Stephen Downes

In the early days of the internet people thought we would see the emergence of digital service marketplaces. For the most part, this didn't happen, because (as this article recounts) it was too hard to attract customers, resulting in low demand, and it cost too much to follow up repeat business. AI can change this, argues Olivia Moore. But I don't think the examples were thought through. Consider, for example, "Jack and Jill and Dex, both marketplaces for high-skill talent, use AI to speak at length to candidates and employers, collect preferences and characteristics, and make matches." But will people want to have long conversations with an AI? Or this suggestion: "There's no reason why you can't now call every customer monthly with a follow-up that is specific to them." Yes there is! How many people want monthly calls from their gutter-cleaners? I think that for AI to be useful in anything related to marketing (including in education) I think it has to be consumer-driven, not provider-driven.