Dave Burdick’s Post

The advent of AI tools with names like copilots and agent-assistants and the like expose a need for more thoughtful use-case translation during the GTM process. This product marketer is making a note of it. Maybe it's time to consciously adapt our wordsmithing and elevate humans to something more than just 'users?' .... at least when it makes sense? A worthy read from the MIT Tech Review - albeit with some hefty but enlightening history upfront. The conclusion is sound. And I'll admit I've often wondered why we PMMers never pushed back harder about replacing this term "user" with warmer, more appropriate, and relationship-friendly vocabulary in our customer-facing materials. Favorite takeaway article snippet: "With the abrupt onset of AI everything, the point of contact between humans and computers—user interfaces—has been shifting profoundly. Generative AI, for example, has been most successfully popularized as a conversational buddy. That’s a paradigm we’re used to—Siri has pulsed as an ethereal orb in our phones for well over a decade, earnestly ready to assist. But Siri, and other incumbent voice assistants, stopped there. A grander sense of partnership is in the air now. What were once called AI bots have been assigned lofty titles like “copilot” and “assistant” and “collaborator” to convey a sense of partnership instead of a sense of automation. Large language models have been quick to ditch words like “bot” altogether."

As Ai becomes an integral part of our process we need to rethink how we frame our user Vs people experience. https://lnkd.in/e35hPqNS

Generic User to specific names .. Customer, borrower, investors , traders , student , client , patient , devotee , Buyer, seller , consumer and more ?

People have been referred to as “users” for a long time in the tech industry. It’s a term that has been enforced by executives, founders, operators, engineers, and investors ad infinitum. However, is the term still relevant with the emergence of AI and humans working alongside machines? In this edition of What’s Next in Tech, it's time to decide whether to retire the word “user” entirely. As we continue to develop and integrate AI, it's more important than ever to consider the language we use. The term “user” can be limiting and impersonal, reducing individuals to mere consumers of technology. Instead, we should strive to use language that acknowledges the complexity and nuance of human interaction with technology. So, what should we use instead of “users”? Some have suggested “people,” “customers,” or “participants” as more inclusive and accurate alternatives. Ultimately, the decision on which term to use should reflect our values and vision for the future of technology. Let's start a conversation and decide whether to retire the term “user” and move towards a more human-centric language. #WhatsNextInTech #AI #Technology #Language #Inclusivity

https://lnkd.in/e6pmfpyN. What is the opinion among fellow IS scholars on this one? I have personally struggled to use "user" in many of my research. Please do share if you know of any universal "user typology" that might be useful for research. For now, I prefer to use contextual terms like "employees" "consumers" or "managers" as evoked in this article. But if we were to think of a new term, what could it be? 🤔 #users #is #research #AI #term

https://lnkd.in/e6pmfpyN. What is the opinion among fellow IS scholars on this one? I have personally struggled to use "user" in many of my research. Please do share if you know of any universal "user typology" that might be useful for research. I prefer using contextual terms like "employees" "consumers" or "managers" as evoked in this article. If we were to think of a new term, what could it be? 🤔 #users #is #research #AI #term

With AI as a thought partner, are we still users, people, interactors? Or what label would we use for ourselves?Humans? Read why It’s time to retire the term “user” #futureofhumanwork #futureofwork #AI #innovation #culture #technology #mittechreview

🤖 Redefining the ‘User’: A Call for Human-Centric Design in the realm of technology and product design, the term “user” has long been the norm. But is it time for a change? Karina Nguyen from Anthropic challenges us to think beyond this label, urging designers to address the “core pain points of human users” with language models. Digital Evolution: From Users to Partners in Innovation in this 21st century, our interactions with technology are being redefined. The advent of AI has catalyzed a profound shift in the user interface landscape, transforming passive interactions into dynamic dialogues and the journey doesn’t end with assistance. The horizon beckons with a promise of partnership. The lexicon of AI has evolved whereas bots have ascended to the ranks of copilots, assistants, and collaborators. These titles are not mere embellishments; they signify a deeper bond, a fusion between human intellect and artificial intuition. This anthropomorphic trend isn’t new; it’s a bridge between humanity and the digital realm. But as AI steps into the role of a thought partner, we must reconsider our own identity in this symbiotic relationship. We are more than users; we are innovators, creators, and visionaries. The path forward is clear: specificity in terminology can illuminate the nuances of our interaction with technology. In healthcare, we are 'patients'; in education, 'students'; in media, 'readers'. Each term reflects the unique facets of our engagement with the digital world. Gamers become 'players', reveling in the joy of the game, while travelers are shepherded through the skies with care and hospitality. As we refine our language, we also refine our understanding of the partnership between people and AI. By moving beyond the generic “user,” we foster a more authentic connection with technology; one that recognizes our shared future and the mutual growth potential. Together, we are not just using; we are evolving, learning, and thriving in tandem with the machines that augment our reality. Feel free to weigh-in ➕ check out ⤵ "It's Time to Retire the Term User. The Proliferation of AI Means We Need a New Word" MIT Technology Review #AIAugmentation #HumanCentricDesign #TechForPeople #CQ #LLMs

With the rise of #AI, are we no longer the only Users? Provocative dive into the metaphysics of the term “User” in computing by Taylor Majewski, asking whether it is time to move on. “Anthropomorphism…has long been used to manufacture a sense of connectedness between people and technology…But if AI is now a thought partner, then what are we?” As long as computers remain tools, I’d argue we remain Users, labeled by whatever persona type is applicable: patients, passengers, and shoppers, etc., but ultimately distinct from any Agents we may interact with on our journeys. But the point is well made, and bracing: The lines are beginning to blur. #userexperience #genAI #productdevelopment

Dear users, how about I call you people? Or humans? Consider, previously, humans were the primary users of our products. Now, AI is emerging as a significant user base as well. As language models become more prevalent, it's only fair to question if the term "user" accurately reflects or distinguishes between the people and the machines who interact with our products. Don Norman, the UX superhuman himself, suggests it's time to reconsider the user: "The term proliferated in part because early computer technologists mistakenly assumed that people were kind of like machines." This MIT Technology Review has me rethinking the term "user" for the future. That's all folks! 🐰 #AI #people #humans #userexperience #technology #semantics https://lnkd.in/guGcCXvB