and automation, many marketers fear the implications of AI on their jobs and the need to remain competitive in an increasingly automated landscape.

The list also contains:

✔️ Landing media coverage relevant to target customers – 15%

✔️ Attribution and ROI – 15% 

✔️ Maintaining and growing visibility on search – 15% 

✔️ Lack of understanding about how we could use AI – 14% 

✔️ EEAT content, search rater guidelines and sourcing credible, trusted experts – 14% 

✔️ Market and competitor activity – 14% 

✔️ Integration of teams to deliver integrated/omnichannel marketing – 14%

What challenges are you facing in 2024? Reply to me, please.

Lots to embrace and to work on; it seems like there is no other choice but to remain adaptable and attuned to the shifting currents of the digital landscape 🦾

Whatever happens, I’ll be here next week with a bunch of new updates! 

Till then - take care and stay curious! 👀 

Max

xx

P.S. Please donate to help Ukraine win.