There’s just one person behind this viral ChatGPT knockoff

A new chatbot billboard in San Francisco bears a striking resemblance to the numerous AI advertisements that have emerged in the city in recent years. This billboard reads "ChatTJB.org, The leading chat interface powered by AI." Upon further investigation, readers discover that "AI" actually stands for "Actual Individual." This billboard is not sponsored by a company, but by Tucker Bryant, a former Google employee who now focuses on public speaking, art, poetry, and social media.

ChatTJB is Bryant's latest digital project, and it functions as a genuine chatbot service that forwards every query to Bryant himself, who responds to them to the best of his abilities. This project echoes similar tactics employed by other artists protesting against companies profiting from AI features. As AI startups and advertisements proliferate in tech hubs like New York City and San Francisco, independent artists are creating their own subcategory of digital and physical parodies, challenging the public to question their connection with AI.

These parody advertisements, such as "Hire everyone on earth without doing anything" and "The world's first wearableAI grandfather," have appeared in the New York City subway system. Harris Alterman and Dave Ross, two comedians, created these ads to satirize what they call "slop voice," a style of advertising characterized by buzzwords, minimalist design, and vague claims to appeal to a high-tech, software-as-a-service crowd.

Bryant noticed a similar issue in San Francisco, where AI billboards are abundant. He observed phrases like "Goodbye missed calls. Hello AI receptionist," "Agents that improve themselves start with evals," and "No AI without APIs." Bryant felt that the sudden appearance of these AI billboards in the city was somewhat surreal, given the city's mixed sentiment towards AI's potential and the public's apprehension about the future.

To address these concerns, Bryant rented a billboard in downtown San Francisco for a month in July. However, his billboard, ChatTJB, goes beyond the typical parody ads by providing a working interface where viewers can engage in conversation with Bryant himself.