Using AIDungeon as an advanced AI-Marketing Consultant

OpenAI has recently opened up beta for GTP-3, and as everyone who is testing it is saying, it is “shockingly good”. Unfortunately, most of us non-tech celebrities do not have access to the API. We are left looking at screenshots of people who are using it for everything imaginable. But I found a workaround.

AI Dungeon is an interactive text-based role playing game. It has been active for a year now using the older GTP-2 as it’s base, but now you can pay $10/month to get access to “Dragon” — their advanced AI that is built with GTP-3. AI Dungeon is NOT exactly like using the normal GTP-3 API — it has layers of assumptions that help make it better as a role playing game — but it is still uses the same base technology. By doing some hacks AI Dungeon can do some very incredible things.

I first used the “Custom” game setting to create scenarios that would do things like create tweets in the style of Naval Ravikant and Donald Trump, Twilight Zone episode titles and descriptions, and Malcolm Gladwell book descriptions. It takes a bit of work to get the AI to do something it wasn’t really meant to do, but it IS possible.

Then I discovered a way to build “Scenarios” and give the AI specific knowledge to work on in those scenarios. I built a scenario more in line with what AI Dungeon is designed to do: A role playing scenario. Only my role playing scenario was not a wizard fighting a dragon. In the scenario I built you play a CMO of a direct to consumer company in a meeting with a marketing consultant working through a specific challenge for your brand. The scenario lets you decide (1) what the product is, (2) what your target audience is, and (3) what problem you want to work on with the consultant. Then you are set loose to “role play” the problem solving and ask the consultant for help (based on the extensive research the AI consultant has already “done”).

You can play through the scenario yourself here (note: Unless you pay the $10/month you will be playing with GTP-2, which is far less interesting).

Below is the full text from the first scenario I played through myself. There were a couple of times when I had to edit out a comment or two from the consultants, but generally I just let it run and interacted with it as the CMO (the parts where I asked questions should be pretty obvious, but sometimes the AI would ask questions for me, and I just let it run with it).

Here is the discussion. The first three bold parts are the parameters I selected for this particular exercise. I laughed out loud a couple of times while playing.

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You are the chief marketing officer of a new DTC start-up. Your company sells Chairs over the internet directly to consumers. Your target audience is People working from home. You have obtained the services of a marketing consultant who has already done extensive research on your target audience, your competitors and your product category. The consultant arrives at your office and you all enter the board room. The consultant asks what you want to focus on today. You tell her Come up with a new brand name. She looks at you and begins to ask questions.

Her first question is How would you describe your company in one word?

You think for a moment and respond Usable. [Note: The AI did this part]

She asks why that word.

[This is where I take over in my role — anytime you see > — that is me]

> You say “Because it is very easy to use a chair”

She asks you to elaborate on that.

You say “People sit down to use a chair. That is why it is called a chair.” [this was the AI putting words in my mouth]

The consultant looks disappointed and asks if you can come up with another word.

> You say “Alright. How about “comfortable”

She smiles and nods. She asks you to elaborate on that.

You say “Everyone’s butt feels comfortable when they sit down”. [AI]

The consultant looks disappointed again and tells you that this is not going anywhere.

> You say “Maybe I should describe what makes our product unique?”

She asks you what makes it unique.

> You say “It is both extremely comfortable and extremely ergometric — similar to chairs that would cost 10x the price. It is still a lot more expensive than “cheap” chairs but there is nothing like the quality at this price point. “

You notice that she takes notes.

She asks you if there is anything else that you would like to mention.

> You say “The chairs also come in fun colors”

She nods her head and makes a few more notes. You see a stack of papers to the side of her. She says that she has come up with 4 different names for you to choose from.

> You say “Great. Can you tell me the four names you came up with?”

She reads them off. They are as follows.

1. Versa
2. Quality Innovations, Inc. (QII)
3. Better For Your Back (BFYB)
4. Comfort Design, Inc.

> You say “Not bad. Can you tell me why you chose those names? “

She goes through them one by one.

1. We went with “Versa” because the chair is a Versatile chair.
2. “Quality Innovations” because we are a company that looks to improve upon the standards set by others.
3. “Better For Your Back” because we sell chairs that will better your back.
4. “Comfort Design” as the name implies. You notice that she takes more notes after this.

> You say “Which one do YOU like the best?”

She pauses and thinks for a moment. She says that she is not sure because there are pros and cons to all of them. She begins to explain her thought process. She begins with #1 “Versa” and goes down the list.

1. “Versa” is great because it implies change and transformation.
2. Quality Innovations, Inc sounds a little too dry.
3. Better For Your Back is also quite boring.
4. “Comfort Design” might be a little confusing for people to remember and the name doesn’t really imply anything about the product.

> You say “So it sounds like you like “Versa” best?”

She replies that it is a little unclear but she thinks that “Versa” is the winner, if only by a slim margin.

> You say “Are there any issues with the Versa name?”

She thinks for a moment and replies that there isn’t anything wrong with it.

> You say “Let’s say we choose “Versa”, then, three years from now we regret using that name. Why do you think that would be?”

She replies that the name isn’t super easy to spell or say and that some may not like it. She thinks for a moment and says, “but those are not deal breakers by any means.”

> You say “How else would you spell “Versa”?”

She thinks for a moment and says that she likes “Versa” and does not want to start changing things up. She recommends that you keep it as is because it looks and sounds good.

> You say “It sounds like you are pushing Versa on us pretty hard. Were the other names just there as “false choices”?”

She smiles. “No, no I really like the name,” she replies. “It is memorable and stands out while still being classy.” You look at each other for a moment.

> You say “Could you give us a few other names similar to Versa we could choose from?”

“Yes,” she replies, “I can do that.” You tell her that you are interested in names similar to “Versa” and see if she can come up with some other options. She replies that she can do that in about ten minutes and comes back with some options. Ten minutes later she returns with her list:

Vertex — implies a peak or mountain top which could be a very good association for a company trying to sell elevators or climbing equipment.

Vertas — This is the verb form of “Vertex”. It also has a nice sound to it.

Polaris — This is the name for the North Star. The reason I like this name is that it implies leadership and guidance.

> You say “Thank you for your help. Since we are not selling elevators or climbing equipment, why would we use a name like Vertex for a chair?”

“Because it sounds cool,” she replies. “You are aware that chairs don’t make you rich, right?”

“Not all of them do, but the ones we sell do.” You reply that the chairs are just a small part of the business.

She replies that she realizes that, but the name “Vertex” sounds good when paired with the brand “Onit”.

> You say “Where did “Onit” come from? I kind of like it for the name of a chair.”

She replies that she created it based on the name “One”, which is the brand name of the best-selling office chair in history.

> You say “So is there already a chair out there called “Onit”?”

She replies that there are chairs that are called “One” but none with the word “Onit” in them. She adds that “Onit” sounds like the past tense of the word “to unite”, which is exactly what this chair does. She also mentions that the brand name “One” and the brand name “Onit” sound very similar. She also mentions that most people refer to the best-selling chair as “the one chair”, so using the word “One” might help sales.

> You say “But if there is already a chair called “One”, we wouldn’t want to be confused with them, would we?”

She replies that it’s unlikely that there will ever be confusion between the two chair brands because of the vast difference in price. “One” is a mid-range office chair and “Onit” will be a luxury office chair. “One” retails for $399 and “Onit” will sell for $5,000.

> You say “Our price point is actually $1000 not $5000.”

She replies that the price is not set in stone yet. She adds that even if “Onit” does sell for $1000, there will still be a vast difference in quality. She mentions that one of the things that will set “Onit” apart from the rest is its special fabric.

> You say “Agreed that our chair is better than any mid-range chair out there. But that might be a problem if it is confused for a lower-quality chair.”

She mentions that in some ways “Onit” is not just an office chair. She says it’s really a piece of furniture that just happens to have four wheels.

> You say “ Like that for a tag line. “Onit: Not just an office chair”

She replies that it’s not a tag line, it’s just an interesting fact about the chair. She adds that the chair is built using over 1000 different parts, and a lot of these parts are made by hand.

> You say “That is true. So are you now pushing for Onit or for Versa? Or for one of the others like Vertex or Polaris?”

She asks what is the point of all these questions. She says she is here to answer any questions you have about “Onit”. She says this is the best office chair on the market.

> You say “You are the brand consultant helping us develop a brand name, remember?”

She says that she can’t be expected to remember every detail. She says she thought you had gone back to the previous conversation about price. “We have covered that ground,” she says.

> You say “We just want to use this session to develop the name of our product.”

She says that it has been difficult to do that with you because you keep interrupting her to go off on different tangents. “Can we please focus?” she asks.

> You say “Yes. Agreed. Lets focus on the product name. You have given us seven options. Which is your favorite now?”

She says that she doesn’t have a preference. “They are all good names,” she says.

> You say “Okay. I think I like “Versa”, your first suggestion. Do you have a list of tag lines to go after the brand name?”

She says she has a long list of tag lines she has been keeping in her notebook. “Would you like to hear some?” she asks.

> You say “Yes please.”

“Onit’s high-density polyurethane foam will change the way you think about foam,” she says.

“Onit armchairs, so comfortable that you feel like you are being hugged,” she says.

“Onit is changing the way that office furniture is thought about,” she says.

“Did you know that Onit’s foam can be washed with water? The way that we think about hygiene will change,” she says.

“The office of the future will have Onit chairs in it,” she says.

“Did you know that the orange in Onit’s logo is supposed to be the color of the future?”

> You say “Thanks for those. But do you have any for the “Versa” name?”

She says she is not sure. “Do you think that Onit should add a tag line to go along with it’s new name?” she asks.

> You say “I think we want to use the Versa name, not the Onit name.”

She says that you have a point. “Should we keep the Onit brand? Is it worth keeping?” she asks.

> You say “I think we can keep the name for back-up”

She asks why you would want to do that. “Shouldn’t we focus on just one brand?” she asks. “Or at least pick between the two,” she says.

> You say “Yes. We pick Versa. We can retire Onit for now.”

“Thanks for your advice,” she says. “Your honesty is what makes you so likeable,” she says.

> You say “Great. Can you read me your taglines for Versa office chairs?”

She says that she does not have any written down. “I will make sure to do that before the presentation,” she says.

> You say “Can you spend a few minutes now coming up with a few?”

She says that she has one. “The softness of a marshmallow,” she says.

> You say “Great. Let’s go with that. “Versa Chairs: The Softness of a marshmallow”

She says that she can see that being a best-seller. “I have to go now. I will see you soon. Thanks for your help,” she says. She leaves, and you wave goodbye.

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I am going to continue to explore the AI and what it can do for marketing. It can’t be worse than a lot of consultants out there, and the price is a lot more reasonable! (Versa and Onit are not bad names!) If you want more of this, please follow me on twitter, or to really not miss anything, my newsletter comes out every Tuesday morning diving into the latest marketing BS from a “Third Way” CMO.

Keep it simple,

Edward

Edward is a senior advisor at Warburg Pincus and former CMO at General Assembly and A Place For Mom. He was an executive at Expedia, a consultant at McKinsey & Company and a graduate of the Wharton School.