This AI Just Surpassed ChatGPT by 50 Million Users!

Hello hello! 

I am back from my travels, so here is another issue of the Practical AI newsletter.

I think today’s deep dive can be a thought-provoking one!

Or, at least it should be. It gives you a look into our AI future, especially since 60% of the users of this AI are between 11 and 26 years…

Move over ChatGPT, there is a new Sheriff in town…

Is it Snapchat's turn to shine?

In August, Snapchat reported that their new AI - My AI - had been used by over 150 million people and had over 10 billion conversations.

This means that Snapchat’s AI has 50 million more users than ChatGPT!

Wow!

Why is nobody talking about this???

Why is the media not going bananas over the fact that the wonderboy of all AI tools is surpassed by a company that isn’t even an AI company...

It is not even reflected in Snapchat’s stock price (one could argue). Not financial advice!

Sure, Snapchat is not exactly famous for monetizing its users, but integrating AI into Snapchat might be a game-changer going forward…

And once Wall Street understands this, I guess we will hear about it in the news!

But right now, nobody seems to care!

Why? How?

Let’s take a step back and look at what their AI is and does and why it will matter soon enough...

What is Snapchat My AI?

My AI is basically a conversational AI inside Snapchat. Like how you can “have a conversation” with ChatGPT, you can now have the same conversation inside Snapchat with My AI.

But here is the kicker…

My AI is using OpenAI/GPT.

Yep, that’s right, they don’t have their own AI but are using the technology from OpenAI.

However, Snapchat is using a scaled-back or modified version of ChatGPT.

Where ChatGPT gives you lengthy answers, My AI gives one or two-sentence answers - more akin to quick and snappy chats. Pun intended.

Snapchat’s users use My AI in many ways, from someone to “talk to” to asking specific questions about cars or McDonalds.

The data provided by Snapchat on the conversations people are having with their AI is interesting in so many ways!

Here are the most popular topics (numbers in millions):

You can see all the data by following the link below (a must-read 😀)

👉️ https://newsroom.snap.com/early-insights-on-my-ai 👈️ 

Why is My AI a big deal?

So what’s the big deal, you ask?

Well, there are two reasons!

Number one: This is the new generation of kids growing up. Some are still very young, while others are entering the job market and adult life. They are growing up extremely tech-savvy, and now 150 million of them are used to playing around with/using AI for questions about products or life and sharing their inner thoughts with an AI (that records and remembers everything, none-the-less).

Number two: Snapchat is a data company. If it is free, you are the product! Even before the integration of AI into the app, Snapchat had an enormous amount of data about their users, which they collected from the app and your phone.

On top of having all your geolocation data, knowing your behavior, when and where you sleep, when you are active, where you work, your interests, your friends and family, and more, there are now 150 million people willingly sharing their desires or their most intimate thoughts.

Why are Facebook and Google some of the most valuable companies on the planet?

Because of their data!

They sell ads based on that data.

$338 billion combined in 2022!!!

There aren’t currently more powerful marketing tools than Facebook’s- and Google’s ads platforms.

But now, imagine the power of advertising when you have historical data, behavioral data, and the most intimate of data, and you can couple this with real-time data.

Imagine advertising to a person at the very instant they are asking the AI about a destination, or about getting into shape, or wanting to find a girlfriend/boyfriend.

Or what about if he/she just got a fat bonus check from work and the person has an inclination for gambling?

Or, researching a medical condition, and the AI can tell you that “you got stung by a jellyfish, and you need product X. You can get it delivered by Amazon within 4 hours. Press here to buy now”.

Data rules the world.

Snapchat might possibly be the new king.

This is WHY this is such a big deal!

To the Europeans (myself included): Yes, we have GDPR to “protect us”.

But the Americans don’t.

And don’t you think there will be an option to “opt-in” to share everything with the AI?

While the Americans might run into this with open arms (or have no choice), the Europeans might be dragged in screaming and kicking. But sooner or later, they will be in too…

I think I will leave it at this today!

This story and topic have been spinning around my head for weeks, and I thought it was worth sharing my thoughts with you on it.

Hopefully, it makes you reflect on the future to come 😀

I think there are good and bad sides to this.

Where do you fall?

Worried or excited?

Hit reply, and let me know!

If you have any questions about AI or any feedback, just hit reply or tweet me @thomassorheim 

PS! 
Why don't data analysts play hide and seek?

.

.

Because they always show their locations!

(Today’s dad joke courtesy of ChatGPT)

This is not the end. It is where the fun begins!