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reversedout-blog · 8 months
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7 Critically Huge Website Maintenance Mistakes You’re Making
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Your website is your digital handshake, the first impression for potential customers. It’s crucial to keep it in top shape to effectively represent your business. Yet, numerous businesses falter in their website maintenance efforts, which can result in underwhelming performance, security hazards, and overlooked opportunities. In this post, we’re unpacking seven typical website maintenance pitfalls and offering guidance on how to evade them.
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Ignoring Updates
Updates are a vital aspect of website maintenance that should never be sidelined. They're not just about sprucing up your site with new features or a fresh look. In fact, updates often pack in essential security patches that fortify your website against looming cyber threats. They also carry bug fixes that can enhance the overall functionality and user experience of your site. Overlooking these updates can leave your site susceptible to a variety of security threats, including malware and hacking attempts. It can also trigger performance issues like slow loading times, broken links, or even total website crashes, all of which can sour your site's user experience and SEO ranking.
Solution:
To dodge these issues, it's essential to regularly scout for updates from your website platform, theme, and plugins, and apply them without delay. However, updates can occasionally stir up conflicts with other elements of your site. So, it's always wise to trial them in a safe environment, such as a staging site, before applying them to your live site. This strategy allows you to spot and iron out any potential issues before they can affect your live site, ensuring a smooth and seamless update process. If you're not at ease handling updates yourself, think about hiring a professional web design company. They are pros on how to manage updates best, ensuring your site stays secure, functional, and always up-to-date.
Neglecting Regular Backups
Backups are a crucial safety measure in website maintenance that often gets sidelined. They act as your digital safety net. If your site crashes, gets hacked, or suffers a catastrophic failure due to a botched update or plugin conflict, a recent backup can bring it back to its former state. Without routine backups, you risk losing all your data, including your website design, content, user data, and more. This could mean a complete do-over, which can be a lengthy, expensive, and stressful ordeal.
Solution:
To sidestep such a predicament, it's vital to pencil in regular backups as part of your routine website maintenance. This ensures that a fresh copy of your site, encompassing all its files and databases, is always on standby for restoration. Depending on your website's nature and update frequency, you might need daily, weekly, or monthly backups. This gives you peace of mind, knowing your data is safe and can be retrieved swiftly in an emergency. It also guarantees business continuity, minimizing downtime and potential revenue loss. If managing backups feels overwhelming, think about bringing in a professional web design company. They can take on this vital task, using trustworthy tools and practices to ensure your website's data is always secure and recoverable.
Overlooking Website Security In today's digital landscape, websites are under constant threat from hackers, malicious bots, and various forms of cyberattacks. Without proper security measures in place, your site becomes an easy target, potentially leading to data breaches, loss of customer trust, and damage to your brand reputation. Overlooking website security is a common mistake many website owners make. This can include neglecting to install security plugins, failing to configure them correctly, or not updating them regularly, all of which can leave your site vulnerable to attacks.
Solution:
To safeguard your website, it's crucial to implement robust security measures. Here are some steps you can take:
Install and Configure Security Plugins: Use top-tier security plugins that can help protect your site from common threats like brute force attacks, SQL injections, and cross-site scripting. Some recommended plugins include Wordfence, Sucuri, and iThemes Security for WordPress websites.
Active Monitoring: Keep an eye on your website's activity logs. This allows you to detect potential threats early and take immediate action. Tools like Jetpack or Activity Log can help with this.
Regular Malware Scans: Conduct regular scans for malware to identify and remove harmful code before it can cause significant damage. Plugins like Sucuri and Wordfence can perform these scans.
Stay Updated: Keep abreast with the latest security best practices and apply them to your site. This might involve using strong, unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and regularly updating your website's software, plugins, and themes.
By taking these steps, you can ensure your site remains secure against evolving threats, protecting your business and your customers.
Ignoring Performance Checks
Your website's performance is a critical aspect that directly impacts user experience and your site's visibility on search engine rankings. If your site takes too long to load, visitors can quickly become frustrated and decide to leave, increasing your bounce rate and potentially affecting your SEO rankings. Similarly, frequent downtime can damage your reputation, making visitors less likely to return or recommend your site to others. If you're not regularly monitoring your site's performance, these issues can go unnoticed and unaddressed, leading to a gradual decline in your site's effectiveness and reach. Solution: To prevent this, it's crucial to conduct regular performance checks. Here are some key steps to ensure your website's optimal performance:
Utilize Advanced Tools: Use advanced tools and services that can monitor your site’s speed, uptime, and overall performance. These tools provide valuable insights into how your site is performing and highlight areas that may need improvement. Here are some of the advanced tools that can be utilized for website performance checks:
Google Page Speed Insights: This tool analyzes the content of a web page, then generates suggestions to make that page faster. It provides both mobile and desktop speed insights.
Pingdom: Pingdom offers cost-effective and reliable uptime and performance monitoring for your websites. It allows you to monitor your website's uptime, performance, and interactions for a better end-user experience.
GTmetrix : GTmetrix is a free tool that analyzes your page's speed performance. It can help you develop a deeper understanding of your site's speed and how to improve it.
WebPageTest: This tool allows you to run free website speed tests from multiple locations around the globe using real browsers and at real consumer connection speeds.
YSlow: This is a tool that analyzes web pages and suggests ways to improve their performance based on a set of rules for high performance web pages.
Remember, each tool has its strengths and weaknesses, and they often complement each other. It's usually a good idea to use a combination of tools to get a comprehensive view of your website's performance.
Quickly Resolve Issues: If you identify any issues, such as slow-loading pages, server errors, or broken links, it's important to quickly diagnose and resolve them. This proactive approach can minimize any negative impact on your visitors and help maintain a positive user experience.
Monitor Changes: Regular performance checks can help you understand how changes or updates to your site affect its performance. This allows you to make informed decisions about future updates or modifications.
Consider Professional Help: If managing these performance checks seems overwhelming, consider enlisting the help of a professional web design company. They can handle these tasks for you, ensuring your website performs optimally at all times.
Remember, a well-performing website is not just beneficial for your visitors but also crucial for maintaining and improving your site's visibility on search engines.
Forgetting SEO Updates
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a dynamic and ever-evolving field. The algorithms that search engines use to rank websites are constantly changing, with new updates and factors being introduced regularly. This means that what worked for your SEO strategy a few months ago might not be as effective today. If you're not regularly updating your SEO strategy and adapting to these changes, your site's ranking in search engine results could suffer, leading to a decrease in organic traffic and potential customers.
Solution:
To stay ahead of the curve, it's crucial to conduct regular SEO audits. These audits can help you identify areas of your site that need improvement and ensure that your site is optimized according to the latest SEO best practices.
Here are a few key areas to focus on during your SEO audits:
Keyword Strategy: Ensure your keywords are still relevant and effective. Update them as necessary to reflect current trends and user search behavior.
Mobile-Friendliness: With the rise of mobile browsing, search engines now prioritize mobile-friendly websites. Make sure your site is fully optimized for mobile users.
Meta Tags: These are crucial for telling search engines what your site and its pages are about. Regularly review and update your meta tags to ensure they're effective and relevant.
Content Quality and Relevance: High-quality, relevant content is key to SEO success. Regularly update and add fresh content to your site to keep it valuable and interesting to both users and search engines.
In addition to regular audits, it's also important to stay informed about changes in search engine algorithms. Major search engines like Google often provide updates and guidance on their changes, which can give you valuable insights into how to adjust your SEO strategy.
Remember, SEO is not a one-time task but an ongoing process. If managing these SEO updates seems daunting, consider partnering with a professional web design or digital marketing agency. They can handle these tasks for you, ensuring your website stays optimized and competitive in the ever-changing landscape of SEO.
Overestimating DIY Capabilities
In the era of DIY solutions and online tutorials, it's tempting to think that you can handle all aspects of website maintenance yourself. However, it's important to remember that maintaining a website involves a wide range of tasks, each with its own set of complexities. These tasks can range from technical updates and coding adjustments to security monitoring and SEO optimization. Each of these areas requires a specific set of skills and knowledge. Attempting to handle these tasks without the necessary expertise can lead to mistakes, which could potentially harm your site, its performance, and its security.
Solution:
The key to effective website maintenance is to understand and acknowledge the limits of your DIY capabilities. It's okay not to know everything, and it's okay to seek help when you need it. Here are a few steps to ensure your website maintenance is handled effectively:
Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses: Understand what aspects of website maintenance you're comfortable with and where you might need help. This could be anything from content updates, which might be more manageable, to technical updates and security monitoring, which might require more specialized knowledge.
Seek Professional Help When Needed: If you're not confident in handling a particular task, don't hesitate to seek professional help. This could be a one-off consultation or an ongoing maintenance agreement with a professional web design company.
Invest in Learning: If you're keen on handling more aspects of website maintenance yourself, consider investing time in learning. There are numerous online resources and courses that can help you develop the necessary skills.
Partner with a Professional Web Design Company: Companies like ours specialize in maintaining websites to the highest standards. We have the expertise to handle all aspects of website maintenance, from technical updates to security and performance monitoring. By partnering with us, you can ensure your website is in safe hands, leaving you free to focus on other aspects of your business.
Remember, maintaining a website is not just about keeping it running; it's about ensuring it performs optimally, remains secure, and continues to serve your business goals effectively. Whether you choose to handle it yourself or seek professional help, what matters most is that it's done correctly and consistently.
Underestimating the Importance of Professional Help
In the world of business, it's common to see companies trying to cut costs wherever possible. One area that often falls victim to this cost-cutting mindset is website maintenance. Many businesses underestimate the value of professional website maintenance services, viewing it as an unnecessary expense or something they can manage internally. However, this perspective can lead to missed opportunities and potential pitfalls. Professional website maintenance is not just a cost—it's an investment in your business's online presence, security, and overall performance.
Solution:
The solution lies in changing the perspective and recognizing the value that professional website maintenance services bring to the table. Here's why investing in professional website maintenance services is a smart business decision:
Time-Saving: Professional website maintenance services save you time. Instead of spending hours trying to figure out technical issues or updates, you can focus on what you do best—running your business.
Prevention of Costly Mistakes: Without the right expertise, it's easy to make mistakes in website maintenance that can lead to bigger issues down the line. Professionals can help prevent these mistakes, saving you potential repair costs in the future.
Optimal Performance: A well-maintained website performs better, providing a superior user experience, which can lead to increased engagement and conversions.
Security: Professional website maintenance services include regular security checks and updates, ensuring your website is protected against the latest threats.
Peace of Mind: Knowing that your website is in the hands of professionals gives you peace of mind, allowing you to focus on your core business activities without worrying about your website's performance or security.
By investing in professional website maintenance services, you're not just spending money—you're investing in the health, performance, and security of your website. A professional web design company, like ours, can handle all aspects of website maintenance, from regular updates and backups to security monitoring and performance checks. This allows you to focus on your core business activities, knowing your website is in good hands.
Why Choose Us for Your Website Maintenance Needs?
At Reversed Out Creative, we understand the importance of regular website maintenance. Our team of experts specializes in web design, web development, graphic design, app development, and WordPress maintenance. We offer comprehensive website maintenance services, ensuring your site is secure, functional, and optimized for search engines.
We also provide public relations, copywriting, printing, web hosting, media buying, and SEO services, making us a one-stop-shop for all your digital marketing needs. If you're struggling with website maintenance or simply don't have the time to handle it yourself, we're here to help.
Key Website Maintenance Takeaways
Regular Updates: Keep your website updated with the latest versions of software, plugins, and themes to ensure optimal performance and security.
Routine Backups: Regularly back up your website to safeguard your data and enable quick recovery in case of any mishaps.
Robust Security Measures: Implement strong security measures, including the use of security plugins, active monitoring, and regular malware scans to protect your website from cyber threats.
Performance Checks: Regularly monitor your website's performance, including load times and uptime, to provide a seamless user experience and maintain good SEO rankings.
SEO Updates: Stay on top of SEO best practices and algorithm changes to ensure your website remains visible and competitive in search engine results.
Recognize DIY Limits: Understand the limits of your DIY capabilities and seek professional help when necessary to avoid costly mistakes.
Value of Professional Help: Recognize the importance of professional website maintenance services in saving time, preventing mistakes, and ensuring optimal website performance.
Use of Tools: Utilize various tools for performance checks, security monitoring, and SEO audits. Some recommended tools include Google Analytics, Wordfence, Sucuri, and Yoast SEO.
FAQ's
What is website maintenance? Website maintenance involves regularly checking your website for issues, keeping it updated, and ensuring that it is always in optimal shape. This process includes updating content, fixing broken links, optimizing web pages for SEO, and ensuring the website's security.
Why is regular website maintenance important? Regular website maintenance is crucial to ensure an optimal user experience. It helps keep the website running smoothly, improves site performance, and secures it from potential threats. Regular updates also ensure that the website remains compatible with the latest technologies and meets search engine standards.
How often should I update my website? The frequency of website updates depends on the nature of your website and business. However, as a general rule, you should check your website for updates and issues at least once a month. For websites with high traffic or those that handle sensitive user data, more frequent checks may be necessary.
Can I handle website maintenance myself? While it's possible to handle some aspects of website maintenance yourself, it can be a complex and time-consuming task. If you lack the necessary technical skills, it's easy to make mistakes that could harm your website's performance or security. Hiring a professional web design company for website maintenance can save you time and ensure your website is in good hands.
What services does a professional website maintenance company provide? A professional website maintenance company provides a range of services, including regular updates, backups, security checks, performance optimization, and SEO management. They ensure that your website is secure, functional, and optimized for search engines. They can also provide expert advice and solutions for any issues that arise. Reversed Out specializes in WordPress and can provide a list of what WordPress website maintenance costs.
How much does website maintenance cost Costs can vary depending on the level of service. Basic hosting that includes some level of maintenance could start at around $50/mo and escalate from there. It is not out of the question for some businesses to spend $3,000/mo for hosting and regular full-service maintenance packages that include off-page SEO. Contact an agency like Reversed out to learn more and build a package for your budget and needs. We can provide you with a full website maintenance services list.
How long does website maintenance take Basic website maintenance for a WordPress website can take a couple of hours to update the version of WordPress and also all of the plugins. There always seems to be additional configurations that need to happen while performing updates. If SEO is included in the maintenance package this can take an additional 20+ hours to perform the off-site tasks that need to happen.
Contact Us
At Reversed Out Creative, we understand the challenges and opportunities presented by AI disruption. Our team of experts specializes in web design, SEO, graphic design, and digital marketing services. Reach out to us through our contact form to learn more about navigating the evolving job market and embracing the potential of AI. Together, let's shape a future that combines human ingenuity with the power of AI.
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harvestheart · 2 years
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this is very interesting - a small study, but intriguing.
Abstract
Emerging research has begun investigating the neural underpinnings of the biological and psychological differences that drive political ideology, attitudes, and actions. Here we explore the neurological roots of politics through conducting a large sample, whole-brain analysis of functional connectivity (FC) across common fMRI tasks. Using convolutional neural networks, we develop predictive models of ideology using FC from fMRI scans for nine standard task-based settings in a novel cohort of healthy adults (n = 174, age range: 18-40, mean = 21.43) from the Ohio State University Wellbeing Project. Our analyses suggest that liberals and conservatives have noticeable and discriminative differences in functional connectivity that can be identified with high accuracy using contemporary artificial intelligence methods and that such analyses complement contemporary models relying on socio-economic and survey-based responses. Functional connectivity signatures from retrieval, empathy, and monetary reward tasks are identified as important and powerful predictors of conservatism, and activations of the amygdala, inferior frontal gyrus, and hippocampus are most strongly associated with political affiliation. Although the direction of causality is unclear, this study suggests that the biological and neurological roots of political behavior run much deeper than previously thought.
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ledenews · 4 days
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Santorine: We Need to Fail Faster to Succeed Sooner in Wheeling Area
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You can and will be a Hall of Fame slugger if you fail seven out of 10 times at the plate in Major League Baseball. It takes a batting average just north of .300 to get there. That’s in the “Majors.” As good as it gets. That is a 70 percent failure rate.  But we expect our employers to step up to the plate and knock it out of the park every time. That’s a remarkable mental disconnect, isn’t it? I love sports metaphors for life and business because they are so uncannily accurate. I think it speaks volumes about the games that we play, and how seriously all sports affect us. Remember that cliche, work hard, play hard? I know, as Americans, we do that better than anyone else in the world. When I talk to entrepreneurs about startups, I tell them what I learned investing my own money. On a good year, I had about .342 average just like Babe Ruth, and during a great year, a Ted Williams like .406 (Which, I might add, he only accomplished for one season). I ask these highly motivated entrepreneurs to look at the people on either side of them and know their business will likely not survive. It’s no better in corporate America.The statistics on new product successes are about the same. 70 percent fail. 30 percent succeed. So, we know that: Some “Artificial Intelligence” companies are going to fail. Some “Green Energy” companies are going to fail. Some “Software” startups are going to fail. The beauty of capitalism is that it’s a self-organizing chaotic system. The emphasis is on “self-organizing” It’s a whole different thing when the government gets involved. The government will spend your money with reckless abandon in a futile attempt to justify their “economic development” investment in a buggy whip manufacturer. They will pick unqualified people who have the right political connections to receive the money extorted from their constituents, and those same unqualified people will find a way to line their pockets from the public treasury. Private industry does not have the same amoral obsession as bureaucrats. The business world has balance sheets, which are factual. If you continue to lose money, it’s likely you won’t have money to pay the power bill, and the lights will go out. Like sports, it’s a numbers game. You lose, you head to the showers. If you’re smart, you make corrections, and we will see you again next year. The other thing we know is that about one-third of these startups will position the communities where they are located for future success. But you can’t get to those diamonds without moving around a lot of dirt. Our beloved Wheeling area has historically driven entrepreneurs away. The number of times I’ve heard that “so and so” is bankrupt because their latest venture failed makes me want to wretch. Most people don’t know what bankruptcy is, the difference between a business one and a personal one, but they KNOW it all, and if their business goes down, so does the entrepreneur. The rumor mill is why I don’t do startups in Wheeling. It’s not worth the commentary from the know-it-alls. So, I invest in startups that create jobs elsewhere, because the environment in Wheeling is just too toxic. Wheeling needs to understand that the steel industry is not coming back. The coal industry is not going to come back to its former glory. I do appreciate them both, and the fine people who make a difference in legacy industry, but truth is truth. By measuring every startup in the Ohio Valley by this hundred-year metric, and by families carping that “Johnny is out doing this stupid startup when he could be making real money in the mill” pins us in a corner where we don’t have a back bench. That means we don’t have a future. We do not have new companies vying to make it, and to be the critical new employers we need in this Ohio Valley. Who’s on deck? Well, no one. It shows, too. “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” ― Thomas A. Edison For the record, investors are more likely to invest with an entrepreneur who had a business that didn’t work out. They learned what worked, and more importantly, what didn’t. Were they too early to market? Too late? Did they chase a market that really didn’t exist? So much to learn, and so little time. So far, it’s the Wheeling community that has discouraged entrepreneurs from doing start-ups. They have done it actively, too. Let’s face more truth – you miss 100 percent of the balls you don’t swing at. Wheeling does not swing at many, and when we do, there is a propensity to pick big picture snake oil salesmen who doesn’t have the business chops to pull it off. So, go hug an entrepreneur. If you like their business proposal, get behind them. If you have some money to lose, invest with them, and fully expect the money to go away. That way, you’ll be pleasantly surprised if you get a return. Then, take a piece of your winning and invest again. Trust me, it’s more fun than the casino! Wheeling needs startups. The community culture about business needs to change. And we need business to fail on its own. We need this to happen now, and for it to happen quickly. By failing faster, we will succeed sooner. Read the full article
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infostreamusao · 8 days
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Why Your Content Marketing Can Never Be "Too Niche" To Strike a Chord
For years, digital marketing experts have been saying that if you really want to strike a chord with your audience, you need to get as specific as possible with the type of content you're putting out into the world. In other words, you need to find a niche - your small little corner of the Internet that feels exclusive - and lean into it as hard as you can.
Believe it or not, not only is this still the case, but many agree that now is the time to get even more specific than ever before.
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The Power of Personalization
Part of this has to do with how search engine algorithms and even things like artificial intelligence are becoming more fine-tuned, trained to serve content to people who will engage with it the most. The more specific and personal you get in the topics you're writing about and even how you're writing, the better your odds are of getting picked up by those algorithms.
Why does this all matter? Because according to one recent study, about 90% of leading marketers say that personalization "significantly contributes" to the overall profitability of their business. Message personalization is already the number one technique that email marketers use to increase engagement rates - a trend that shows no signs of slowing.
So what does this tell us? It says that in increasing numbers, people want an intimate and personal experience from the brands that they do business with - even if that isn't necessarily a realistic thing to want. Intellectually, people know that you have a lot of customers that you're trying to connect with. But the more you can make it feel like there are only two parties involved in the conversation - you and the customer - the more connected they'll feel to your products and services.
Going incredibly niche with your content marketing is one of the many ways to do that. Don't worry if it feels like you're going to be talking to a very small audience - not only is that effective in its own right, but that audience will likely turn out to be a lot larger than you first thought.
When you also consider that 75% of consumers say that they're eager to buy from brands that offer personalized digital experiences, it's clear that this is one tactic that is far too important to pass up.
InfoStream: Your Website Design Toledo Partner
As Toledo Ohio web design specialists, we understand that content marketing is just one small part of a larger story. Every part of your digital marketing efforts - from the look and feel of your homepage to the ads you run to your social media presence and beyond - is an extension of who you are as a business. All those elements should come together, forming a strong impression in people about who you are, what you do, and why they should be paying attention. That's exactly what we're prepared to help you accomplish.
If you're interested in finding out more information about why there is no such thing as going "too niche" with your content marketing efforts, or if you're looking for a website development Toledo partner to take your efforts to the next level, please contact the InfoStream team today.
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twiainsurancegroup · 15 days
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bllsbailey · 1 month
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Google Addresses Allegations Of Racial Bias And Historical Errors Regarding AI Tech
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As a result of Google’s acknowledged racial and historical bias programmed within its artificial intelligence (AI) technology. In a memo to staff on Tuesday, Google CEO Sundar Pichai stated that the company is now addressing issues with its Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) tool. Pichai admitted that certain text and picture responses produced by the tool were completely “biased” and “wholly unacceptable.”
Last week, the corporation had paused the use of its Gemini tool, which generates photos based on inputted descriptions. However, the AI-created images have been deemed inaccurate by its users.
The tech giant’s CEO informed staff last Tuesday that the company is now working “around the clock” to address the tool’s racial bias, as well as other biases, and stated that the images produced by the model were “completely unacceptable.”
The full text of the memo from Pichai reads:
“I want to address the recent issues with problematic text and image responses in the Gemini app (formerly Bard). I know that some of its responses have offended our users and shown bias — to be clear, that’s completely unacceptable and we got it wrong. Our teams have been working around the clock to address these issues. We’re already seeing a substantial improvement on a wide range of prompts. No AI is perfect, especially at this emerging stage of the industry’s development, but we know the bar is high for us and we will keep at it for however long it takes. And we’ll review what happened and make sure we fix it at scale. Our mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful is sacrosanct. We’ve always sought to give users helpful, accurate, and unbiased information in our products. That’s why people trust them. This has to be our approach for all our products, including our emerging AI products. We’ll be driving a clear set of actions, including structural changes, updated product guidelines, improved launch processes, robust evals and red-teaming, and technical recommendations. We are looking across all of this and will make the necessary changes. Even as we learn from what went wrong here, we should also build on the product and technical announcements we’ve made in AI over the last several weeks. That includes some foundational advances in our underlying models e.g. our 1 million long-context window breakthrough and our open models, both of which have been well received. We know what it takes to create great products that are used and beloved by billions of people and businesses, and with our infrastructure and research expertise we have an incredible springboard for the AI wave. Let’s focus on what matters most: building helpful products that are deserving of our users’ trust.”
As a result, legislatures have begun reacting to Google’s acknowledged racial and historical bias, with one GOP senator demanding for the “breakup” of the well-known tech company.
“This is one of the most dangerous companies in the world. It actively solicits and forces left-wing bias down the throats of the American nation,” Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), told FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo in a Sunday Morning Futures exclusive interview.
After discontinuing Gemini’s image-generation features, Google is now reportedly attempting to turn things around. Social media users claimed that Gemini had been producing historical photographs that were inaccurate and often substituted images of White people with Black, Latino[a], Native American, and Asian people, replacing images of Caucasians in order to be more racially diverse.
Additionally, a number of media outlets have similarly tested Gemini, asking the tool to display a photo of a White individual. However, Gemini responded, stating that this request could not be fulfilled since it “reinforces harmful stereotypes and generalizations about people based on their race.”
The Ohio senator elaborated on how the reported bias can have effects on outside information segments, including politics.
“Think about the effect this has on the presidential election when unbiased, non-committed voters are searching things about Donald Trump, and also about Joe Biden, right before they cast their ballots,” Vance stated. “We cannot allow a company that is in bed with some of the worst people in the world to control the flow of information and to bias it in a left-wing direction. We [have] got to break this company up and bring back some common sense standards.”
Regarding the potential of legal action being taken against Google, Vance asserted that there are “growing calls” from all political persuasions for the tech giant to be broken up, citing its emergence as “too big, too powerful.”
“My friends on the left, Maria, say they feel like our democracy is under threat. The biggest way our democracy is under threat is you have these massive, international companies that are sort of controlling what we think, what we read, what information we consume,” Vance explained.
“That’s a big problem. But I actually do think that there’s going to be growing momentum to rein Google in,” he continued. “We saw this with the release of Gemini. This is a radically left-wing company that is trying to control how we consume information. If we let that happen, we are going to get exactly what we deserve.”
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio, demanded in a letter sent on Saturday that the Google parent company “Alphabet” provide an explanation for any indication that Gemini’s AI errors may have been influenced by the Biden administration.
Google is now intending to relaunch the Gemini AI tool within the next few weeks, according to a Google spokesperson.
Google’s stock tanked yesterday in response to the Gemini AI image catastrophe, but peel back the onion & there’s a deeper issue. There’s three layers of “programming” at work. pic.twitter.com/pagzqz5Xy5— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) February 27, 2024
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
Google's Woke AI Gemini Attempts to Rewrite History And Gets Blasted
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jcmarchi · 3 months
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Researchers developing AI to make the internet more accessible - Technology Org
New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/researchers-developing-ai-to-make-the-internet-more-accessible-technology-org/
Researchers developing AI to make the internet more accessible - Technology Org
In an effort to make the internet more accessible for people with disabilities, researchers at The Ohio State University have begun developing an artificial intelligence agent that could complete complex tasks on any website using simple language commands.  
An Apple computer – associative photo. Image credit: Dmitry Chernyshov via Unsplash, free license
The world wide web has become an intricate, dynamic system in the three decades since it was first released into the public domain. Yet because internet function is now so integral to society’s well-being, its complexity also makes it considerably harder to navigate.  
Today there are billions of websites available to help access information or communicate with others, and many tasks on the internet can take more than a dozen steps to complete. That’s why Yu Su, co-author of the study and an assistant professor of computer science and engineering at Ohio State, said their work, which uses information taken from live sites to create web agents — online AI helpers — is a step toward making the digital world a less confusing place.
“For some people, especially those with disabilities, it’s not easy for them to browse the internet,” said Su. “We rely more and more on the computing world in our daily life and work, but there are increasingly a lot of barriers to that access, which, to some degree, widens the disparity.” 
The study was presented in December at the Thirty-seventh Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS), a flagship conference for AI and machine learning research. 
By taking advantage of the power of large language models, the agent works similarly to how humans behave when browsing the web, said Su. The Ohio State team showed that their model was able to understand the layout and functionality of different websites using only its ability to process and predict language.  
Researchers started the process by creating Mind2Web, the first dataset for generalist web agents. Though previous efforts to build web agents focused on toy simulated websites, Mind2Web fully embraces the complex and dynamic nature of real-world websites and emphasizes an agent’s ability of generalizing to entirely new websites it has never seen before. Su said that much of their success is due to their agent’s ability to handle the internet’s ever-evolving learning curve. The team lifted over 2,000 open-ended tasks from 137 different real-world websites, which they then used to train the agent.  
Some of the tasks included booking one-way and round-trip international flights, following celebrity accounts on Twitter, browsing comedy films from 1992 to 2017 streaming on Netflix, and even scheduling car knowledge tests at the DMV. Many of the tasks were very complex – for example, booking one of the international flights used in the model would take 14 actions. Such effortless versatility allows for diverse coverage on a number of websites, and opens up a new landscape for future models to explore and learn in an autonomous fashion, said Su.  
“It’s only become possible to do something like this because of the recent development of large language models like ChatGPT,” said Su. Since the chatbot became public in November 2022, millions of users have used it to automatically generate content, from poetry and jokes to cooking advice and medical diagnoses.  
Still, because one website could contain thousands of raw HTML elements, it would be too costly to feed so much information to a single large language model. To address this gap, the study also introduces a framework called MindAct, a two-pronged agent that uses both small and large language models to carry out these tasks. The team found that by using this strategy, MindAct significantly outperforms other common modeling strategies and is able to understand various concepts at a decent level. 
With more fine-tuning, the study points out, the model could likely be used in tandem with both open-and closed-source large language models such as Flan-T5 or GPT-4. However, their work does highlight an increasingly relevant ethical problem in creating flexible artificial intelligence, said Su. While it could certainly serve as a helpful agent to humans surfing the web, the model could also be used to enhance systems like ChatGPT and turn the entire internet into an unprecedentedly powerful tool, said Su.  
“On the one hand, we have great potential to improve our efficiency and to allow us to focus on the most creative part of our work,” he said. “But on the other hand, there’s tremendous potential for harm.” For instance, autonomous agents able to translate online steps into the real world could influence society by taking potentially dangerous actions, such as misusing financial information or spreading misinformation. 
“We should be extremely cautious about these factors and make a concerted effort to try to mitigate them,” said Su. But as AI research continues to evolve, he notes that it’s likely society will experience major growth in the commercial use and performance of generalist web agents in the years to come, especially as the technology has already gained so much popularity in the public eye.  
“Throughout my career, my goal has always been trying to bridge the gap between human users and the computing world,” said Su. “That said, the real value of this tool is that it will really save people time and make the impossible possible.” 
Source: Ohio State University
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newstfionline · 8 months
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Friday, August 11, 2023
The Perseid meteor shower peaks this weekend (AP) The annual Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak this weekend, sending bright trails of light streaking across the night sky. With only a sliver of moon in the sky, conditions this year will be ideal for seeing lots of meteors. “If you’ve got nice clear weather and a good dark sky, you go out just before dawn and you’ll see a Perseid per minute or so,” said NASA meteor scientist Bill Cooke. “That’s a pretty good show.”
Political violence in polarized U.S. at its worst since 1970s (Reuters) As Kristen King’s husband lay dying in their yard from three gunshots to his head, the 911 operator asked her: Did she know who killed him—or why? Sobbing, King identified the shooter as her neighbor in the small Ohio town of Okeana. “His name is Austin Combs,” she stammered. “He’s come over, like, four times confronting my husband because he thought he was a Democrat.” The Nov. 5 killing of Anthony King was among 213 cases of political violence identified by Reuters since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack by supporters of former President Donald Trump on the U.S. Capitol. Three academics who reviewed the cases say they add to growing evidence that America is grappling with the biggest and most sustained increase in political violence since the 1970s. The violence has killed at least 39 people, including King. Some deaths followed one-on-one disputes, such as a fatal brawl last year between two Florida men arguing over Trump’s business acumen. Others happened in public settings, such as the shooting of five social justice protesters in Portland last year by a man immersed in far-right political rhetoric. Politically motivated mass killings claimed 24 of the lives, including the May 2022 shooting of 10 Black shoppers in Buffalo by a white supremacist who called for a race war. In the early 1970s, American political violence was perpetrated more often by radicals on the left and focused largely on destroying property, such as government buildings. In contrast, much of today’s political violence is aimed at people—and most of the deadly outbursts tracked by Reuters have come from the right.
Hawaii wildfires kill 36 as ‘apocalypse’ hits resort city (Reuters) At least 36 people have died after wildfires, fanned by winds from a faraway hurricane, devastated much of the resort city Lahaina on Hawaii’s Maui island, the Maui County said in a statement late on Wednesday. Multiple neighborhoods were burnt to the ground as the western side of the island was nearly cut off, with only one highway open and thousands to evacuate as officials told of widespread devastation to Lahaina, its harbor and surrounding areas. “We just had the worst disaster I’ve ever seen. All of Lahaina is burnt to a crisp. It’s like an apocalypse,” said Lahaina resident Mason Jarvi, who escaped from the city.
Biden Orders Ban on New Investments in China’s Sensitive High-Tech Industries (NYT) President Biden escalated his confrontation with China on Wednesday by signing an executive order banning new American investment in key technology industries that could be used to enhance Beijing’s military capabilities, the latest in a series of moves putting more distance between the world’s two largest economies. The order will prohibit venture capital and private equity firms from pumping more money into Chinese efforts to develop semiconductors and other microelectronics, quantum computers and certain artificial intelligence applications. Administration officials stressed that the move was tailored to guard national security, but China is likely to see it as part of a wider campaign to contain its rise. A series of expanding export controls on key technologies to China has already triggered retaliation from Beijing, which recently announced the cutoff of metals like gallium that are critical for the Pentagon’s own supply chain.
U.S. nurse Alix Dorsainvil and daughter released after kidnap in Haiti, Christian group says (CBS News) An American nurse and her daughter who were kidnapped in Haiti last month were released by their abductors, the El Roi Haiti nonprofit Christian ministry the woman was working for said Wednesday. Alix Dorsainvil of New Hampshire was working for El Roi Haiti when she and her young daughter were seized in late July. She is the wife of the group’s founder, Sandro Dorsainvil. “It is with a heart of gratitude and immense joy that we at El Roi Haiti confirm the safe release of our staff member and friend, Alix Dorsainvil and her child who were held hostage in Port au Prince,” El Roi Haiti said in its blog post confirming their release on Wednesday. The organization did not provide any information about how the pair’s release was secured, or if or when they might return to the U.S. from Haiti.
Presidential Candidate in Ecuador Is Assassinated During Rally (NYT) A presidential candidate in Ecuador who had been outspoken about the link between organized crime and government officials was assassinated Wednesday evening at a political rally in the capital, just days before voting begins in an election that has been dominated by concerns over drug-related violence. The candidate, Fernando Villavicencio, a former journalist, was gunned down outside a high school in Quito after speaking to young supporters. A suspect was killed in the melee that followed, and nine other people were shot, officials said. Mr. Villavicencio, 59, was polling near the middle of an eight-person race. He was among the most vocal candidates on the issue of crime and state corruption.
Dam in Norway partially bursts after days of heavy rain, flooding and evacuations (AP) A dam in southern Norway partially burst Wednesday following days of heavy rain that triggered landslides and flooding in the mountainous region and forced downstream communities to evacuate, officials said. Authorities initially considered blowing up part of the dam at the Braskereidfoss hydroelectric power plant on the Glåma, Norway’s longest and most voluminous river. The idea was to prevent communities downstream from being inundated by using a limited, controlled blast to release pressure on the dam. But that proposal was scrapped after water later broke through the structure.
Spain roasts as summer’s third heatwave peaks (Reuters) Spain’s third heatwave of the summer was set to reach its peak on Wednesday, with temperatures hitting up to 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) in central and southern areas as authorities warned of the risk of wildfires. The mercury could also rise to 40 C in the Basque Country in northeastern Spain, which is less accustomed to such high temperatures, state weather agency AEMET said. Southern European countries have been grappling with record-breaking temperatures this summer, prompting authorities to warn of health risks, particularly for the elderly and those with medical conditions.
German trains (WSJ) The Swiss are getting salty at their neighbor Germany over the latter’s inability to operate a punctual train system to their exacting standards. Last year, one out of three long-distance trains operated by Deutsche Bahn were late, the worst performance in a decade. The Swiss are livid; officials there are considering banning DB trains, as German delays are seen at risk of degrading the timeliness of Switzerland’s rail system, which has just a 7.5 percent late arrival rate. Any train that arrives from Germany more than 15 minutes late is stopped at the city of Basel, where passengers transfer to a Swiss train.
Russia intercepts drones heading for Moscow for the second straight day (AP) Russian air defense systems on Thursday shot down two drones heading toward Moscow for the second straight day, officials said, with the attack disrupting flights at two international airports as Ukraine appeared to step up its assault on Russian soil. One drone was downed in the Kaluga region southwest of Moscow and another near a major Moscow ring road. Firing drones at Moscow after more than 17 months of war has little apparent military value for Ukraine, but the strategy has served to unsettle Russians and bring home to them the conflict’s consequences.
Slow counteroffensive darkens mood in Ukraine (Washington Post) This nation is worn out. For nearly 18 months, Ukraine has stood against its Russian invaders—rallying support for its troops by embracing last year’s battlefield victories in the Kyiv, Kharkiv and Kherson regions. Those wins carried beleaguered Ukrainians through a winter of airstrikes on civilian infrastructure and a brutal and symbolic battle for Bakhmut, the eastern city that fell to the Russians in May. Throughout, Ukrainian officials and their western partners hyped up a coming counteroffensive—one that, buoyed by a flood of new weapons and training, they hoped would turn the tide of the war. But two months after Ukraine went on the attack, with little visible progress on the front and a relentless, bloody summer across the country, the narrative of unity and endless perseverance has begun to fray. The number of dead—untold thousands—increases daily. Millions are displaced and see no chance of returning home. In every corner of the country, civilians are exhausted from a spate of recent Russian attacks. Ukrainians, much in need of good news, are simply not getting any.
Most states have armies. In Pakistan, the army has a state. (Washington Post) There’s a well-worn truism about Pakistan that actually stems from 18th-century Prussia. The progenitor of the German state was famously described by a French statesman as not a country with an army, but an army with a country—such was the centrality of the military in Prussian life and the scale of public expenditure on the troops. Centuries later, a similar line is trotted out for the South Asian nation: Most states have armies, but, in Pakistan, the army has a state. That’s proven to be the case not just in the periodic coups that Pakistani generals engineered over decades, but in the vast array of economic interests maintained by the military and the overweening influence exercised by the top brass at virtually every turn of Pakistan’s fitful struggle for civilian-led democracy. A decade ago, Pakistan observed its first peaceful transfer of democratic governments, and there was a degree of hope among some analysts that the military was slowly receding into the background of the country’s political landscape. But that proved short-lived and the drama of recent weeks has underscored how the generals still appear to be calling many, if not all, the shots.
U.S. Reaches Deal With Iran to Free Americans for Jailed Iranians and Funds (NYT) The United States and Iran have reached an agreement to win the freedom of five imprisoned Americans in exchange for several jailed Iranians and eventual access to about $6 billion in Iranian oil revenue, according to several people familiar with the deal. As a first step in the agreement, which comes after more than two years of quiet negotiations, Iran has released into house arrest five Iranian American dual citizens. People familiar with the agreement said that when the Americans are allowed to return to the United States, the Biden administration will release a handful of Iranian nationals serving prison sentences for violating sanctions on Iran. The United States will also transfer nearly $6 billion of Iran’s assets in South Korea, putting the funds into an account in the central bank of Qatar. The account will be controlled by the government of Qatar and regulated so Iran can gain access to the money only to pay vendors for humanitarian purchases such as medicine and food, they said.
As economy stumbles over judicial push, Israel banks on an energy boom (Washington Post) Fifty miles off the coast of Israel, a hulking rig floats on the sparkling blue waters of the Mediterranean, processing natural gas drilled from thousands of feet below. The gas is exported to the Israeli national grid—where gas accounts for more than 70 percent of its electricity. Natural gas has transformed Israel, once a resource-poor nation, into a regional energy powerhouse. The discovery of significant offshore fields a decade ago has allowed the country to become largely self-sufficient, and has opened up lucrative export opportunities. Demand is especially high now, as European markets scramble to replace the Russian oil and gas imports disrupted by the war in Ukraine. But Israel’s gas rush also coincides with a surge in regional tensions—from the West Bank to Lebanon—and an unprecedented domestic crisis, as the country is roiled by mass protests against the government’s contentious plan to weaken the Supreme Court.
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dan6085 · 1 year
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The Wow signal is one of the most intriguing and mysterious events in the history of astronomy. It was a radio signal detected by astronomer Jerry Ehman on August 15, 1977, while he was analyzing data from the Big Ear radio telescope at Ohio State University. The signal was so unusual and unexpected that Ehman wrote “Wow!” in the margin of the paper printout, hence the name of the signal.
The Wow signal lasted for 72 seconds and was a strong narrowband radio signal that was received at a frequency of 1,420.456 MHz. This frequency is significant because it is the same frequency as the hydrogen atoms emit, which is the most common element in the universe. The signal was also unusual because it was very intense and appeared to be coming from a fixed point in the sky, rather than from a moving source like a satellite.
Many researchers have tried to explain the Wow signal, but no one has been able to provide a definitive answer. Some have suggested that the signal could have been a natural phenomenon, such as a burst of radio emissions from a nearby star or a comet passing through the solar system. Others have suggested that the signal could have been a technological communication from an extraterrestrial civilization.
The possibility that the Wow signal was a message from an alien civilization has captured the public imagination and has led to much speculation and debate. Some have argued that the signal was too short and too weak to be a genuine message from an intelligent species. Others have pointed out that the signal had many of the characteristics that one would expect from an artificial signal, such as a narrow bandwidth and a fixed direction.
The Wow signal has become a symbol of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and has inspired many SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) programs around the world. The signal has also led to the development of new technologies and techniques for detecting and analyzing radio signals from space.
Despite decades of research and speculation, the Wow signal remains a mystery. It is possible that we may never know what caused the signal, but it has certainly captured the imagination of scientists and the public alike. The search for extraterrestrial intelligence continues, and the Wow signal remains one of the most tantalizing clues in our quest to understand the universe and our place in it.
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reversedout-blog · 8 months
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10 Essential Positions to Include When Building an Advertising Agency for Your Business
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Running a business is an all-consuming endeavor. Not only do you have to manage day-to-day operations, but you also need to focus on growth strategies and, in particular, marketing. For many business owners, the idea of building the best advertising agency within their organization seems overwhelming. However, it can prove to be a beneficial step towards ensuring your brand’s success.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the key positions needed to build an effective marketing team within your company. Keep reading to uncover our insider tips and takeaways, which are backed by over 30 years of experience in the agency and technology space.
Check out our summary video, visit our Youtube Channel and make sure to subscribe.
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Who is on an Advertising Agency Team?
Building a comprehensive advertising agency in your business requires hiring professionals across various disciplines. Let’s dive into these roles one by one.
The Account Executive (AE): Strategic Captain
Consider the AE as the strategic captain of your advertising agency team. The role of an Account Executive is dynamic and multidimensional, functioning as a critical communication bridge between your company and the agency. When you initiate your relationship with the agency, the AE is your primary contact, facilitating discussions about your company’s needs, vision, marketing objectives, and business goals.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Once the AE gains a comprehensive understanding of your business landscape, they proceed to interpret and translate your goals into actionable plans for the agency to execute. This involves briefing the creative team, relaying your expectations, and ensuring they understand your brand’s identity, core message, and target audience.
The AE maintains constant communication with you, updating you about the campaign’s progress, tweaking strategies as necessary, and ensuring your satisfaction every step of the way. They also monitor project timelines and budgets, ensuring your marketing goals are achieved within your constraints.
In essence, the AE is the keystone in building a successful, coherent advertising agency within your business. Their role is crucial in not only understanding your unique needs and translating them into effective strategies but also in ensuring smooth, seamless interactions between you and the agency team. Thus, hiring a seasoned AE should be a top priority when building an advertising agency.
The Copywriter & The AI Revolution
In the age of artificial intelligence, the role of a Copywriter is experiencing a transformation. The advent of AI doesn’t signify the redundancy of the human copywriter but rather marks the evolution of their role, with AI becoming a valuable tool in their creative arsenal.
AI-powered tools are enhancing the capabilities of copywriters by automating repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic, creative aspects of their role. For instance, AI algorithms can generate initial drafts or fill in standardized content blocks, quickening the content production process.
But it doesn’t end at generation. AI is also revolutionizing the proofreading process. Tools equipped with machine learning algorithms can now detect grammatical errors, awkward phrasing, and even suggest improvements, ensuring high-quality, polished content that resonates with the audience.
Furthermore, AI is pushing the boundaries in personalization. AI can analyze massive datasets, identifying patterns in customer behavior, preferences, and needs, far beyond human capabilities. This granular understanding of the audience can then be leveraged by copywriters to tailor their messaging to individual customers, making each piece of content more targeted, personalized, and therefore, more effective.
Another significant development is in the field of SEO. SEO optimization is crucial in today’s digital landscape, and AI-powered SEO tools can provide insights into keyword usage, search trends, and competitor analysis. This allows copywriters to optimize their content, ensuring that it not only resonates with the audience but is also discoverable by search engines.
AI is also assisting in translating and localizing content, allowing businesses to reach global audiences with tailored, region-specific messaging. This opens up new markets and audiences for businesses, an opportunity that savvy copywriters can harness to extend their brand’s reach.
However, despite these technological advances, the human touch remains irreplaceable. AI can assist with mechanics, but the art of crafting a narrative that evokes emotions and creates a connection with the audience is a uniquely human ability. Thus, in the AI-era, the role of a Copywriter is not replaced but enhanced. They are now empowered to generate content that is not only creative and engaging but also highly optimized and personalized, making them even more central to your advertising agency’s success.
The Art Director & The Power of Visual Storytelling
In the realm of an advertising agency, the Art Director is the visionary who spearheads the visual manifestation of your brand. They have an acute sense of aesthetics and a deep understanding of visual communication that allows them to transform words and ideas into captivating visual content.
The role of an Art Director transcends the realm of mere design. Their responsibility begins with understanding the essence of your brand, its values, and its personality. They use this understanding to establish a visual language that effectively communicates your brand’s identity across various mediums.
Once the visual language is established, the Art Director works hand-in-hand with the Copywriter. While the Copywriter constructs the narrative, the Art Director ensures that this narrative is echoed in every visual asset, be it print ads, digital banners, social media posts, videos, or your website’s user interface. They ensure that the visual content complements the copy, creating a cohesive, harmonious blend of words and visuals.
Art Directors also oversee the overall look and feel of campaigns, ensuring they are not only aesthetically pleasing but also align with your brand’s messaging and the campaign’s goals. They orchestrate the creative process, collaborating with graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, and video producers to bring their vision to life. They critique and guide the creative output, ensuring that each asset adheres to the established visual language, resonates with the target audience, and amplifies your messaging.
However, their role is not confined to just creation; it extends to strategy as well. In the age of digital marketing, visual content needs to be optimized for various platforms, each with its unique requirements and audience preferences. The Art Director uses their understanding of these platforms to guide the creation of platform-specific content, enhancing its effectiveness.
Moreover, the advent of new technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are opening up new frontiers in visual communication. Art Directors must be at the forefront of these technologies, leveraging them to create innovative, immersive experiences that captivate and engage audiences in unprecedented ways.
In essence, the Art Director is the visual storyteller of your brand, wielding the power of aesthetics to evoke emotions, create connections, and amplify your brand’s voice. Their role is paramount in creating a consistent, compelling visual identity that resonates with your audience and sets your brand apart in a cluttered marketplace.
The Media Planner: Navigating the Media Landscape
In the complex ecosystem of an advertising agency, the Media Planner is the astute strategist responsible for determining the ‘where’ of your advertising initiatives. They hold the map to the intricate landscape of media channels and devise the optimal route for your advertising messages to reach their desired destination – your target audience.
The Media Planner’s journey begins with an in-depth understanding of your business objectives and the target audience. Their primary task is to ascertain who your audience is, what their preferences are, their media consumption habits, and the touchpoints that most influence their buying decisions. This understanding is achieved by conducting meticulous market research, studying demographic data, and analyzing consumer behavior trends.
Armed with these insights, the Media Planner then determines the optimal mix of media channels to reach your audience effectively. This is a delicate balancing act of selecting channels that offer the most extensive reach, the highest engagement, and the best conversion rates, all within the confines of your budget.
The media landscape today is multifaceted, spanning across traditional outlets like television, radio, and print, as well as digital platforms such as social media, search engines, email, and content marketing platforms. Each medium offers unique advantages, audience types, and cost structures. The Media Planner evaluates each medium’s efficacy in reaching your target audience and aligning with your campaign goals, creating a bespoke media mix tailored to your business needs.
But the Media Planner’s role doesn’t end with planning. They also oversee the execution of the media plan, liaising with media outlets, negotiating rates, and ensuring that the ad placements align with the strategic plan. They monitor the campaign’s performance across different channels, analyzing metrics like reach, impressions, engagement, and conversions. This data is used to tweak and optimize the media plan in real time, ensuring maximum ROI for your advertising dollars.
In the era of data-driven marketing, Media Planners also leverage advanced analytics and AI-driven tools to predict audience behavior, evaluate media performance, and generate actionable insights. These tools enable them to devise more accurate, effective, and efficient media strategies, further enhancing your campaign’s effectiveness.
In essence, the Media Planner serves as your guide in the convoluted world of media channels, leveraging their expertise, research, and strategic acumen to ensure that your advertising dollars are invested wisely, and your messages reach the right audience, at the right time, through the right channels. Their role is paramount in the successful execution of your advertising initiatives, making them a crucial component of your in-house advertising agency.
The Media Buyer: Master of Negotiation and Analysis
Following the footsteps of the Media Planner, the Media Buyer steps onto the stage, transforming the media strategy into tangible advertising placements. Acting as a critical link in the advertising chain, they convert the strategic plan into action, making calculated investments to capture your target audience’s attention.
The Media Buyer is an expert negotiator, tasked with procuring the most valuable ad spaces across a range of channels identified in the media plan. Whether it’s television spots, radio slots, print ads, social media promotions, or banner placements on popular websites, the Media Buyer negotiates contracts with media outlets to secure the most effective ad spaces at the most competitive rates.
However, the role of a Media Buyer extends beyond negotiation and purchase. They are responsible for ensuring the timely and accurate execution of the media plan. This includes coordinating with media outlets to ensure ads are displayed correctly and at the right times, as well as troubleshooting any issues that may arise during the campaign’s run.
In an era of real-time data, the Media Buyer is also responsible for continuously evaluating the performance of these placements. Utilizing tools and technologies to gather data on various key performance indicators (KPIs) such as impressions, click-through rates, conversions, and more, they analyze this data to gauge the success of each placement.
This constant analysis serves two purposes. First, it ensures accountability, providing tangible proof of the performance of your advertising investments. Second, it forms the foundation for iterative improvement. By identifying underperforming channels or timeslots, the Media Buyer can reallocate resources to more effective avenues, thereby optimizing the campaign in real-time.
But it’s not just about analyzing numbers. A successful Media Buyer also needs to have a keen understanding of market trends and audience behaviors. They need to keep a pulse on the rapidly changing media landscape and be quick to adapt to shifts in consumer preferences or media consumption habits. By doing so, they can identify emerging opportunities, stay ahead of the curve, and ensure that your advertising efforts are always one step ahead.
In essence, the Media Buyer operates at the intersection of strategy, negotiation, and analytics, ensuring your advertising messages find their way to your audience in the most efficient and effective manner. Their role is pivotal in translating your advertising agency’s strategic plan into tangible results, making them an invaluable asset to your team.
The Market Research Analyst: The Custodian of Insights
The cornerstone of any successful advertising campaign is a deep understanding of the market, the target audience, and the competitors. Within an advertising agency, this crucial responsibility rests on the shoulders of the Market Research Analyst. They are the data detectives, charged with unearthing valuable insights that inform and shape your overall strategy.
The Market Research Analyst starts by identifying the information gaps in your understanding of your target market. They define the research objectives, design the research plan, and select the appropriate methodologies to gather data. This could involve surveys, interviews, focus groups, observational studies, or mining existing databases.
Their research encompasses a wide spectrum, seeking answers to questions like who your target audience is, what their preferences are, what motivates their buying decisions, and how they perceive your brand. They dive into demographic data, psychographic information, buying patterns, and social trends, painting a holistic picture of your audience.
But the Market Research Analyst’s investigation doesn’t stop with your audience. They also cast their analytical gaze on your competitors. By studying the competition, they identify the strategies that work, the tactics that don’t, and the opportunities that remain untapped. This competitor analysis provides a comparative perspective, helping you understand where you stand in the marketplace and how to differentiate your brand.
Once the data is gathered, the Market Research Analyst turns into a data interpreter. They sift through the raw data, analyzing patterns, relationships, and trends. Using statistical tools and analytical models, they convert the data into actionable insights that provide a deeper understanding of your market and audience.
These insights inform your marketing strategy, guiding decisions on product positioning, pricing, promotion, distribution, and even product development. The Market Research Analyst’s insights help the agency team align their efforts with the needs, wants, and expectations of your target audience, ensuring that your advertising messages resonate and drive engagement.
In the modern digital age, the role of the Market Research Analyst has become even more critical. With the explosion of big data and the advent of AI and machine learning, they now have access to vast volumes of data and advanced analytical tools. This enables them to generate more precise, granular, and real-time insights, enhancing the accuracy and effectiveness of your advertising strategy.
In a nutshell, the Market Research Analyst is your eyes and ears in the market, unearthing valuable insights that illuminate the path to success for your advertising efforts. They are an indispensable part of your in-house advertising agency, providing the information and insights that form the backbone of your advertising strategy.
The SEO Specialist: Your Online Visibility Champion
In today’s digital marketplace, visibility is everything. The task of shining the spotlight on your brand in a sea of online content falls on the shoulders of an SEO Specialist. This dedicated professional ensures your online presence is not only robust but also intelligible to the algorithms that dictate search engine results. Their work can substantially elevate your brand’s visibility, attract a consistent stream of web traffic, and boost your business’s potential for growth.
The SEO Specialist’s role begins with a comprehensive understanding of your brand, the industry you operate in, and your target audience. They then conduct an SEO audit, examining your website and content to identify opportunities for improvement and optimization. This in-depth review includes assessing your website’s structure, user experience, and current keyword strategy.
After the audit, they embark on extensive keyword research. This crucial step involves identifying the search terms and phrases that your potential customers use when seeking products or services similar to yours. The goal is to uncover high-volume, low-competition keywords that can be strategically incorporated into your content, increasing its relevance and visibility in search engine results.
However, the role of an SEO Specialist extends beyond mere keyword placement. They also work towards enhancing your website’s overall user experience. This could involve making structural changes to improve site navigation, reducing page load times, or ensuring mobile responsiveness – all key factors that search engines consider when ranking websites.
In addition, the SEO Specialist will delve into the world of backlinks, a vital aspect of SEO. Backlinks, or inbound links from other reputable websites, act as endorsements, signaling to search engines that your content is credible and valuable. The process of earning high-quality backlinks may involve various strategies, including content marketing, guest posting, and building relationships with influencers and industry leaders.
Furthermore, an SEO Specialist must stay abreast of changing search engine algorithms and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly. They continuously monitor your website’s performance, tracking metrics like organic traffic, bounce rates, conversion rates, and keyword rankings. These insights enable them to tweak your SEO strategy, optimizing it for maximum impact.
The role of an SEO Specialist is ongoing and evolving, but the results can be transformative. By optimizing your online content to rank higher in search engine results, they can significantly increase your brand’s online visibility. This, in turn, drives more traffic to your site, leading to increased leads, conversions, and ultimately, business growth.
In the rapidly changing digital landscape, having an SEO Specialist on your advertising agency team is invaluable. They serve as your compass in the complex world of search engine algorithms, guiding your brand to online visibility and success.
The Social Media Manager: The Voice and Ears of Your Brand Online
In today’s digital era, social media is a vibrant and bustling marketplace, a meeting place, and a global stage where your brand must not only participate but also shine. This is where the Social Media Manager comes into play, as your brand’s appointed steward on various social media platforms. They are tasked with maintaining and growing your online presence, fostering meaningful engagement with your audience, and sharing content that mirrors your brand image and values.
Firstly, the Social Media Manager needs a thorough understanding of your brand, its goals, and its target audience. Equipped with this knowledge, they develop a social media strategy that aligns with your broader marketing objectives. This includes determining which social media platforms are most frequented by your target audience, the type of content that resonates with them, and the ideal times to post for maximum engagement.
One of their main responsibilities is creating and curating a consistent stream of engaging content that reflects your brand’s voice and values. This could range from educational blog posts and eye-catching visuals to thought-provoking questions, industry news, or behind-the-scenes glimpses into your company. The aim is to create a balanced mix of promotional, informational, and interactive content that keeps your audience interested and engaged.
However, the role of a Social Media Manager goes beyond content creation. They also wear the hat of a community manager. They are the frontline of your brand’s customer service on social media, responding to comments, questions, and messages in a timely and personable manner. They also proactively engage with your followers, building relationships and fostering a sense of community around your brand.
Another critical part of their role is monitoring social media metrics. The Social Media Manager tracks likes, shares, comments, follower growth, and click-through rates to gauge the success of your social media campaigns. These insights can then inform future content strategies, ensuring continuous improvement.
Moreover, the Social Media Manager is always on the lookout for emerging trends, platform updates, and shifts in social media behavior. Their finger is always on the pulse of the social media landscape, allowing your brand to adapt and stay ahead of the curve.
Social media management is an ongoing, dynamic process that requires both creativity and analytics. The role of a Social Media Manager is vital in today’s digital-focused world. They act as the voice and ears of your brand online, ensuring your social media presence is not just active, but also engaging, responsive, and reflective of your brand’s identity. Their work creates a bridge between your brand and its online community, fostering a relationship built on trust, engagement, and shared values.
The Public Relations Officer: Your Brand’s Reputation Steward
In the grand arena of business, your brand’s image is as crucial as the quality of the products or services you offer. The custodian of this vital aspect is the Public Relations Officer. This key player helps maintain and enhance your brand’s public image, crafting compelling narratives, managing press releases, coordinating interviews, and even navigating potential crises with finesse.
The Public Relations Officer operates on the frontline of your brand’s interactions with the public, media, and industry influencers. Their core objective is to present a positive image of your brand to the external world, while aligning with your business objectives and brand values.
They start by creating a strategic public relations plan, outlining clear goals, identifying key media outlets, planning PR campaigns, and setting measures of success. The strategy is designed to enhance brand recognition, build a favorable brand image, and foster positive relationships with journalists, influencers, and the public.
A significant part of their role involves crafting and distributing press releases that narrate your brand’s story, announce new product launches, or share important company updates. These press releases are crafted to grab attention, spark interest, and appeal to journalists who might be interested in covering your brand or products.
In addition to crafting press releases, the Public Relations Officer also organizes and coordinates media interactions such as interviews, press conferences, or public speaking engagements. They prepare speaking points, brief executives on potential questions, and ensure the company’s messaging remains consistent.
Social media has also become a key platform for public relations. The PR Officer will often work closely with the Social Media Manager to ensure that the brand’s online narrative aligns with PR goals. They also monitor social media for public sentiment and feedback, which can provide valuable insights for shaping future PR strategies.
However, not all publicity is good publicity. In the face of a crisis or negative press, the Public Relations Officer plays a crucial role in crisis management. They help to develop a communication strategy, craft appropriate responses, and work to rebuild public trust.
The role of a Public Relations Officer is multifaceted and highly critical. They serve as your brand’s reputation steward, working to create a positive and memorable brand image in the minds of the public and media. Through strategic planning, effective communication, and relationship building, they help your brand shine brightly in the limelight, fostering trust and goodwill among your audience and stakeholders.
The Web Developer: The Architect of Your Digital Presence
In the contemporary business landscape, your website is more than just a digital address; it’s the beating heart of your online presence, the nucleus of your digital marketing efforts, and often the first point of contact for your customers. The Web Developer plays the pivotal role of maintaining, improving, and evolving this crucial platform to ensure it’s not only functional and user-friendly but also visually pleasing and strategically aligned with your business objectives.
A Web Developer is the technical genius who translates your brand’s vision and goals into a working, digital reality. They start by understanding your brand, its needs, and the goals of the website. They take into account aspects like the intended user experience, the necessary functionalities, and the visual aesthetics you aim to achieve. With this information, they can create a roadmap for developing your website.
One of the core responsibilities of a Web Developer is coding and programming. They write the codes that form the backbone of your website, using languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and more. They ensure that every element, every feature, and every page works seamlessly, from the navigation menu and contact forms to e-commerce functionalities and everything in between.
A Web Developer doesn’t just build a website; they create a space that is intuitive and easy to navigate for users. They make sure your website is accessible and optimized for all devices, particularly mobile, considering the significant percentage of web traffic that comes from mobile users.
However, a Web Developer’s role isn’t confined to the initial stages of website development. They continue to play a crucial role in maintaining and updating the site, ensuring it runs smoothly, remains secure, and stays updated with the latest web development standards and trends. They regularly test and troubleshoot the site for any issues, ensuring that your digital presence is always up and running efficiently.
Additionally, they work closely with other members of the advertising agency, such as the SEO Specialist, to ensure the website is optimized for search engines. They implement technical SEO elements, speed optimizations, and other relevant modifications that help your site rank better in search engine results.
In essence, the Web Developer is your brand’s digital architect. They build, maintain, and evolve your website to ensure it serves as an effective, engaging, and reliable platform for your business. They work behind the scenes to guarantee your site isn’t just a digital placeholder but a dynamic, interactive, and valuable tool that supports your brand’s growth and success.
Now, while these roles are essential to building an advertising agency, they can be challenging (and costly) to fill and manage. So, is there an alternative?
Why Outsource Your Marketing Efforts? The Power of Fractional Marketing
Building an in-house marketing team may seem like an exciting prospect. It offers you the opportunity to bring together talented individuals, foster a collaborative environment, and create a group that’s in sync with your brand’s vision. However, it’s also a considerable investment that involves a significant outlay of time, money, and resources. You must recruit, train, manage, and retain a host of professionals, which can be an intensive process. But what if there was an alternative that offers all the benefits without the associated complexities? Enter the world of fractional marketing.
Fractional marketing is like leasing a high-performance vehicle instead of purchasing one outright. You get access to power and performance without the long-term maintenance concerns and upfront costs. Here are some key benefits:
Expertise at Your Fingertips: With fractional marketing, you get access to a complete marketing team of seasoned experts, each with a deep understanding and proficiency in their respective fields. You don’t hire an individual; you hire an entire team.
Flexibility and Scalability: You can easily scale your marketing efforts up or down based on your needs, budget, or strategic shifts. No need to worry about the logistics of expanding or contracting an in-house team.
Fresh Perspectives: An outsourced team brings fresh ideas, unbiased insights, and innovative solutions to the table. They aren’t confined by your internal corporate culture or existing viewpoints.
Staying Ahead of the Curve: A fractional marketing team like Reversed Out is continually evolving, learning, and staying on top of the latest trends and tools in the marketing world. This means your brand benefits from the latest strategies and technologies without investing in continuous training and development for an in-house team.
Instead of juggling the dynamics of an in-house team, fractional marketing allows you to focus on what you do best: running your business. You have the expertise, diversity, flexibility, and cutting-edge strategies of a full-fledged marketing team at your disposal, minus the hefty investment and management complexities. It’s a smart, efficient way to gain a competitive edge in today’s fast-paced business landscape.
The Fractional Marketing Solution by Reversed Out Creative
With the digital landscape growing more complex by the day, keeping up with the diverse range of skills required for effective marketing can be a daunting task. Finding a solution that marries expertise, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness is no small feat. This is where Reversed Out Creative steps in.
As a fractional marketing team, we’re designed to seamlessly supplement your existing internal resources. This doesn’t just mean filling gaps – it’s about bringing a dynamic array of talent and skills right to your fingertips. What does this mean in practical terms?
Broad Skill Spectrum: From web design and web development to graphic design, app development, public relations, and copywriting, you gain access to top-tier professionals across a multitude of roles. Imagine the variety and vitality this can bring to your marketing strategies.
Full-service Solution: We don’t stop at offering a talented team of professionals. Our expertise also extends into specialized services like printing, web hosting, media buying, SEO, and WordPress management. It’s like having a whole marketing department at your disposal, without the overhead.
Financial Efficiency: Envision the substantial investment involved in hiring an in-house team – from recruitment and training to benefits and salary costs. Now, consider accessing a similar level of expertise at a fraction of the price. That’s what partnering with Reversed Out Creative can offer.
Time Savings: Hiring, training, and managing an in-house marketing team demands a significant investment of time and effort. By leveraging our fractional marketing services, you can direct these valuable resources towards core business functions instead.
Strategic Advantage: With a diverse range of marketing professionals supporting your business, you’re better equipped to stay ahead of the curve, adapt to market changes, and keep your marketing strategies fresh and innovative.
In essence, we’re not just an agency – we’re a one-stop solution for all your marketing needs. Reversed Out Creative embodies the power of fractional marketing, delivering expertise, value, and versatility to your doorstep. It’s about working smarter, not harder, in an ever-evolving digital world.
Extend Your Learning If you’re interested in delving deeper into these topics, we recommend you explore:
The difference between an in-house team and a fractional marketing team.
The various roles within an advertising agency and their importance.
The benefits of fractional marketing for your business.
The cost-effectiveness of outsourcing versus hiring in-house.
The range of services offered by a fractional marketing agency like Reversed Out Creative.
FAQ’s What Does an Advertising Agency Do? An advertising agency, at its core, helps businesses promote their products or services. They strategize and execute marketing campaigns across various channels, like print, digital, and broadcast media. The agency is composed of different roles, including copywriters, art directors, media planners, and SEO specialists, each contributing to the success of these campaigns.
How Do Ad Agencies Make Money? Advertising agencies typically make money by charging fees for the services they offer. These may be based on time and materials (hourly rates for work done), fixed fees for specific services, or commission-based fees, particularly in media buying where they get a percentage of the advertising spend.
How Do I Get an Ad Agency? Getting an ad agency involves researching and identifying agencies that align with your business needs and budget. Look at their portfolio of work, client testimonials, and the services they offer. Once you’ve narrowed down your list, you can request proposals or meet with them to discuss your specific needs and expectations.
How Much Does It Cost to Use an Advertising Agency? The cost of using an advertising agency can vary significantly, depending on the scope of the work, the size of the agency, and the nature of the services provided. It could range from a few thousand dollars for smaller projects to several hundred thousand for comprehensive, multi-channel campaigns. Always discuss pricing structures and get a detailed quote before engaging an agency.
What Roles are Essential in an Advertising Agency? An advertising agency is made up of various roles that each contribute to the overall success of your marketing campaign. Essential roles include Account Executive, Copywriter, Art Director, Media Planner, Media Buyer, Market Research Analyst, SEO Specialist, Social Media Manager, Public Relations Officer, and Web Developer.
Why Should I Consider Fractional Marketing? Fractional marketing is a cost-effective alternative to building an in-house team. Instead of hiring and managing multiple individuals, you can outsource to professionals across a range of roles. This way, you get access to top talent without the commitment of full-time hires.
What Does a Fractional Marketing Team Like Reversed Out Creative Offer? Reversed Out Creative offers a wide range of services, including web design and development, graphic design, app development, public relations, and copywriting. They also specialize in printing, web hosting, media buying, SEO, and WordPress management, essentially serving as a one-stop shop for all your marketing needs.
How Can Reversed Out Creative Supplement My Existing Team? Reversed Out Creative can seamlessly integrate with your existing team, providing expertise in areas that your in-house staff may lack. They can supplement your team on a fractional basis, meaning you only pay for what you need. This allows you to benefit from a broad spectrum of skills without the expense and complexity of expanding your full-time staff.
Contact Us At Reversed Out Creative, we understand the challenges and opportunities presented by AI disruption. Our team of experts specializes in web design, SEO, graphic design, and digital marketing services. Reach out to us through our contact form to learn more about navigating the evolving job market and embracing the potential of AI. Together, let’s shape a future that combines human ingenuity with the power of AI.
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aakarshita04 · 1 year
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"Ohio's Tech Boom: Intel's Cutting-Edge Chip Plant"
Intel's Cutting-Edge Chip Plant is located in Chandler, Arizona, and is one of Intel's most advanced facilities. It utilizes extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, a process that allows for the production of incredibly small and precise computer chips. This technology is essential for producing the latest processors that power computers, mobile devices, and other electronics.
But the chip plant is more than just a high-tech manufacturing facility. It is also a hub for innovation and progress in the tech industry. For example, the plant utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to optimize its manufacturing processes, allowing for even greater precision and efficiency in the production of computer chips. This integration of AI and machine learning is just one example of how the new chip plant is pushing the boundaries of what is possible in high-tech manufacturing.
The new chip plant is also helping to create high-quality jobs in Ohio, with over 1,000 people employed at the facility. These jobs require highly specialized skills, including engineering, design, and manufacturing expertise. This provides a pathway to economic mobility for Ohio residents and is essential for the continued growth and success of the state's tech industry.
In addition to creating high-quality jobs, the new chip plant is also driving innovation in the broader tech industry. For example, the facility has partnerships with research institutions and universities in the state, allowing for the sharing of knowledge and expertise across different areas of the industry. This collaboration is essential for driving progress and developing new technologies that can benefit society as a whole.
The new chip plant is also helping to drive progress in the area of sustainability. Intel is committed to sustainable manufacturing practices and has implemented a range of measures to reduce the environmental impact of its operations. For example, the facility uses renewable energy sources, such as solar power, to help reduce its carbon footprint. The plant is also designed to be energy-efficient, with features such as advanced cooling systems and efficient lighting.
But perhaps the most significant impact of the new chip plant is the message it sends to other companies and investors. The investment from Intel demonstrates that Ohio is a state that is committed to innovation and progress, and that it is willing to invest in the resources and infrastructure needed to drive the development of new technologies. This message is sure to resonate with other companies and investors looking for a location to invest in the tech industry.
The investment from Intel is also helping to drive progress in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning. The new chip plant is utilizing these technologies to optimize its manufacturing processes, but they are also being used in other areas of the industry, such as autonomous vehicles and robotics. Ohio is positioning itself as a leader in the development of these technologies, with a strong research community and a supportive ecosystem of startups and established companies.
The new chip plant is also helping to drive progress in the area of data analytics. The massive amounts of data generated by modern technology require advanced analytics tools and techniques to extract insights and meaning. Ohio has a strong research community in this area, and the investment from Intel is helping to drive the development of new data analytics technologies. These technologies have the potential to transform a wide range of industries, from healthcare to finance to transportation.
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tastydregs · 1 year
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Replacing Humans “Is the Furthest Thing From Our Mindset,” Says the Company Selling an A.I. Radio Host
The humble broadcast-radio host, whether a disc jockey or interviewer or reporter, has been going through it for decades now. The 1996 Telecommunications Act fueled the consolidation of local stations, decimating their staffs. The explosion of online radio, music and video streaming, and podcasting have upended ratings for shows on public airwaves. Phones and computers and smart speakers increasingly supplant radio sets. Funding for public radio is notoriously unreliable. It isn’t the best time for your modern-day Wolfman Jacks, or for any media profession.
On top of all that, your local DJ was already on the losing end of the artificial-intelligence revolution. Before the A.I. hype from last year, and even before the COVID recession demolished media ad markets, broadcast networks were gutting on-air talent at the both the national and collegiate level to trim budgets and automate programming: syndicating well-known shows and brands, prerecording and prearranging late-night broadcasts, training a roboticized voice to fill in the space when needed. Coupled with major streaming services’ dependence on algorithms and automation to curate playlists and make user recommendations—often with bizarre side effects—these developments make clear that the music industry anticipates the need for fewer humans down the line.
A.I. hasn’t yet finished killing the radio star, nor is it truly likely to anytime soon. But there’s a new digital buddy out there that might give hosts additional pause: RadioGPT, a new tool from the Ohio-based software company Futuri Media that fully digitizes the broadcast host as you know it. According to Futuri, which has worked with large corporations like iHeartMedia and Tribune Publishing, its “new and revolutionary product” combines a few tools: TopicPulse, a Futuri app that provides an automated way to scan media sources and pull out relevant topics for coverage; GPT-3, the large language model that powers the hit chatbot ChatGPT; and A.I.-voice “personalities” made by Futuri that can learn the info scraped by TopicPulse and aggregated by GPT-3 to read readymade copy live on air. Oh, and it’s trained to know all available facts about the music played by your station, so it can even intro upcoming tracks and provide trivia as needed. The RadioGPT beta is currently being tested by large radio owners in the United States and Canada, and to gauge from preliminary reviews, it seems pretty good. Accomplished enough, at the very least, to reawaken worst-case fears regarding the future of human radio jobs, no matter what you actually make of RadioGPT’s humanoid talent.
I recently spoke with two Futuri Media executives—CEO and co-founder Daniel Anstandig, and CFO Marty Shagrin—to discuss the reasons for creating RadioGPT, the potential use cases for the tech, and how to square radio-industry automation with the Futuri team’s “passion for entertainment and pop culture,” as Anstandig characterized it. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Nitish Pahwa: When did you come up with the idea for RadioGPT?
Daniel Anstandig: The idea for RadioGPT started before GPT was a mainstream concept. About three years ago, we started working on an A.I. voice project to help augment on-air personalities and bring voices to air shifts for radio and TV programming that are typically unmanned—when there aren’t people in the studio and there’s no live and local content available. Along the way, there’ve been limitations around the realness versus the synthetic quality of the voices, and there’ve been challenges we’ve faced around making the on-air hosts more humanistic.
Over the last 10 years, we’ve developed automation systems that directly interface with radio and TV stations and the automation systems that run what’s happening on the air. We had TopicPulse, which scans information from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and over 250,000 news sources so we can see what’s trending in a local market as big as New York or as small as Medicine Hat, Alberta. We’ve also been able to integrate GPT-3, which has made our scripts more conversational. That was a big breakthrough. At the same time, we had a breakthrough around our A.I. voices becoming more humanlike and more, I would say, interesting to listen to over long-form programming.
Marty Shagrin: We’ve built our company around helping broadcasters focus on local content that is engaging, that brings people of a community together. A.I. has been in development for a long time, so itself, it’s not magical. It’s about the way that it’s used to deliver against the promise of broadcast content, whose 90 percent national reach has been built on local and live content.
Something you mentioned, Daniel, is that there’s so much radio at this point that’s been automated, especially late-night programming. So from your view, RadioGPT is a way to bring back personality to those humanless shifts?
Anstandig: I do think there’s an advantage to being more current, and we have technology that helps personalities or talent to be timely. As an example, inside TopicPulse, we use A.I. to predict what’s going to go viral in a local market. So if a station is voice-tracking—that’s the industry term for what you’re describing—or prerecording their content with a personality, they could conceivably look ahead in that market to see what’s currently trending with their audience and what’s predicted to go viral, or determine what will be interesting at that time.
One of the advantages of RadioGPT is that it knows about an artist or a song or about a current event, so it can speak to a broad range of topics concisely and in an entertaining way. When we set up RadioGPT voices, this is not text-to-speech. This is setting up character and personality in A.I., with a perspective, with character traits, with a viewpoint that is presenting a certain view or idea to the audience. That’s a tremendous upgrade from listening to prerecorded content.
It’s interesting to hear that angle, because I think when it comes to DJs or radio workers who’ve seen the industry contract—especially in terms of headcount—some might be inclined to say: “It’s A.I. that’s pushing us out of our jobs to begin with. And now there’s this new A.I. gizmo to fill in for people who’ve been displaced.” I’m curious if you’ve heard from local DJs about what they make of an advanced tool like this.
Anstandig: We have heard from a lot of air personalities as well as station owners and managers. We’ve heard from virtually every major streaming service, as well. In general, everyone is leaning in to the opportunity to dream up innovative, creative ways to augment talent, or to help talent do what they do best and create more companionship on the air. As an example, if you have a show that is carried in multiple markets, imagine that show is able to use the same station host or that same host’s voice to narrate local weather, news, traffic, or to talk about an event that’s happening, even though the show is on a national platform. That’s tremendous. Imagine that you could take a show that’s presented in English but then, in near real time, translate it into Spanish and have that read by an A.I. voice. You could also look at situations where hosts want to add RadioGPT or A.I. as a co-host and interact with it.
We have heard from personalities that are concerned that somehow there’s a mission here to replace them. But that is the furthest thing from our mindset. Local is the key to attracting audiences, and you can bet every streaming service is going to innovate in this way. We’re talking to every major service about ways to use our system. Why shouldn’t radio do the same thing? Radio shouldn’t have unmanned air shifts without live and local content.
A.I. systems—whether for voice imitation or LLMs or aggregation—run on big datasets, and there are all sorts of energy and computing costs. What’s the financial burden of making a product like this and distributing it?
Anstandig: The cost of doing this well is tremendous because you are stacking on different technologies, some that are proprietary and patented by Futuri and created over many years, along with services like GPT-3. So there is an innovation cost upfront. We think, in the long run, that for companies to do this well, there will be continued investment, but obviously technology cost scales over time.
Shagrin: We think about the financial impact all the time. But that was probably seventh or eighth on the priority list. First and foremost for us is, will the audience like this? Is this going to be an engaging solution for our partners to deliver great content to their audience? If this can help them do that, then it’s something that we owe it to them to explore.
I’ve spoken with musicians over the years who are miffed at the algorithmification of playlists, which fuels this situation where a lot of the same big artists get picked by the same big playlists over and over again. And if you’re not on there, or unless your label’s doing payola, you’re not going to gain that distribution. With more systems like this in the radiosphere—which is still important to artists—what you would say to concerns about automated systems highlighting the same artists time and again?
Anstandig: There’s this sense that technology tends to amplify what it thinks is already popular. However, that all comes down to the complexity of the algorithm and the way the algo is built to serve a certain listener. I personally have been involved in it, not only at Futuri but in the music industry; I’ve published and written hundreds of songs. So I’m always concerned about how the algos are prioritizing or exposing different songs and artists to new audiences. What I can tell you is that I believe today there’s more opportunity for independent artists and non-label acts to find an audience than ever before. I think there used to be a paradigm that familiarity was the most important thing when it came to prioritizing what shows up in a playlist or in an algo. Now, there’s more nuance around what the audience really wants: Are there certain types of music and entertainment that are more appealing when they’re new or more novel?
Shagrin: Remember, the way RadioGPT works is that it’s hooked up to and synced with a radio station’s automation system. We can offer ideas, but they’re still dictating what is played when, and what that looks like. Local markets know more about their audience, and so they still dictate that, and they can still drive that.
Local news has been decimated in all markets, whether newspapers or radio shows or TV. There are all these attempts to try to revitalize it, including yours, it sounds like, where you scan social networks and news outlets for reports you can broadcast over the radio. But there can be a lot of misinformation or misleading news that spreads quickly, and that in turn can be picked up; I’m thinking about, say, the false reports that often surround a mass shooting. I’d love to hear what sorts of guardrails you have in mind to stanch that effect.
Anstandig: It’s always best to have a human in the studio when there’s a crisis. We’ve seen that in recent years with active shooter situations, local weather disasters. That being said, there are ways to surface information faster: looking at location-based data and combining that with niche publications, blogs, or traditional news outlets for verification. In the case of TopicPulse, even though we have over a decade of experience in social media monitoring and predictions and A.I.-powered discovery of stories, we still have a small human moderation team that observes what’s trending in the system, that looks into trends as they’re emerging in markets. Because we do recognize there’s a certain amount of assurance or accountability that comes with being on this side of media.
Shagrin: The active shooter situation is near to me. I have a daughter who goes to Michigan State, where I know you went to school. So I was living that shooting situation in real time through my phone, as she was texting me and seeing how the news was covering it.
One of the things we focus on is that what’s relevant in a local market and to an audience is not always breaking. Breaking news is a bit of a different business than we are in. We are trying to identify those stories that are trending, relevant, most engaging to an audience. By doing that, we reduce the risk of reporting something that was first put out there and was incorrect. I know there were lots of incorrect stories being reported as that was going on at Michigan State.
I did have MSU on the mind when asking that—I’m really glad your daughter’s OK.
Changing the subject: Since the late ’90s, a lot of local radio stations have been consolidated or shuttered. How can A.I. revitalize local news and targeted music curation even when the corporate structures of radio markets may not be best suited for local regions?
Anstandig: First, I’ll just say that A.I. is not inherently biased or dishonest. It’s trained by humans. So when we think about RadioGPT and TopicPulse and our technology, we are training it with a media mindset. We’re ensuring that it’s trained on diverse, high-quality data sources, that the information generated can ultimately stand up to the trade winds of media, and that we don’t expect that we’re the last stop when we deliver content or information to a newsroom or to a broadcaster. That we know there are humans to verify and fact-check and think about regulation and ethical guidelines.
I think A.I. is part of the future recipe for media growth. It is certainly a way that costs can be reduced in certain parts of the industry, but it’s also an incredible growth mechanism. Information can be personalized and localized at a level that very few newsrooms have the capacity for right now. As an example, if you’re covering the Los Angeles DMA, you have such a wide range of cultures and pockets of community to cover—from Orange County to West Hollywood to Long Beach to Downtown L.A. There are all very different groups of people with differing lifestyles, and news that matters in one area doesn’t necessarily matter in another. There are ways, using stream-stitching technology and other tools, to personalize and localize news in a way that matches the interests and the needs of a hyperlocal audience. There’s data analysis that can go into the formation of that content, prioritizing which types of topics or stories should be covered by different types of people on the team. There’s a lot of efficiency built in that elevates humans working in news to do what they do best, knowing that discovery and being able to surface content and information and emerging trends is more efficient for them.
When it comes to investigative reporting, I believe that that’s boots on the ground. Humans are still going to accomplish investigative reporting better than A.I., but A.I. is a heck of an assistant.
To take it back to music, when you look back at the history of radio, there’s often some quirky DJ personality taking out obscure records for listeners. With all these A.I. systems where you can personalize things—text and images and even music—is human curation dead?
Anstandig: No. I know there’s still a tremendous passion in broadcast radio to elevate new and local artists. There’s more of that in some markets than in others because the risk tolerance of placing emerging artists that are unfamiliar or unknown is just different in different-size markets.
But I think—between social media influencers who specialize in music, bloggers, YouTubers, Instagrammers—there are more creative pathways for a new artist or track to find the right platform and audience. I think that’s only going to continue to grow.
In that vein, do you think radio stations should look into hiring A.I.-attuned people, like prompt engineers or coders or basic fact-checkers/editors?
Anstandig: I believe that radio and TV, and media in general, should do what they do best and bring the human element and local influence to what, partnering with technologists who can provide the platforms and systems that help them to elevate their creativity, intuition, expertise. We’re not attempting to replace the human element that makes the sales process or the creative marketing process special, unique, effective. We’re simply providing data-driven insights to help an account or marketing executive be more effective about creating powerful campaigns.
I think that’s a perfect example of partnering the unique spark of a human with a unique spark of A.I. And I think there will be more of a combination. I don’t think broadcast radio companies necessarily need to suddenly turn into computer or data science hives and start building the next megamachine
Shagrin: There’s nothing magical about A.I. in itself. It’s only magical if it delivers something that the people want. Media companies—most businesses, frankly—should find a way to put the technology to use as a utility to deliver the results that they want. It doesn’t mean you have to be an expert in the guts of A.I.
In your respective views, what do you think is the best use case for RadioGPT, and what is the worst?
Anstandig: I think the best case is creating more entertaining, informative, live and local content for every radio station in the world, and attracting and retaining and entertaining audiences. The worst is completely replacing humans who mean so much to their communities and to their advertisers. But I think there’s so much more upside here than there is downside for everyone, especially the audience.
Shagrin: You know, I’m the CFO. Cutting costs is not where this is the best use case. This is about delivering great content.
Anstandig: I look forward to the day that A.I. and human shows are in real, direct competition with each other. I think it’ll raise the bar for broadcasters and air talent. It’ll be entertaining, and the listeners will win.
Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
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infostreamusao · 5 months
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Why Your Content Marketing Can Never Be "Too Niche" To Strike a Chord
For years, digital marketing experts have been saying that if you really want to strike a chord with your audience, you need to get as specific as possible with the type of content you're putting out into the world. In other words, you need to find a niche - your small little corner of the Internet that feels exclusive - and lean into it as hard as you can.
Believe it or not, not only is this still the case, but many agree that now is the time to get even more specific than ever before.
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The Power of Personalization
Part of this has to do with how search engine algorithms and even things like artificial intelligence are becoming more fine-tuned, trained to serve content to people who will engage with it the most. The more specific and personal you get in the topics you're writing about and even how you're writing, the better your odds are of getting picked up by those algorithms.
Why does this all matter? Because according to one recent study, about 90% of leading marketers say that personalization "significantly contributes" to the overall profitability of their business. Message personalization is already the number one technique that email marketers use to increase engagement rates - a trend that shows no signs of slowing.
So what does this tell us? It says that in increasing numbers, people want an intimate and personal experience from the brands that they do business with - even if that isn't necessarily a realistic thing to want. Intellectually, people know that you have a lot of customers that you're trying to connect with. But the more you can make it feel like there are only two parties involved in the conversation - you and the customer - the more connected they'll feel to your products and services.
Going incredibly niche with your content marketing is one of the many ways to do that. Don't worry if it feels like you're going to be talking to a very small audience - not only is that effective in its own right, but that audience will likely turn out to be a lot larger than you first thought.
When you also consider that 75% of consumers say that they're eager to buy from brands that offer personalized digital experiences, it's clear that this is one tactic that is far too important to pass up.
InfoStream: Your Website Design Toledo Partner
As Toledo Ohio web design specialists, we understand that content marketing is just one small part of a larger story. Every part of your digital marketing efforts - from the look and feel of your homepage to the ads you run to your social media presence and beyond - is an extension of who you are as a business. All those elements should come together, forming a strong impression in people about who you are, what you do, and why they should be paying attention. That's exactly what we're prepared to help you accomplish.
If you're interested in finding out more information about why there is no such thing as going "too niche" with your content marketing efforts, or if you're looking for a website development Toledo partner to take your efforts to the next level, please contact the InfoStream team today.
Source URL:- https://sites.google.com/view/infostreamusa020/home
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autoglassgarland · 2 years
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Python for data science
Python for data science
Python for data science – How is Python used in data science?
The 3 finest, as well as crucial Python for data-science research, are NumPy, Pandas, and Matplotlib. Matplotlib. A visualization library that makes it fast as well as easy to generate charts from your data. scikit-learn. The most prominent collection for artificial intelligence operates in Python.
This article discusses and explains to you Python for data science and how is Python used in data science?
Zabeel Institute isaccredited  by KHDA and fully endorsed by students as the best training institute in Dubai
Python used in data science
Python supports numerous standards, yet most individuals would describe Python as an item-oriented programming language. In an object-oriented program’s language, every little thing you develop is a thing, various things have different properties, and you can operate various things in various methods.
Exactly how Python is utilized in each phase of Data Science
First Stage
Firstly we need to understand as well as comprehend what type of type does information take. If we consider data as a substantial excel sheet with lakhs of rows as well as columns,
Second Stage
The next hurdle is obtaining the essential information. As information is not always readily offered to us, we require scraping information from the web as necessary. Below the libraries of Python Scrapy and Beautiful Soup can help to extract data from the internet.
Third Stage
In this stage, we require to get obtain the visualization or visual depiction of the data. It becomes difficult to drive understandings when you see many numbers on the display.
Fourth Stage
The following action is artificial intelligence, which is a very intricate computational method. It involves math tools like likelihood, calculus, and matrix features of over lakhs of columns and rows.
What can Python be made use of besides data science?
Internet Growth: Developers, engineers, and data researchers utilize Python for web scraping or creating a mock-up of an application.
Automating Reports: Experts or item supervisors who need to make the exact same Excel record every week can use Python to aid produce reports as well as save time.
Money and also Organization: Made use of for a coverage, predictive designs, and also scholastic research.
Simulations: As a postdoctoral fellow at Ohio State University, my associates used Python to develop simulations to study various different habits with a computer.
Why is Python for data science?
Powerful and also Easy to use
Choice of Libraries
Scalability
Visualization and Graphics
When data-scientific research is being mentioned, one program’s language concerns everybody’s mind which is Python. Python’s immanent readability and lucidity have made it fairly easy to use, and the number of specialized analytical collections on it can be used quickly when producing models in taking care of Data Science.
About Python for data science certification
Python for data science certification will help you do the Practical Data Science with R Program is a blend of Data Science, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning enabling the real-world implementation of advanced tools and models.
The program is designed to give in-depth knowledge of Machine Learning concepts including the essentials of statistics required for R programming. In this course, participants will learn how to use R libraries like Dplyr, Ggplot2, and tidy and essential Machine Learning, Data Analysis techniques, such as supervised and unsupervised learning.
This course will cover key aspects from exploratory data analysis to model creation and fitting. To complete this capstone project, participants will use cutting-edge machine learning-based supervised and unsupervised algorithms like Regression, Support Vector Machine, and Tree-based algorithms in the domain of their choice. This will empower participants with a project that can be showcased to potential employers as a testament to Data Science expertise.
To know more about Python for data science click here
Significance of Data science certificate in 2021
The program is designed to give in-depth knowledge of Machine Learning concepts including the essentials of statistics required for Python for data science and R programming. In this course, participants will learn how to use R libraries like Dplyr, Ggplot2, and tidy and essential Machine Learning, Data Analysis techniques, such as supervised and unsupervised learning.
Why take this Course?
There is a serious shortage of Data Scientists and this is a major concern for Top MNCs around the world. All this means the major corporations are ready to pay top-dollar salaries for professionals with the right Data Science skills. This Course equips with all the latest technologies in Big Data, analytics, and R programming. Thus you can easily take your career to the next level after completion of this Course.
Python for data science certifications are not likely to aid a lot in your job applications, particularly at the very early pass/fail stage of return to assessment, so you should not focus on concerns like “which information science certificate is finest?” When you’re attempting to determine where to find out data-scientific research.
Training Facility in UAE: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah.
If you are looking for a Python for data science course in Dubai, Abudhabi, and Sharjah in UAE, you are reading the right article. Zabeel Institute has designed the best AI exam preparation course.
This Certification Training offered by Zabeel Institute stands out from other training in the market.
This exam result and pass percentage in Zabeel Institute are very high, which is increasing day by day under the constant support and guidance from the instructor. Zabeel Institute is well known for delivering several successful batches for Data science training every year. Zabeel ensures to help all students with all sorts of assistance for their brilliant performance in the exam.
Zabeel Institute, established in 1988, is a leading Educational and Training Institute for executives in Dubai. Zabeel Institute is by the KHDA and Ministry of Education UAE. Zabeel offers training programs to professionals from various industries like Airlines, Travel & Tourism, Engineering, Construction, Accounts & Finance, Information Technology, Logistics, Languages, and Management. Zabeel’s career-specific courses are imparted through interactive teaching techniques, state-of-the-art technology, an an experienced and highly qualified faculty.
More than 32 Years of Experience in training Professional Executives
Achiever of many QUALITY AWARDS for training from 1988 till date
Qualified & Certified Trainers
Sophisticated lab with high-end machines and licensed software
Certificates attested by the Ministry of Education, UAE
Vast resource materials for reference and course materials
Free online support for further assistance
Free follow up orientation seminars & workshops
Integrated Training & Career Development Plan
Please visit the KHDA website to know more about Zabeel:
Recommendation:
Zabeel Institute helps you get a Python for data science certificate eligibility based on your education and experience and will further guide you to the certification.
To know more about these course fees, exam costs, exam fees, certification, general certification costs, and more, please Contact Zabeel Institute!
Zabeel offers Python for data science in Dubai and Sharjah in UAE
For further information please contact: –
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To know more about Python for data science visit
Conclusion:
Python for data science is extensively used and is a favorite tool along with being an adaptable and open-sourced language. Its large libraries are made use of for data adjustment and are extremely easy to find out also for a beginner data expert.
Are you ready to explore the new world of Python for data science? In addition, how is Python used in data science?
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rechelleblog · 2 years
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The workplace is changing. How should Americans deal with it?
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In the long run, nearly all current jobs will disappear, so we need fairly radical policy changes to get ready for a very different future economy, according to Stuart Russell, a computer scientist at UC Berkeley, an adjunct professor of neurological surgery at UC San Francisco, and the author of the upcoming book “Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control.”
“One fast developing vision is that of an economy where significantly fewer people work because employment is unneeded,” Russell says in his book. Depending on whether and how much you (and/or society) believe people should have to work, as well as how society plans to value human labor, it is either a very terrifying or tantalizing idea. Manufacturing, contact centers, and truck driving will all experience declines in employment, while construction, health care, and home care will see increases.
MIT Technology Review made an effort to keep track of all the many reports on how automation will affect the workforce. They are in great numbers. And they provide a variety of alarming suggestions, ranging from a small amount of labour relocation to a complete redesign. A McKinsey Global Institute analysis examines how vulnerable to automation certain professions could be and concludes that hundreds of millions of people globally will need to find new employment or acquire new skills. As CNN discovered at auto facilities like the one that shuttered in Lordstown, Ohio, learning new skills can be harder than it seems.
More robots means more inequality
Almost everyone who has given this any serious thought has stated that more inequality is likely to result from increased automation. Businesses have undoubtedly become more productive, but salaries for employees have not kept up with this growth. According to McKinsey, the majority of employment growth in the United States and other advanced countries will be in professions that are now at the top of the pay scale. While many middle-class jobs would see significant employment decreases, certain low-wage occupations, including nursing and teaching assistants, will see employment growth.
According to a research from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, dealing with growing inequality and guaranteeing adequate (re-)training, particularly for less skilled employees, are the anticipated challenges for the future. Insurgent nonpolitician Andrew Yang, a Democratic presidential candidate, has centered his campaign on finding a solution to this issue. More than exporting to China, Yang attributes the collapse of American manufacturing to job automation, and she makes a clear connection between Donald Trump’s ascent and that industry’s decline. Yang recently told The Atlantic, “We need to wake people awake.” “This is the reality of why Donald Trump is our President today,” said a spokesperson, “because we have already destroyed millions of American jobs and people feel like they have lost a route ahead.”
Should everyone receive government compensation if automation eliminates jobs?
Yang proposes a solution that involves giving every American, regardless of need, a $1,000 monthly stipend, which he refers to as a “freedom dividend.” He contends that it would reduce racial and economic inequalities and allow individuals to choose careers that benefit the neighborhood. It’s an old concept. Early in the 1970s, as part of the fight against poverty, Congress and President Richard Nixon came dangerously close to passing a similar idea. The concept of a universal basic income, however, suddenly seems about as futuristic as the next “Terminator” movie (yep, they’re developing another one) that will be released this year, following decades of the GOP distancing itself from social programs.
In that Atlantic interview, Yang stated that “ninety-four percent of the new jobs created in the US at this time are gig, temporary, or contractor jobs, and we still just pretend it’s the 1970s, where it’s like, “You’re going to work for a company, you’re going to get benefits, you’re going to be able to retire, even though we’ve totally eviscerated any retirement benefits, but somehow you’re going to retire, it’s going Young people look up at this and say, “This doesn’t seem to work,” and we say, “Oh, it’s okay.” It’s not okay. We do need to mature. He singles out truck driving as a field that is crucial to the US economy right now but might. Truck driving, as noble the job may be, may not be everyone’s ultimate goal in life. In this scenario, people would be forced to perform tasks that robots would not want to undertake, which is already the case. What does a 21st century economy look like in a way that serves our interests and not the capital efficiency machine?, he asks. “When you accept these circumstances, that we’re going to be competing against technologies that have a marginal cost of near zero, then quickly you have to say OK, then, how are we going to start valuing our time?” This is how he, as well as many liberal economists and businessmen like Elon Musk, came up with the concept of a basic income.
At a CNN town hall this year, Yang said that joining unions and organizing as employees is insufficient to secure employment. He remarked, “I don’t think we have the time to reinvent the workforce in that way. “We should begin providing value to Americans directly.” A population able to live off a basic income without employment would ultimately change how society operates as a whole.
According to Russell, “for some, universal basic income (UBI) symbolizes a version of paradise. For others, it signifies an admission of failure — an declaration that the majority of people will have nothing of economic worth to give to society. They can be housed and nourished, primarily by machines, but otherwise left to fend for themselves. Yang is more concerned with the imminent danger that automation, in his opinion, poses to American jobs. Politicians aren’t discussing it honestly because they are so preoccupied with being upbeat. You’re a politician, therefore your incentives are to say things like “We can do this, we can do that, we can do the other thing,” but in the background society is deteriorating.
#areteautomation #allinonemarketingplatform #digitalmarketing #crm #business #mindpower
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jcmarchi · 3 months
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Mind2Web AI Agent Expands Accessibility to Internet
New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/mind2web-ai-agent-expands-accessibility-to-internet/
Mind2Web AI Agent Expands Accessibility to Internet
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In an era where the internet is intricately woven into the fabric of daily life, digital accessibility has taken a significant leap forward. Researchers at The Ohio State University are at the forefront of this endeavor, developing an artificial intelligence agent poised to transform how we interact with the web. This groundbreaking AI agent is designed to perform complex tasks on any website using simple language commands, a breakthrough that could make the internet more accessible, especially for people with disabilities.
The internet has evolved immensely since its public inception three decades ago, growing into a complex, dynamic entity. Its vastness and intricacy, while indicative of technological progress, have also made navigation challenging for many users. Recognizing this challenge, Yu Su, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at Ohio State and co-author of the study, emphasizes the importance of their work. “For some people, especially those with disabilities, it’s not easy for them to browse the internet,” said Su. “We rely more and more on the computing world in our daily life and work, but there are increasingly a lot of barriers to that access, which, to some degree, widens the disparity.”
The Intricacies of the Modern Web and the Rise of AI Web Agents
The internet has undergone a remarkable transformation since its debut, evolving from a simple network of static pages to a vast, intricate, and dynamic system. This evolution, while a testament to human ingenuity and technological progress, has inadvertently raised significant barriers to accessibility. The sheer complexity and the multitude of steps required to perform tasks on modern websites can be daunting, particularly for individuals with disabilities. Navigating this has become a crucial challenge in today’s internet-centric society.
Addressing this challenge, the development of AI web agents, like the one spearheaded by researchers at The Ohio State University, offers a ray of hope. These agents are designed to simplify the web browsing experience by executing complex tasks through straightforward language commands. By doing so, they effectively reduce the layers of complexity that currently hamper accessibility on the web.
These agents operate by harnessing information from live websites, mimicking human-like browsing behaviors. They understand the layout and functionality of various websites using their advanced language processing capabilities. This approach allows the AI agents to perform a wide array of tasks autonomously, from simple navigational commands to more complex operations, making the digital world significantly more navigable for all users.
Mind2Web: Pioneering Dataset for Generalist Web Agents
Developed by the team at The Ohio State University, Mind2Web stands as the first-ever dataset specifically designed for generalist web agents. This dataset is revolutionary in its approach, as it fully embraces the intricate and dynamic nature of real-world websites, a departure from previous efforts that often focused on simplified, simulated web environments.
Mind2Web’s primary role is to serve as a training ground for AI web agents, equipping them with the skills needed to navigate the complexities of various websites. It is crafted to mimic the unpredictable and ever-evolving landscape of the internet, providing a diverse range of scenarios and challenges. By training on Mind2Web, the AI agent developed by Yu Su and his team learns to generalize its capabilities to new, unseen websites. This adaptability is crucial, as it allows the agent to perform tasks across different web platforms with a high degree of accuracy and efficiency.
The versatility of the AI agent trained on Mind2Web is evident in the wide array of tasks it can perform. From booking one-way and round-trip international flights to following celebrity accounts on X (Twitter), the agent demonstrates remarkable proficiency and flexibility. It can navigate through various websites to perform tasks like browsing comedy films streaming on Netflix or even scheduling car knowledge tests at the DMV. The complexity of these tasks is notable; for instance, booking an international flight involves up to 14 different actions, showcasing the agent’s capability to handle intricate multi-step processes.
Future Prospects and Ethical Considerations in AI Development
The advent of AI web agents, as developed by Yu Su and his team, signals a transformative era in web interaction. These agents promise to revolutionize how we navigate and use the internet by simplifying complex online tasks, enhancing efficiency and productivity across various sectors. However, this promising technology also brings ethical challenges, particularly in potential misuse for spreading misinformation or exploiting vulnerabilities, especially in sensitive domains like finance and personal data.
Yu Su acknowledges the dual nature of AI advancements. While they offer significant potential to augment human capabilities and creativity, there’s also a risk of harmful applications with far-reaching societal impacts. This technological progress, as exemplified by developments like ChatGPT, necessitates a balanced approach, weighing benefits against potential risks.
Addressing these ethical concerns is crucial. As Su suggests, alongside harnessing AI’s potential, we must develop robust ethical frameworks and guidelines for its deployment, ensuring responsible use. The future of generalist web agents, rich in possibilities, requires careful navigation to ensure AI’s integration into our digital lives is beneficial and equitable. Su’s work is not just a technological leap but also a call for responsible AI use, paving the way for a future where AI serves as a valuable ally in achieving a more accessible and just digital world.
You can find the full research here.
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