The AI dooooooom thread

[Barrister]

Why is it a money loser?

I assume insufficient sales to cover publishing.

I believe the books in question are either e-books, or print-on-demand books.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Print_on_demand

So even if you sell a handful of books you're still profiting on each one.

[Syt]

Why is it a money loser?

I assume insufficient sales to cover publishing.

Publishing on Amazon or Smashwords doesn't cost you anything, and if you generate all content yourself, it only costs you time - and with AI generating the content for you, you just need to format it in the ebook format of choice and upload it.

[Sheilbh]

They're already doing it, so it must make sense.

Presumably using AI prompts to generate 500 "books" on different topics, uploading them, and using botnets to push them to the top of search rankings is something that is relatively easy to automate.

At which point the money from suckers buying any of those "books" (that it costs pennies to generate) is pure profit.

Yeah - and it's similar with online content.

You have an increasing long tail of the internet which is made for advertising sites (often AI generated, and nonsense) but with sellable ad inventory and that attracts clicks. Ad sales are often priced best for the ad slots that have the most personalised/developed profile of the individual at the end and allow the most functionalities (both of which require intrusive tracking). That means that at the minute the industry is spending money on sites with basically no compliance with any privacy laws, that are just created for the purpose of attracting eyes on adverts and just a churn with no permanence.

Admittedly this is possibly the logical end point of online advertising given that it is an industry which is largely based on fraud which is now being accelerated by AI. But it is not good for individuals, not good for publishers of real content and not good for advertisers. And ultimately as long as the things that agencies really prioritise (because it's what advertisers insist on) are targeting and functionalities, it's very difficult to move it in a different direction.

And obvioiusly those sites are being scraped and included in future models - particularly ones reliant on webcrawlers that quality media companies are increasingly blocking because they want to get paid for their content.

[celedhring]

Just noticed chatGPT can talk too. Predictably, it sounds like a smug asshole.

EDIT: Ah, there's different voices. In Catalan "Juniper" has the most incredibly Barcelona posh accent I can think of. Shit's scary.

[grumbler]

Why is it a money loser?

I assume insufficient sales to cover publishing.

The costs of self-publishing are primarily the costs of formatting the book properly and perhaps a bit of advertising.  The formatting issue isn't an issue with AI.

[garbon]

After I performed my first task for work with ChatGPT (at a spead I'd never have managed on my own), I then asked it to create me a story about a woman who won the marathon against underwhelming odds in the style of Jane Austen.

In the quaint village of Longbourne, nestled amidst the rolling English countryside, there lived a spirited young woman named Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth was known for her intelligence, wit, and independent spirit, qualities not always appreciated by the more conventional society around her.

One fine autumn day, Longbourne was abuzz with excitement as news spread that a marathon race was to be held in nearby Meryton. This event, unusual for its time, attracted athletes from far and wide, including the dashing Mr. Darcy, whose impressive athleticism and serious demeanor had captured the attention of many a young lady.

Intrigued by the prospect of such a spectacle, Elizabeth found herself drawn to the event despite the protests of her mother, Mrs. Bennet, who could not understand her daughter's fascination with "such unseemly pursuits." Undeterred, Elizabeth resolved to attend, her curiosity piqued by the challenge and the chance to witness Mr. Darcy's prowess firsthand.

On the morning of the marathon, a colorful crowd gathered at the starting line in Meryton. Elizabeth, dressed in a practical but elegant running gown, stood amongst the spectators, her eyes fixed on the determined faces of the runners. Mr. Darcy, tall and composed, exuded an air of confidence that both intrigued and annoyed Elizabeth.

As the race commenced, Elizabeth's attention quickly shifted from Mr. Darcy to a lesser-known competitor, Miss Jane Bingley, a gentlewoman of refined manners and surprising athletic ability. Miss Bingley's grace and stamina caught Elizabeth's eye, and she found herself silently cheering for this unexpected heroine of the track.

The course wound through the picturesque countryside, and as the hours passed, the runners faced various challenges—hilly terrain, unpredictable weather, and their own physical limitations. Elizabeth observed with admiration as Miss Bingley, with quiet determination, steadily gained ground on the leading pack, which included Mr. Darcy.

As the marathon neared its conclusion, Elizabeth's excitement grew. Miss Bingley, previously an underdog in the eyes of many, was now closing in on victory. With a burst of speed that surprised even herself, Miss Bingley crossed the finish line, cheered on by a jubilant crowd.

In that moment, Elizabeth realized the significance of what she had witnessed. It was not merely a race won by physical prowess but a triumph of spirit and determination. Miss Bingley's victory challenged societal norms and proved that women were capable of achieving greatness beyond the confines of traditional expectations.

As Elizabeth made her way back to Longbourne that evening, her heart was filled with a newfound sense of possibility. She had witnessed a woman overcoming underwhelming odds with grace and fortitude—a testament to the indomitable spirit that resided within each of them.

Inspired by Miss Bingley's example, Elizabeth vowed to pursue her own dreams with unwavering determination, undeterred by the obstacles that society might place in her path. For in the fields of Longbourne, amidst the whispers of the autumn breeze, a new kind of heroine had emerged—one whose story would be told and celebrated for generations to come.