AI in Online Communities: Pros, Cons, and Future Possibilities
This Peers Over Beers discusses the potential benefits and drawbacks of artificial intelligence (AI) in online communities and customer support, as explored in a recent episode of the Peers Over Beers podcast featuring Nicole Saunders and Chris Detzel.
In a recent episode of the Peers Over Beers podcast, community management professional Nicole Saunders and host Chris Detzel delved into the intriguing topic of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential impact on online communities and customer support. Their engaging conversation touched on various aspects of AI, such as its challenges, possible advantages in content generation, and the impact on community management. This blog post will explore the key insights from their discussion, highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of AI in the realm of online communities.
In a recent episode of the Peers Over Beers podcast, community management professional Nicole Saunders and host Chris Detzel delved into the intriguing topic of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential impact on online communities and customer support. Their engaging conversation touched on various aspects of AI, such as its challenges, possible advantages in content generation, and the impact on community management. This blog post will explore the key insights from their discussion, highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of AI in the realm of online communities.
Challenges: AI Limitations and Historical Data Dependency
Saunders began by discussing one of the main limitations of AI: its reliance on historical data. AI language models, like ChatGPT, depend on data sets that may not include the most up-to-date information. Consequently, AI-generated content could contain errors or be out of touch with current events. For community managers, this limitation necessitates staying informed and verifying AI-generated content to prevent the spread of misinformation.
Potential Benefits: AI-Generated Content for Communities
Despite the limitations, AI-generated content offers several advantages for online communities. Saunders and Detzel discussed how AI could assist community managers by summarizing conversations, generating show or webinar summaries, writing descriptions, and even crafting tweets. Such assistance could free up valuable time for community managers to focus on other essential tasks.
However, Saunders and Detzel also emphasized the importance of caution when using AI-generated content. Community managers must validate the output to prevent the spread of errors or misinformation. AI-generated content can be a powerful tool, but it should not replace human engagement in online communities.
Impact on Community Management: New Roles and Future Developments
As AI and generative technologies continue to advance, Saunders suggested that new roles specializing in these technologies could emerge within community management. Detzel compared this potential development to the early days of social media when new roles like social media managers were created. The growth of AI in online communities may bring about significant changes in the field, necessitating adaptability and a keen awareness of technological advancements.
Integrating AI Responsibly
The insightful discussion between Nicole Saunders and Chris Detzel sheds light on the potential benefits and drawbacks of AI in online communities and customer support. AI offers promising advantages, but it also has limitations that community managers must consider. Staying informed about technological developments and being prepared for the potential impact of AI is crucial for community managers. By responsibly integrating AI and maintaining human engagement, online communities can harness the power of AI to enhance their effectiveness and efficiency.
Check out Revolutionizing Online Community Platforms with AI and ChatGPT
Creators and Guests
Host
Chris Detzel
Chris is a versatile Digital Community Strategist with several years of experience. He has owned community vision, strategy, and execution. He is responsible for leading the development and execution of community engagement programs, creating compelling content for customer communities and acts as the voice of the customer. He believes that data should drive decisions as it is the key element of any long-term successful strategy.
Host
Nicole Saunders
As Director of Community at Zendesk, she oversee the Community Team (part of the Global Digital Experiences team), set strategy, define policy and governance, develop and launch new community products, and engage our user community. Our programs include: an online community, virtual events, user groups, community champions, customer advocacy, and an annual global virtual community summit.