A.I. is ruining eBay
Yet another example of a company introducing an A.I. tool that no one asked for, to solve a problem that didn't exist
This brand new record is a 12" in size and is a must-have for music enthusiasts … this record features folk rock music … capture your priceless memories on 35 mm film … this Canon film camera allows you to take stunning photos even in low-light conditions.
eBay has a problem.
Well, it has a number of them, but it has a new and growing problem.
Like most companies, eBay has joined the A.I. arms race. Companies everywhere are racing to include A.I. features into every facet of their products as if embodying the spirit of the Cold War: that falling behind means obliteration.
Companies are including these features whether customers want them or not; whether they make sense or not.
Enter eBay’s implementation of A.I.-assisted product descriptions, perhaps the worst thing a website primarily based on people selling one-of-a-kind and unique items could do.
Sounds like a good idea right? Right??
If you haven’t sold anything on eBay in a while, you might not be familiar with the site’s new AI-assisted product description writer.
Stumped on how to describe the very thing that’s in front of you? Ask A.I. to do it!
Now, instead of a product description that actually describes the condition and details of the item you’re selling, you can instead put forward a generalized, detail-free, computer-generated script that tells your customer nothing consequential about your product!
Sounds like a good idea right? OK, maybe it’s a bit bird-brained to begin with.
Thus, as you might expect, the results leave much to be desired. Here are a few examples I found just this morning:
Compare these generic and worthless descriptions to one clearly written by a human being who has handled the product and described its features and condition:
The effect
Sellers might think this feature saves time — after all, why use your brain to write anything when you could just have a computer do it?
They might also think an A.I. description will help sell their product faster since it will have enticing flourishes, such as the phrase “must-have for music enthusiasts,” that the seller could never have come up with on their own.
Instead, of course, this feature has the opposite effect.
Because the description is not written by someone — or something — that has actually handled the item, customers have no idea how to judge its condition, features, and value.
As such, if I am interested in the item, now I have to message the seller to ask about it and wait for a response. Additionally, the seller has to take time responding to generic questions that wouldn’t be asked if the description were the least bit helpful.
Hardly saving anyone time, as eBay claims.
Having an A.I. system tell me that this camera would be a “wonderful way to capture memories” is not helpful. What is helpful is telling me whether a camera’s lens is scratched, or the shutter is broken — things that a computer simply cannot do on a per-item basis.
This feature is a perfect example of an A.I. tool that no one asked for and is creating problems where none existed in the first place.
Please. eBay. Kill this feature. I’m begging you.
Thanks for reading!
Do you buy on eBay? Have you noticed this trend?