AI Evolution
As we move into the next era of human existence with technical advancements known as artificial intelligence (AI), the day has come again when the tools we’ve created will disrupt life as we know it. Life is change. It’s an evolution, no matter how much some people want to remain in one place or even go backward.
From the creation or discovery of fire, iron, and vessels for travel to the advent of the steam engine, electricity, telephone, radio, TV, computers, smartphones, Quantum computing, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), there is no doubt that our world is progressing technologically. With every advancement, we have a learning curve that leads to an inevitable adoption of new technology. Whether it is for the greater good or leading us down a destructive path, all we can do with the latest advent of AI is learn how we can harness its power and make our world a better place.
Growing Up in the Late Nineteen Hundreds
Before Computers
I was raised in the 1980s in Almaden Valley, South San Jose, California. Kids rode bikes everywhere. We played outside with each other in the dirt, collected tadpoles from a local creek, and came home when the street lights went on. Our parents both worked. Life was simple and entertaining, and we had no computers. My calculator was the most technical item I had. This defined my Gen X.
The Coming Wave
My family members were either teachers or in the computer industry. In my teens, my friends’ families started building huge houses on the hills around the valley. I witnessed firsthand how IBM, Apple, Microsoft, Atari, Oracle, Adobe, Sun Microsystems, Cisco, and Hewlett Packard in Los Gatos, South San Jose, and Palo Alto–what came to be known as Silicon Valley–changed everything.
The Oregon Trail for Apple II in the 1980s
Early Adoption
My first computer was a Commodore 64 with no memory, which sucked. But then I got my first Atari game console called Pong. I began learning to code in elementary school. All hail floppy disks and The Oregon Trail. It was new and fun. Video games shortly followed, and the days of playing in the dirt were fewer and fewer.
Successful Applications
From a young age, I had difficulty learning and retaining knowledge in a traditional school setting. However, my technical hands-on abilities were inherent. I set up my Mom’s first computer out of the box without reading any directions. In my early 20s, I went from greeter to tech support at my job at a local ISP (Internet Service Provider) in Santa Cruz, California, called Cruzio. Because of learning about computers, I was able to teach myself website development and graphic design. I studied search engines like Google, which overtook Yahoo as the first significant Internet search application. I began building websites for clients in 2000.
I went back to college after computers became part of the teaching aids, and I finally finished my Bachelor of Arts in Business with straight As on the Dean’s List.
Thoughts on Artificial Intelligence
Throughout my time on this earth, scientific discoveries and the advancement of innovative tools haven’t stopped. Some are used in unethical ways, facilitating financial greed, hurting our planet, and putting us in danger. We can’t stop what is to come. My Grandma always told me when I was a young girl, learning what the atomic bomb did to people and what nuclear power was capable of, “Don’t be afraid of these powerful things [nuclear power]. Humans will harness the power like they did with fire in the beginning.” Please do your best to use these tools and discoveries in ethical, supportive, helpful, and useful ways to benefit our fellow humans and our planet. Vote people into power who will work for legislation to keep us on the right side of history. As for me, I’m focusing my nerd DNA on learning everything I can about AI and its current and future applications for my digital marketing clients’ campaigns.
The Future of Digital Marketing and Generative AI
I’ll be following Generative AI applications and advancements closely moving forward. Integrating AI into your workflow is essential to maintaining your business. Employment and companies will change, our economy will change, and life as we know it will change.
Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy at all or everyone would do it. As an Entrepreneur, you will evolve as you must be a successful business owner. Contact us today and let us know how we can help keep your business competitive and adopt digital marketing Generative AI for advanced online visibility.
