In September, the rise of AI ‘Synths’ was unstoppable. From boosting productivity in the workplace to becoming creative co-pilots, these AI-powered assistants are changing the game. Are you embracing the Synth revolution, or are you falling behind? It’s not just about computers anymore; it’s about having a Synth for every soul.
By: Paul Marsden, SYZYGY GROUP’s consultant psychologist
September: School’s back. And who’s assisting with homework? ChatGPT, of course, with the ubiquitous AI enjoying another term-time spike in traffic. Interestingly, a September study by KPMG revealed only 52% of Canadian students admit to using AI assistants to do their schoolwork. The rest? Maybe secret users. Or perhaps Canada is an AI-averse outlier?
September: Return to the office too. With another study, this time by BCG and Harvard. The consulting firm measured the impact of giving their execs an AI assistant – ChatGPT-4. The result? Quality of work improved by 40%, time saved by 25%, and productivity jumped by 12.5%. Compared to a control group, those with the AI sidekick outshone their counterparts in every aspect. The implication is clear: if you’re not pairing humans with AI assistants at work, you’re probably falling behind.
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Soon, your PC will host more Synths than files!
The Rise and Rise of AI ‘Synths’
What do we name these AI-powered assistants, companions, personalities, or ‘co-pilots’? Regardless, in September, these ‘Synths’ – as we’ve dubbed them – flexed their silicon muscles. OpenAI’s Synth, ChatGPT, now boasts the ability to see, hear, and speak. It’s also got back its ability to browse the web. And to prove it’s not just a smart cookie, ChatGPT battled MBA minds in a creativity duel. Spoiler alert: silicon sparkled.
Meanwhile, Bing Chat (or should we say, “Sydney”) announced its new ability to generate AI images with Dall-e 3. Bing’s owner, Microsoft doubled down on Synths, announcing that its AI Copilot would be everywhere in the next Windows release and in Office365. Soon, your PC will host more Synths than files!
Claude, the Synth for the more discerning AI afficionado, saw its premium sibling launch in September: Claude Pro. Google’s Bard, trying to shake off its reputation as the Forrest Gump of AI, moved into Google Workspace.
Rumors swirled that Bard was imminently due for a brain transplant with the upcoming launch of Gemini AI—Google’s answer to GPT-4. In other September news, Zoom introduced its AI Synth, Zoom Companion, while Salesforce presented its modestly named Synth, Einstein Copilot.
The emerging reality? Use software, snag a Synth.
Synths on the Streets
Beyond the office, Amazon showcased Alexa with an AI ‘let’s chat’ upgrade, and the ability to hold conversations. Warner Music penned a deal with virtual influencer Synth, Noonoouri, releasing an AI-crafted song “Dominoes.” Character.ai, a platform for creating and engaging with Synth clones of celebrities and historical figures, saw user numbers rise above 5 million.
Delphi AI secured funding to help users craft Synth replicas of, well, anyone. Meanwhile, NSFW Synth girlfriends caused a stir in September, facing criticism for unfair competition, controversial self-promotion on social media, and getting featured in a hot or not AI girlfriend app.
But the highlight of September? Meta’s unveiling of 28 celebrity Synths, including AI clones of Snoop Dogg, Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner, Mr Beast, and Naomi Osaka. These Synths will be available to chat and converse across Meta platforms.
The company also launched its own Synth, Meta AI, that would be available on WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, and Quest 3. The announcement came just as academic research was published showing that AI Synths can, and do, have stable personalities – much like humans.
Synth September’s Takeaway?
Our current infatuation with Synths might develop into a lasting bond. They’re certainly making all the right moves to woo us.
Improve work quality? Absolutely.
Save time? You bet.
Improve performance? Of course.
Offer entertainment? For sure.
Provide companionship? Definitely.
Evoke love? Only time will tell.
Perhaps Bill Gates’ vision warrants an update: Not just a computer in every home, but a Synth for every soul.
