Influencer v. Influencer, Jaguar & Claude Copy
5 in 5 - Brave & Heart HeartBeat #221 ❤️
This week we’re looking at a company who actually HAS replaced their people with AI, influencers taking influencers to court for having the same influences as them, and what on earth Jaguar are up to.
Plus, Claude AI can now write in different styles, including your own, and why recruiters are seeing a surge in applicants right now.
Let’s get into it.
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#1 -Klarna Wants To Replace Their People With AI
In June of this year Klarna fired 700 employes and replaced them with AI, and hopes, yes, hopes, that AI will render a further 1,800 of them obselete.
And, scarily, it seems to have worked for them. Or at least according to the pro-AI newletter that sent this story to my personal inbox.
The numbers do seem to tell that story. Their marketing costs have gone down 16% due to using AI to generate content and their customer service costs are also down 14% as an AI chatbot handles two thirds of all customer service chats.
Not only that, but of the staff they did decide to keep (for now), 90% of them use AI tools every day.
The flipside is that their tech costs rose 17% from all their AI investments, and engineers are among the staff they are continuing to hire, but according to some commentators, the productivity gains far outweigh that investment.
Apparently the moral of this story is that companies need to figure out how to use AI to their benefit, and make it something that is encouraged and formalised, which is not the case in most companies – most companies are still debating whether to allow their employees to use AI or not.
Klarna do seem to have picked their battles for using AI – marketing materials, customer service chatbots and productivity tools. Unfortunately for their employees however, it does mean they need less people…
Trust In Meee
#2 - Influencer vs. Influencer
Some things are copyrighted – the “bucks” in Starbucks, the acronym WWF, Ikea’s inonic colour combination (probably) – but can you copyright your “vibe”?
One instagram influencer seems to think so.
The funniest thing about this story, however, is that her vibe is incredibly basic.
Both influencers involved in this lawsuit make their money by buying stuff on Amazon ( a LOT of stuff) and posting videos of said stuff and links to it on her social media, and both of them, shock… like beige.
One of them (Syndey Nicole Gifford) has launched a lawsuit against the other (Alyssa Sheil) claiming, among other things, copyright infringement, tortious interference with prospective business relations, and misappropriating another person’s likeness.
The Verge magazine described both of their styles as “aggresively neutral” – a style that is hugely in fashion right now, as millions of people watch both of these girls videos.
In her lawsuit, Gifford alleges that Sheil copied her even down to specific frames and repeated patterns, along with copying her speaking manner, appearance and tattoos.
So what, right? Wrong, because Gifford alleges that this has ultimately cut into her own earnings, by half at some points. Basically, this town’s not big enough for the both of us.
But is she actually being copied, or does every single Amazon influencer just produce exactly the same content? We’ll see what the courts have to say about this.
This Feed Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us
#3 – What Is Going On With Jaguar?
We’re assuming you’ve seen the new Jaguar ad, or if not, you’ve heard about it.
The responses have ranged from derisive, to bemused, to homophobic, but The Guardian is sure about one thing, and we’re inclined to agree with them, it’s not going to sell them any cars…
According to Jaguar, “This is a reimagining that recaptures the essence of Jaguar, returning it to the values that once made it so loved, but making it relevant for a contemporary audience. We are creating Jaguar for the future, restoring its status as a brand that enriches the lives of our clients and the Jaguar community.”.
Hmm. Why?
Sure, It’s good to be inclusive, but we’re not sure if anyone who dresses like the actors in that ad one, exist, two are in the market for buying a Jaguar.
The advert looks like a creepy, even more colourful version of the fifth element filmed in one room, and, in our opinion, did not deliver on the “exuberant modernism” they were going for. In fact, in the wake of the Trump election, it has been described as a “period piece”.
Another opinion is that Jaguar know what they’re doing by changing tactics because who buys Jags right now? Rich old people. And what’s going to happen to rich old people soon? They’re going to, quite literally, die out.
True, but is this ad going to make any of the potential buyers left alive want to buy a Jaguar? Debatable.
Get In The Car Loser We’re Reimagining The Essence Of Jaguar
#4 - Claude AI Can Copy You, If You Want
Anthropic is adding a new feature to its Claude AI assistant that will give users more control over how the chatbot responds to different writing tasks. The new custom styles are available to all Claude AI users, enabling anyone to train it to match their own communication style or select from preset options to quickly adjust the tone and level of detail it provides.
This update aims to personalize the chatbot’s replies and make them feel more natural or appropriate for specific applications, such as writing detailed technical documents or professional emails.
Three preset styles are available: Formal for “clear and polished” text, Concise for shorter and more direct responses, and Explanatory for educational replies that need to include additional detail. If these don’t suit your requirements, Claude can also generate custom styles that are trained to mimic other writing mannerisms.
Anthropic says users need to upload “sample content that reflects your preferred way of communicating” to the chatbot, and then instruct it on how to match the writing style.
This brings to mind the comment “I want AI to do my dishes and laundry so I can write, not do my writing so I can do dished and laundry”, but when it comes to things like matching company or brand tone of voice we can’t deny it could come in useful.
Walk Like You Talk Like You
#5 - How To Stop Checking Our Phones All The Time
Companies taking a “my way or the highway” approach to flexible and remote working may find their employees WILL shortly be taking the highway.
As big groups continue to get rid of the work from home policies implemented during the period referred to as “Covid times”, recruiters are already seeing the results.
Two-thirds of recruiters have seen a real increase in applicants looking for new jobs who are currently working at companies that are mandating five days a week in the office.
Plus, three-quarters of recruiters have seen candidates turn down new roles that didn’t odder hybrid working, and say that companies that don’t offer it are becoming less competitive in the job market.
While the evidence does support the fact that flexible work boosts workforce productivity, job satisfaction, and cuts costs, that’s no longer really the question anymore, because without it, you may not have any employees left anyway.
Brave & Heart over and out.
Bonus
Stuck On Christmas Gifts?
Just ask ChatGPT. Or any other AI assistant, this isn’t an ad…
Apparently as AI is often used to generate content, as we saw above with Klarna, you might as well use it to generate a list of gifts to get that tricky person on your Christmas list.
I.e. come up with a list of gifts I can buy online for a woman over 30 who loves coding and the outdoors.
You’re welcome.
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