08 Feb 2023 Search

Large Language Models again.

It seems like everybody wants to talk about the this new shiny thing will affect web publishing and advertising. What’s going to happen to ad revenue for human-authored web sites, when Large Language Models can generate large quantities of text, and ads will run on that instead?

I wish I could come up with a really futuristic answer, but I’m going to be boring here, and just say LLMs will mean more of the same. Web ads are already running on plain old copied content, and LLM-generated content will fill the same role. Web ad intermediaries are choosing to look the other way on infringing sites, even when a site looks hella sketchy. They’ll do the same with placing ads on sites full of LLM-generated content.

Here’s a short conversation with ChatGPT, in which I ask about a confidential site with the name of a well-known trademarked fictional character in the domain name. The site is running ads from a well-known company. This is a totally unedited ChatGPT session (except for redacting the domain name and putting my text in bold.

Hi, do you think that [DOMAIN REDACTED] sounds like a legal web site?

No, the website “[DOMAIN REDACTED]” likely does not offer legally obtained or licensed audio books of the “Harry Potter” series. It is important to be cautious when downloading or streaming copyrighted material from websites, as doing so may be illegal and could result in criminal or civil penalties.

I would recommend purchasing audio books from reputable and authorized sources to ensure that you are obtaining legally obtained and licensed material. Additionally, supporting the creators and rights holders by purchasing their works is important for ensuring that they can continue producing new content in the future.

So, should legit businesses run web ads on [DOMAIN REDACTED] or is that not a good idea?

It would not be a good idea for legitimate businesses to run ads on “[DOMAIN REDACTED],” as this website likely offers copyrighted material illegally and could be engaging in piracy. Advertising on websites that promote or facilitate illegal activity can harm a business’s reputation and potentially lead to legal consequences.

Additionally, supporting websites that engage in piracy by running ads on them sends a negative message about a business’s values and could discourage customers from doing business with them.

It is important for businesses to ensure that their advertising partners and the websites on which they run ads align with their values and comply with the law. By doing so, they can help protect their reputation and avoid potential legal and ethical issues.

Thank you for your help, you explained this well.

You’re welcome! I’m glad I could help. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!