For the first time since 2020, the current year has not begun with the omnipresence of Covid-19. Uncertainty, whether economic, climatic or geopolitical, has nonetheless been present throughout this first half of the year. Here are some of the events that have so far marked 2023 in the world of marketing, technology and communications.
Fears of recession, fears of escalating conflict in Ukraine, fears of the impact of ice storms, floods and forest fires – there’s no shortage of concerns at the start of 2023.
One fear that has also been shared by various players in the tech world is that linked to the impact of artificial intelligence. Last March, hundreds of big names in the tech world, including Yoshua Bengio and Elon Musk, called for a temporary halt to the development of certain advanced artificial intelligence systems.
The dangers and achievements of artificial intelligence in the spotlight
In an open letter published by the Future of Life Institute, 1,000 signatories argued that AI systems that could rival human intelligence could pose a great risk to humanity.
Another open letter was also published in April, this one addressed to Canadian political representatives, calling on them to establish a national framework that protects Canadians and promotes responsible innovation. This letter also urges leaders to adopt the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA).
This debate on the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence has been thrust to the forefront of the news at the start of 2023, not least because of the prowess of ChatGPT, which has given many a headache to professors around the world, but also to some of the Web’s giants.
Declining interest in metavers
While artificial intelligence has been in the news for its rapid development and considerable impact on our lives, the same cannot be said for the concept of metavers. When Facebook was renamed Meta in autumn 2021, interest in virtual worlds was at an all-time high.
A year and a half later, the excitement is a little less pronounced. Recently, Meta’s big boss made a point of mentioning that his biggest investments were now in artificial intelligence, while remaining very discreet about his plans for virtual worlds. Gartner suggests that interest in metavers is relatively low among companies, who don’t yet see any concrete use for them. But be warned, metavers are far from being abandoned, as players such as Apple have just embarked on the adventure.
Social networks still the talk of the town
As ever, the major social media have managed to take center stage once again this year. TikTok was first in the news when the federal and provincial governments banned employees from using the platform.
Snapchat, meanwhile, raised concerns with the first revenue decline in its history. And what more can we say about Twitter, whose new blue-hook policy made headlines last April. The network also made news with the hiring of a new CEO, Linda Yaccarino.
At Meta, the second round of job cuts in the space of a year caused a stir last March. More recently, we’ve been hearing a lot about the company’s problems with the Canadian government.
A difficult situation for the media
Following the adoption of the Online News Act (C-18), Meta first announced that it would block access to Canadian media content on its Facebook platform. Meta also announced the end of its agreements with Canadian media.
The situation remains difficult for the media. At the end of June, Nordstar (Toronto Star) and Postmedia (National Post, Montreal Gazette) confirmed that they were in talks about a potential merger. This possible merger comes at a time when Postmedia is experiencing financial difficulties. Earlier this year, Quebecor announced 240 job cuts, including 140 at TVA Group.
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