OpenAI has doubled its use of influencers to market to a younger audience.
OpenAI is enlisting the help of influencers to showcase how “cool” ChatGPT is, in a bid to win over young audiences.
OpenAI doubled the number of sponsored Instagram posts which promote ChatGPT – with 61 found in June, jumping to 122 in July, and again increasing to 141 in August, according to data collated by the influencer marketing platform HypeAuditor.
The posts did not look to address environmental worries, safety considerations, or other fundamental concerns reported by young people, but instead look to outline how ChatGPT can be used to run a business, create content, parent a child, or plan a workout, Business Insider reported.
Influencers make up a significant facet of OpenAI’s PR strategy, the company confirmed. A spokesperson said influencers are how people get information and learn about the company’s products and services.
The core topics pushed by OpenAI’s influencers are: productivity, coding, health, travel, career development, education, content creation, shopping, and home projects.
AI’s reputation among young people has tanked. The Times reported a study by student newspaper, Varsity, which found environmental impact and a resistance to big tech is fuelling a rejection of AI among University of Cambridge students.
Students are increasingly wary of the technology, and influencers who promote the tech are often met with criticism from their audience.
That being said, influencer marketing has a proven track record of strong ROI, with research outlining both short and long-term impact earning the highest long-term multiplier across all media channels at 3.35, beating linear TV at 3.27, IPA research revealed.
OpenAI’s is clearly counting on the power of influencer marketing to help build trust and repair the company’s reputation among students and young people – who are traditionally the most affected by influencer content.
This marks a strategic shift from OpenAI, which suggests the organisation is confident in the number of users who have tried out ChatGPT, but wants its audience to return to the service repeatedly for help with every day tasks.
Influencer marketing is a vertical which is increasingly used by firms who need to build not just exposure, but trust in their brand. Influencers can offer review-like sponsored content and testimonials to their audience, which they have a strong, trusting relationship with.
