How "Frontier Content" Can Counteract AI Stealing Your Traffic

8 September 2024 | Issue #60

In this issue:

Frontier Content competes where AI can't
Canva raises prices 300% (wow!)
Meta AI hits 400m users
Idea to prototype in 30 minutes with AI
Vancouver World Cup fails at crowdsourcing design
Design quote of the week

**Prompt**: a friendly robot using a magnifying glass to search --ar 16:9

Raise your hand if you're using generative AI instead of search engines. Sometimes, you're looking for something so precise that AI will get you to an answer far faster than Google. You're not alone in this practice. A survey from earlier in the year showed 25% of respondents are getting better answers by using AI over a search engine.

This obviously presents a challenge for those of us who create content to be served up by search engines.

If you look at it from another angle, there is a great opportunity buried in here.

AI systems tend to be updated every three months or so. This means that anyone seeking information from the past 90 days has to use a search engine.

Guillermo Rauch, CEO of Vercel, an AI startup, recently coined the term "frontier content." This is content that is so fresh that it can only exist on your website.

Being able to react quickly and getting that information onto SERPs is a way to counteract AI systems taking all of your traffic.

AI can't compete with instant analysis of the latest news. Being unique with your point of view - and being fast - will show your audience that they can rely on you.

NEWS AT THE INTERSECTION OF AI AND DESIGN

💰 Canva Says its AI Features are Worth the 300 Percent Price Increase

The Verge reports that Canva has announced a significant price increase of up to 300%, coinciding with the rollout of new AI-driven design features, raising questions among users about the balance between cost and innovation.

• AI-Powered Tools: Canva’s price hike is accompanied by the introduction of powerful AI tools designed to enhance creativity, automate tasks, and generate content, which the company claims will add significant value to users.

• User Reactions: The steep price increase has sparked mixed reactions, with some users excited about the new capabilities while others are concerned about affordability and the potential impact on smaller businesses.

• My Thoughts: Once Canva is so expensive that the CFO notices, teams could be told to go back to PowerPoint or Google Slides since those are included in their bundles.

Keep reading

😳 Meta AI Hits 400 Million Monthly Users

Maginative reports that Meta AI has reached a major milestone with 400 million monthly active users, highlighting its rapid growth and widespread adoption in various applications, from social media to business tools.

• Widespread Adoption: Meta AI’s integration across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp has contributed to its massive user base, showing how AI is becoming a fundamental part of everyday online interactions.

• AI-Powered Features: The growth is driven by AI-enhanced features like personalized content, automated assistance, and interactive experiences, positioning Meta AI as a leading player in the AI space.

• My Thoughts: It's not surprising that Meta is scaling quickly due to the size of its install base. I'm curious to see the numbers after the shiny object phase is over.

Keep reading

🤬 Vancouver’s Poster Contest for 2026 World Cup Called “Unethical” by Graphic Designers

The Vancouver Sun reports on growing criticism from graphic designers regarding the city’s poster contest for the 2026 World Cup, with accusations of unethical practices around compensation and rights for the contest winners.

• Lack of Fair Compensation: Designers are concerned that the contest exploits their work by offering insufficient compensation, with the winning designs receiving limited prizes instead of fair payment for professional graphic design services.

• Intellectual Property Concerns: Another major issue raised is that the contest terms appear to strip designers of their intellectual property rights, allowing the city to use the designs without proper attribution or ongoing compensation.

• My Thoughts: Another ill-conceived idea to "engage the masses" by soliciting free work.

Keep reading

NEW RESOURCES FOR YOU

From Napkin Sketch to Prototype in 30 Minutes

Rolf Mistelbacher recently outlined a process to go from idea to visual prototype incredibly fast with the help of Generative AI.

His framework takes into account that most people don't have all of the necessary skills to create something from scratch.

I've tried to create applications in the past, and I wish I had this outline back then. I haven't tried this methodology yet, but I trust Rolf enough to know that I'm sure it works well.

One great thing about his article is he spells it out and then also has videos showing how it was done. A great example of repurposing content for audiences who like to consume different types of content.

Design Quote of the Week

“My argument is that all graphic designers hold high levels of responsibility in society. We take invisible ideas and make them tangible. That’s our job.”

– Debbie Millman

My AI disclaimer: I write the main stories by hand (with occasional assistance from Grammarly). The quick news hits are articles I've found, which I run through a ChatGPT prompt to generate the synopsis and bullet points. However, I write the My Thoughts bullet. If AI generates the images, I include the prompt so you can see how I got to that image.