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3 November 2024 | Issue #69

In this issue:

• Will Robots Take My Job? Depends on the Job
• SearchGPT Launches as ChatGPT’s Real-Time Search Feature
• Tech Companies Report Earnings, AI Companies Do Well
• Why AI Won’t Reinvent the Alphabet Anytime Soon
• First in the U.S.: 3-Year Bachelor’s Programs Coming to New England College
• Midjourney's New Editing Tools
• Design Quote of the Week

According to WillRobotsTakeMyJob.com, graphic designers are at moderate risk of losing their jobs to AI.

The site then goes into the methodology used to determine the risk, and shows survey results from graphic designers and others who are paying attention to the space.

There is still job growth predicted for the future, but it shows that this field is one of the less secure fields right now.

The key takeaway are the parts of design that are difficult to automate:

Some very important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

• Fine Arts
• Originality

Some quite important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

• Social Perceptiveness
• Negotiation
• Persuasion

This is where designers – or any creatives – can differentiate themselves. If you're just making someone else's content pretty, there isn't a lot of value in that. But, if you can use your design thinking skills create something original that entices the viewer to take an action, that is a skill that AI can't replicate!

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Other fields that may be curious about the potential of AI automation:

​Art Director - Low risk, 34%

​Marketing Manager - Low risk, 37%

​Marketing Specialist - Moderate risk, 48%

​Search Marketing Strategist - Moderate risk, 57%

​Web Developer - High risk, 60%

​Technical Writer - High risk, 74%

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​ NEWS AT THE INTERSECTION OF DESIGN AND MARKETING

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🔍 SearchGPT Launches as ChatGPT’s Real-Time Search Feature

Search Engine Journal reports on OpenAI’s introduction of SearchGPT, a real-time search feature integrated with ChatGPT that allows users to access up-to-date information directly through the chatbot. This tool aims to bridge the gap between generative AI and live search, enhancing ChatGPT’s relevance and utility for users seeking current data.

• Real-Time Information: SearchGPT enables ChatGPT to pull real-time data, ensuring responses are accurate and timely.

• Enhanced User Experience: The integration brings AI-generated responses closer to traditional search capabilities, making ChatGPT a more versatile tool for immediate information needs.

• My Take: We're watching the first real threat to Google's search dominance.

​Keep reading​

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💪 Google Exceeds Q3 Earnings Expectations, Driven by AI Growth

Google parent Alphabet reported impressive third-quarter results, with a 15% revenue increase to $88.27 billion, surpassing analyst expectations. CEO Sundar Pichai credited the gains to AI advancements and strategic focus, particularly noting 35% growth in Google Cloud revenue, a reflection of rising AI demand.

• AI-Enhanced Search: New AI features in Search are expanding capabilities and boosting revenue.

• Cloud Growth: Google Cloud’s 35% growth highlights the broader AI-driven cloud market expansion.

• My Take: Good for Google for identifying their core business is at risk and branching out to new revenue streams.

​Keep reading​

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🔠 Why AI Won’t Reinvent the Alphabet Anytime Soon

Wired explains why AI isn’t poised to radically change written language or typography, noting that while AI can reproduce styles, true transformation requires cultural shifts beyond its grasp. The article explores how typography remains rooted in human context and tradition, where subtle changes arise from evolving cultural aesthetics that AI can mimic but not originate.

• Limits on Typography: AI-driven designs replicate but don’t initiate typographic innovation, as new forms are deeply tied to cultural shifts.

• Creativity Constraints: Language and typographic evolution need human insight, beyond AI’s current abilities.

• My Take: It's interesting to look at the surface-level impact that AI is having, while not changing the underlying structure we all understand.

​Keep reading​

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👩‍🎓 First in the U.S.: 3-Year Bachelor’s Programs Coming to New England College

Johnson & Wales University introduces the nation’s first 3-year bachelor’s graphic design degree program, enabling students to enter the workforce sooner. This accelerated program allows aspiring designers to reduce education costs while quickly gaining practical, industry-relevant experience, an advantage in the fast-evolving creative field.

• Faster Career Entry: Designers complete degrees a year early, entering the job market ahead of traditional programs.

• Cost Efficiency: The program reduces the financial burden of a four-year degree.

​Keep reading​

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NEW RESOURCES FOR YOU

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Check out Midjourney's new editing features

We've been using Midjourney to generate images for a while. Now, it allows you to edit existing photos in ways that are far superior to the trash that Photoshop outputs these days.

This tutorial walks you through how to use these powerful new features within Midjourney.

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Thanks to Alan Lepofsky for the heads up on this one.

Design Quote of the Week

“Don’t design for everyone. It’s impossible. All you end up doing is designing something that makes everyone unhappy.”
– Leisa Reichelt

My AI disclaimer: I write the main stories by hand (with occasional assistance from Grammarly). The quick news hits are articles I've found, which I run through a ChatGPT prompt to generate the synopsis and bullet points. However, I write the My Thoughts bullet. If AI generates the images, I include the prompt so you can see how I got to that image. Nothing in this newsletter, or anything I publish anywhere, reflects the views of my employer.

Thanks for reading!

–Jim

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