ChatGPT, an AI chatbot, is the latest manifestation of a wider AI trend that has been sweeping across various industries since 2012. From search engines to ride-hailing apps, AI has been put to use in a variety of useful and often essential ways. Now, the natural language processing functionality of ChatGPT has extended its usage to the communication realm and has become a popular tool for research and content development.
The app has been met with resounding success, with an estimated 123 million users just three months after its launch. This success has not gone unnoticed and as a result, major competitors like Google have already planned to launch their own chatbots in 2023.
The potential impact of AI and ChatGPT in particular on small businesses stands to be great. While AI is a capital-intensive technology that is largely monopolized by OECD countries, many up-and-coming software companies, such as Baamtu in Senegal, are eager to break into this market. Meanwhile, the industrial use of AI in the form of ‘dark factories’ is becoming more accepted, with machines able to take over certain production tasks with minimal human supervision. This could mean drastic changes for workers in the clothing industry and customer service jobs, and AI will likely play a major role in our economic activity in the near future.
The International Trade Center (ITC) is wise to this utilisation of AI and is beginning to prepare for its impact on global scale. As AI can be used to process data more quickly and efficiently, ITC is looking to use the technology for faster pattern recognition and analysis of trade data. ChatGPT can also be put to use in the ITC SME Trade Academy, where it can generate high-quality videos in multiple languages and accents.
Finally, ITC intends to help those working with them to make maximum use of AI by providing technical assistance. For example, they are exploring ways to help a tailor in Burundi use ChatGPT to create marketing content such as brochures and website content.
To conclude, AI and ChatGPT promises to have a seismic impact on small businesses. As we become more mindful of the potential of AI, the International Trade Center is already refining its approaches to capitalising on its potential while also keeping the small business players competitive.
Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, a company that has heavily invested in OpenAI, the scaleup behind ChatGPT, believes in a “symbiotic relationship between humans and machines”. In order for us to benefit from this relationship, it is essential for businesses and government alike to understand the implications of AI, and for workers to continuously re- and upskill themselves in order to stay relevant.
