An Interview with Eric Seufert About Models and Ads, and AI’s Upside for Humanity

Here’s something wild — Eric Seufert argues that understanding advertising isn’t just about selling products; it’s a blueprint for building smarter AI models. According to Ben Thompson in TechCrunch, Seufert explains that Meta’s foundational models are so powerful because they’re designed to mimic human behavior, especially in how we engage with ads. Now, here’s where it gets interesting: Seufert suggests that these models could unlock AI’s true upside — helping humans solve complex problems, not just automate tasks. The key isn’t just more data, but smarter data — data that teaches AI to understand context and nuance. As Ben Thompson notes, this shift could make AI more aligned with human values, not less. So what does this all mean? If we harness this understanding, the future of AI might be less about replacing us and more about augmenting our abilities — turning advertising insights into human progress. The future, it seems, hinges on the models we build today.