Social Media Trends: The Impact of New Technologies on Platforms
In case you missed it, Meta rolled out it’s new AI assistant last week, effective across its apps like Instagram and Facebook. New technologies like this are continuing to influence and change how we use social media and the effects it has on us as a community.
Let’s take a look at the impact of new technologies on social media platforms.
As mentioned, Meta recently released a new AI assistant/chatbot which is currently available on Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp, and Messenger. On Instagram, for example, through the app, users are able to discover content through the explore section in new ways via the chatbot. Users can ask meta questions through voice search or select the example prompts. For example, you can ask for trivia questions, tips, or for specific reels (see example), and the chatbot will provide relevant content or information.
While it’s still early to really measure the impact this change will have on social media platforms, it could transform the way users use those apps and how users search.
According to one study, a whopping 88% of consumers search for answers to questions by visiting search engines, while 31% use social media, and only 12% use AI chatbots like ChatGPT. Additionally, 34% of consumers prefer to discover new products and brands by searching the internet and 27% prefer to do so through social media.
Meta AI is making it easier to gather information and discover new information and products all in one place (see example below). This could change how we use these particular social media platforms and how often, but it may take some time to see if it’s successful or impactful.
Speaking of AI, did you know that there are AI influencers and that some of them are pretty popular? Miquela, who has over 2 million Instagram followers, is just one example and we’ve written about them before.
Artificial intelligence and augmented reality have developed a lot over the years and are a major part of social media and technology in general. If you’re on social media at all, you have likely seen a filtered image, for example, which is an example of AR. There are certainly benefits to using AR and AI, for example, it can make shopping for the right items or researching products (as mentioned above) easier.
However the use of AI and AR on social media and technology can also have a negative and even dark impact on platforms. For one, ads containing AI and/or AR can be misleading and in 2021, for example, The Advertising Standards Authority in the UK ruled that filters not be applied to social media ads if they exaggerated the effects of a product which applied to brands, celebrities, and influencers all across the UK. Furthermore, A report and campaign by Dove, discovered that 52% of girls use filters everyday and as high as 80% have used an app to change their appearance before even being a teenager. Not only does AR and AI transform how we use social media platforms, these examples show us that the impact of these technologies extend beyond platforms and can affect how people see themselves as well as the need to disclose the use of technologies in some instances.
With that said, technology has also transformed social media in positive ways as well. AI such as ChatGPT and marketing automation can help make social media easier, check out our guide on using AI in marketing for more on this topics.
We are only beginning to see the effects of these new technologies on social media, and we will continue to see the impact in the months and years ahead.
Do you have any strong opinions on the impact of new technologies on social media platforms? Let us know!
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