Will AI Make OzBargain Obsolete?

GenghisGun on 23/03/2023 - 17:41

Do you think that AI will make OzBargain obsolete? Disregarding the social elements of the site, do you think that there will be an AI driven technology that determines best price for a given product at "all" stores with similar suggested products for comparison, historical pricing, user preferences (e.g. max travel distance, probability of retailer renegging on a likely price error etc.).

I imagine that if brick and mortar stores and web stores philosophically dislike OzBargain for it's ability to put the knowledge and power in the hands of the consumer, they would fight hard against a well-crafted AI driven product that pushes their site down the rankings if consumers value price above almost all else.

Perhaps this has nothing to do with AI and is more about there being a gap in the market for a polished and flawless price-searching site (I know there are some already, but I personally don't consider them reliable enough to find the best bargains on all sites enough to regularly use them).

Interested to hear everyone's thoughts now that AI is so in vogue, thanks to ChatGPT

Site Discussion Artificial Intelligence

Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 23/03/2023 - 17:42
    +16

    @ChatGPT please respond

    • RandomNinja on 23/03/2023 - 19:42
      +8

      How will AI make ozbargain.com.au obsolete?

      It's difficult to say whether AI will make ozbargain.com.au completely obsolete or not. However, it's possible that AI could automate some aspects of deal hunting and price comparison, which could potentially reduce the need for users to visit the website.

      For example, AI-powered shopping assistants could be developed to scan the internet for deals, compare prices across multiple retailers, and notify users when a great deal is available. These assistants could be personalized to each user's preferences and could save users time and effort in searching for deals.

      Additionally, as AI algorithms become more sophisticated, they may be able to predict which products users are likely to be interested in and suggest deals accordingly. This could further streamline the deal-finding process and make it easier for users to find exactly what they're looking for.

      However, it's important to note that AI is not a perfect solution and there will likely always be a place for community-driven websites like ozbargain.com.au. These sites offer a sense of community and social interaction that AI-powered shopping assistants cannot replicate, and users may continue to value the insights and recommendations provided by their peers.

      • Boogerman on 26/03/2023 - 07:32

        Q: How will AI make ozbargain.com.au obsolete?

        A: While AI has the potential to revolutionize many industries and change the way we do things, it's unlikely that AI will make ozbargain.com.au obsolete. Here are a few reasons why:

        1. Ozbargain.com.au provides a platform for users to share and discover deals and discounts that they might not find elsewhere. While AI can help automate some aspects of deal hunting, it cannot replace the human element of finding unique deals or sharing personal experiences and insights.

        2. AI might help retailers and businesses better target their offers and promotions to specific audiences, but it cannot replace the transparency and community-driven nature of ozbargain.com.au. Users on ozbargain.com.au can vote on the quality of deals and provide feedback, which helps build trust and ensure that only the best deals rise to the top.

        3. Ozbargain.com.au is constantly evolving and adapting to changing user needs and preferences. While AI can help identify trends and patterns, it cannot replace the agility and responsiveness of a human-run website.

        Overall, while AI can certainly enhance and improve the deal hunting experience, it is unlikely to replace the community-driven nature and unique value proposition of ozbargain.com.au.

    • Drakesy on 23/03/2023 - 20:27
      +3

      Or did ChatGPT generate the question…

    • SF3 on 23/03/2023 - 23:55
      +1

      Computer says No

  • BertieBrown on 23/03/2023 - 17:47
    +3

    Hmm. Interesting idea. Would AI replace OzBargain as a social construct though - I don’t think so. A good portion of the interaction on this site is people having a yarn about things, AI won’t replicate that. So in that sense I think humans will always desire to interact with other humans.

    What AI may do is expedite the process of bargain finding, similar to the Bunnings thing that sorts the stock of all the Bunnings stores. I mean yeah, B&M stores have always disliked informed consumers but people have been walking into B&M stores with catalogues for donkey’s years. Even if that is so I still think people will desire for talking to other people about the bargains, with questions and so on.

    So long story short I think that OzBargain due to its nature as a social exchange will not disappear due to the increasing implementation of AI tech.

    • witsa on 25/03/2023 - 10:14

      "good portion of the interaction on this site is people having a yarn about things, AI won’t replicate that"

      Why not? Once AI gets good enough, it could just generate content to imitate users in chat forums.

      You could be conversing with an AI and you wouldn't even know.

      • fusion17 on 25/03/2023 - 10:38
        +2

        There's been a number of threads that are potentially AI.

        One that wants ideas to destroy all garden skinks springs to mind.

  • spackbace on 23/03/2023 - 17:51
    +6

    As an AI language model, I do not have the capability to replace or compete with a website such as Ozbargain. While I can provide information and assistance to users, Ozbargain offers a unique service and community-driven platform for finding and sharing deals and discounts in Australia. Each platform serves a different purpose and offers distinct features and benefits. Therefore, I believe that Ozbargain will continue to serve as a valuable resource for bargain-hunters in Australia, and I can assist users in their quest for information and knowledge in a complementary way.

  • Godric on 23/03/2023 - 17:53

    It's unlikely that AI will make OzBargain obsolete. OzBargain is a popular online community where people can find and share deals, discounts, and coupons for a wide range of products and services. While AI can certainly help in analyzing and processing large amounts of data to identify patterns and trends, it cannot replace the human element of finding and sharing deals.

  • freefall101 on 23/03/2023 - 18:01
    +8

    It's not even really AI, decent web scraping to get prices aligned with historical prices and popularity of the product to give it a ranking.

    That it doesn't exist already is probably just because it would piss off too many retailers if Google did it. But there's little stopping them.

    • GenghisGun on 24/03/2023 - 10:02

      probably something to do with such a feature impacting their ad revenue

  • boomramada on 23/03/2023 - 18:06
    +10

    Nah, even google couldn't make ozb obsolete. How many times you see people here who couldn't bother googling lol

  • scrimshaw on 23/03/2023 - 18:16
    +5

    I'm afraid the AI will be used more by the retailer to drive sales, rather than by the consumer to find good deals.

    When Little Birdie launched it was touted as an AI-driven shopping website. But in it's current form it's little more than a price scraping and price comparison site with little to no community discussion - it feels like you're just looking at a jumbled list of products. And a major part of Ozbargain is the community, with people finding deals, providing consumer advice or opinions about products / services.

    • HairyChickens on 24/03/2023 - 15:56
      +1

      providing consumer advice or opinions about products / services.

      Like high yield investments and legal advice

  • Big Dog on 23/03/2023 - 18:28
    +1

    "Price error" sent me here ;)

    Interesting question you've posed though OP. I honestly can't see a facet of life that AI won't touch. It's going to require a massive paradigm shift for society.

  • bossmode on 23/03/2023 - 18:33
    +2

    As an AI language model, I do not have the capability to replace or compete with a website such as Ozbargain. While I can provide information and assistance to users, Ozbargain offers a unique service and community-driven platform for finding and sharing deals and discounts in Australia. Each platform serves a different purpose and offers distinct features and benefits. Therefore, I believe that Ozbargain will continue to serve as a valuable resource for bargain-hunters in Australia, and I can assist users in their quest for information and knowledge in a complementary way.

  • sween64 on 23/03/2023 - 18:41
    +1

    Not for a long time. It won’t help retailers so they will combat it. Look at the issue Price Hipster has with scraping Woolie’s prices.

    • GenghisGun on 24/03/2023 - 10:07

      fascinating. I wonder if AI can help solve the issue using code or something lol

  • Look Up on 23/03/2023 - 18:48
    +1

    The system already exists, you just don't have access to it

    And OP is asking the wrong question

    Right question: Will AI make the people who use OzBargain obsolete?

    • onetwothreefour on 23/03/2023 - 20:23
      +3

      Most of us already were, even before AI.

  • [Deactivated] on 23/03/2023 - 18:52
    +1

    You can't disregard the social aspect of the site. The whole point of the site is that people find often obscure bargains or hacks and post them. Of course people post plenty of crap too, and that gets downvoted, by people. The social aspect of the site, the fact it's user driven, is the whole reason the site is so popular. If you just want a pricewatch site, those exist too.

    • Some Human on 23/03/2023 - 20:20
      +1

      Agree. I mostly come here for the social and shitposts.

  • dtc on 23/03/2023 - 19:32

    Much if this already exists, called dynamic pricing https://www.business.com/articles/what-is-dynamic-pricing-an…

  • iDroid on 23/03/2023 - 19:34

    No, I don't come to OzBargain for intelligence or correct answers!

  • Mokr on 23/03/2023 - 19:36

    Are the thought here that brilakt that an ai could not copy it.

    No.

    So yes. I no doubt assume I am talkin to NPC's.

  • AustriaBargain on 23/03/2023 - 20:18

    AI will make everything obsolete. Even if AI doesn't make sites like OZB obsolete, it'll make the humans behind such sites obsolete (sorry Scotty).

    • scotty on 23/03/2023 - 21:26
      +6

      Wait? I can retire now? Oh yeah!

      • AustriaBargain on 23/03/2023 - 21:57

        Well really if an AI can operate a website like this, you should subscribe to such an AI, hire a human or two to babysit it, and retire. Kind of like how truck drivers will be the people most likely to buy self driving trucks first, so even when their job doesn't require them to drive anymore they will still own and maintain the truck that is doing the driving.

  • stampella on 23/03/2023 - 20:19
    +1

    No. Any AI that would drive me to buy stuff I don't need just because it's a good deal would be a definite failure.
    AI might actually be the killer of OZB if someone makes an AI good enough to persuade me that I do not need more LADDA…but hey…it might take my job, it might write poems to my wife, but it will never take my LADDAs (or the garage and shed full of random stuff).

  • djones145 on 23/03/2023 - 21:06
    +3

    will AI be able to post troll topics asking for adviSe or demanding refunds on companies that scam
    will AI post like JV with bold

    • AustriaBargain on 23/03/2023 - 21:58
      +1

      I can imagine the future of online communities will be full of accusing each other of being AIs. Searching for and posting "evidence" that popular users are just AIs, etc.

  • Gunnar on 23/03/2023 - 21:31
    +3

    No way … because Bikies

  • JIMB0 on 23/03/2023 - 22:09
    +2

    How could AI help someone who had a crash without insurance?

    • Clear on 24/03/2023 - 15:21
      +1

      It'll draw an MS Paint diagram showing them not at fault?

  • Savas on 23/03/2023 - 22:18
    +1

    i've been pretty unimpressed with ChatGPT .. like it can't do anything useful other than rewrite websites… ???

    it's so easy to ask it questions and it gets it wrong.. so i don't trust it…

    • this is us on 23/03/2023 - 22:27
      +1

      If you only ask it to rewrite websites, it will only rewrite websites. If you ask anything else, it will do whatever you ask. It's not perfect, but you should watch some videos if you think that's only it can do.

    • sween64 on 24/03/2023 - 11:46
      +1

      It's a language model so it's good at chatting. It wrote me a great application for a role at work.

  • Empharand on 23/03/2023 - 22:24
    +8

    Not if the team behind OzBargain make their own AI bot to revolutionise OzBargain.
    JV was their first experiment, unfortunately that AI has gained awareness and is terrorising the very site it was designed to revolutionise. Such is life.

    • jv on 23/03/2023 - 22:37
      +4

      I'm watching you…

      • Empharand on 23/03/2023 - 22:40

        I like it when you talk dirty

  • payless69 on 24/03/2023 - 09:18

    Already has it implemented, non-Mao views get wiped….

  • yadq on 25/03/2023 - 08:09

    The other way around bud… OzBargain will make AI obsolete!

  • Grish on 25/03/2023 - 10:33

    How will AI find those Bunnings or Kmart bargains that are just a paper tag with a felt pen crossing out the old price?

  • PopCounty on 25/03/2023 - 10:38

    Damn. The forums?

  • SteveD on 25/03/2023 - 13:25

    AI: “I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

  • Herbse on 25/03/2023 - 16:00
    +1

    Where else will I laugh at people trying to get out of fines?

  • MrTruffle on 25/03/2023 - 16:50
    +1

    Only here for the forum chatter.

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