An AI startup called Artisan in San Francisco recently spent a fortune on a provocative billboard campaign in a city teeming with talent, especially in tech: “Stop Hiring Humans.” Continue reading the report on the controversial “Stop Hiring Humans” AI billboard that has appeared on the streets of San Francisco.
▲Image source: Getty Images
AI company posts highly controversial ‘Stop Hiring Humans’ billboard on San Francisco streets.
Although everyone knows that, to some extent, hateful content does contain an element of trying to get “traffic codes” – after all, it really is very easy to attract attention or even followers (who join in the criticism). However, whether this approach is actually beneficial to one’s image is a bit… hard to say?
After all, if a company or individual actually succeeds in their publicity and gets the resources they want, then in some people’s view, maybe it wouldn’t count as a loss after all? Recently, there’s been a company that seems to be trying to get itself noticed by leveraging the somewhat negative issues sparked by the boom in generative AI.
▲ Image source: Artisan
According to reports, Artisan, an AI startup in San Francisco, recently spent heavily on billboards across the city—a hub of talent, especially in tech—using the slogan “Stop Hiring Humans.”
Obviously, it goes without saying that such an ad quickly drew a lot of backlash – especially here in San Francisco, where homelessness and unemployment are serious problems.
▲Image source: Getty Images
Honestly, this kind of ad that’s so blatantly trying to stir up controversy just makes you feel like discussing it means falling right into their trap?
However, when paired with these two advertising slogans also originating from the company—”The Era of AI Employees is Here” and “Artisan Won’t Complain About Work-Life Balance”—it really makes one feel like we should speak up about something.
▲Image source: Artisan
Just like the natural reaction whenever a seemingly black-tech product is introduced, with generative AI suddenly taking off again and gaining attention over the past two years, it has inevitably sparked much discussion about AI replacing various jobs.
In response to such concerns, coupled with America’s steadily rising unemployment and crime rates, this ad from Artisan directly taps into the fears and heartache many people carry.
According to foreign media, this Y-Combinator-backed startup primarily offers an AI-powered sales assistant called “Ava.” It also highlights that switching to their service can reduce operating costs by 96%.
Seeing this, everyone might be thinking, “You’re just a Sales service, why are you launching a blanket attack on all bosses?”
▲Image source: Artisan
In response, Artisan’s CEO Jaspar Carmichael-Jack, during an interview with SFGate (yes, he actually got media attention), mentioned that their company’s behavior does have a somewhat extreme “dystopian” quality to it, but also said that this trait is the same as AI (huh?).
Basically, he hopes that when people see the ad, they can understand that the way the world works is already changing.
▲Image source: Getty Images
However, this kind of goodwill (?)—clearly, most people are probably in a state of “thanks (sarcastic).”
After all, if AI really does create a trend of unemployment, you don’t need anyone to tell you—everyone would feel it directly through unemployment rates and the economy. Artisan’s ad feels more like promoting itself by rubbing salt in the wound. It’s indeed not a very considerate way to advertise.
But thinking back on it, quite a few startups do come across as pretty outspoken, directly challenging existing systems or even traditional industries just to get themselves noticed. That said, Artisan poured so much money into their ads that it’s hard to have any positive impression of them—or of the companies using their services, for that matter.
Cited sources:GIZMODO|Via:Ars Technica｜
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Source: KOCPC Chinese