Phoebe Gates, daughter of Microsoft co-founder Invoice Gates, is utilizing synthetic intelligence not simply as a instrument however as a artistic companion in shaping her fashion-tech startup Phia. With a robust Gen Z enchantment, Phia depends on AI-powered insights to drive its data-informed content material technique, from TikTok developments to viral Instagram Reels.
She co-founded the startup with Iranian-American entrepreneur and local weather activist Sophia Kianni whereas they have been each sophomores at Stanford. Usually described as “Google Flights for vogue,” Phia is a cellular browser extension that helps customers discover the perfect secondhand vogue offers. Since its launch, the app has crossed 200,000 installs, a lot of which is credited to its good and strategic use of AI in content material creation.
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From spreadsheets to scripts: Reverse engineering virality
On their podcast, Gates and Kianni pulled again the curtain on how precisely they’ve been utilizing AI instruments like ChatGPT to spice up development and advertising and marketing. “We don’t begin from scratch,” Kianni stated. “The web exists for a cause.” The duo collects a whole lot of viral movies from TikTok and Instagram, organises them into spreadsheets, and breaks down all the things from lighting to narrative to hook. Then comes the reverse engineering utilizing ChatGPT to establish what labored and apply it to Phia.
“We’ll create a spreadsheet, these are the highest movies, right here’s why every one labored, after which we reverse engineer tips on how to recreate that success,” Gates defined. As soon as the highest content material patterns are decoded, they ask ChatGPT to generate new scripts in Phia’s tone, aligned with what’s already resonating on-line.
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Trial reels, creator farms and $100 content material wins
That formulation has labored. Phia now runs a “creator farm” of pupil influencers who submit movies twice a day. Whereas most content material might not take off, the quantity helps establish what sticks. “It’s best to give attention to quantity, however you’ll want to be studying out of your quantity,” Kianni stated.
Considered one of their largest wins got here from a trial reel an Instagram function the place content material is examined on non-followers. One such video went viral in a single day, resulting in a pointy spike in app installs. The surprising success prompted them to start out hiring gifted however lesser-known content material creators to make movies particularly for Phia’s channels.
As a substitute of flashy influencer partnerships, they give attention to creators expert at making high-conversion content material. “You name them UGCs. They create user-generated content material that you could purchase from them and use by yourself model accounts,” Gates stated. The associated fee? Generally as little as $100 a video a far cry from the $10,000 to $50,000 charges huge influencers cost.
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‘Google Flights for vogue’
One of many strongest taglines “Google Flights for vogue” got here from testing dozens of movies. “Nobody is aware of what a cellular browser extension is,” Gates admitted. “Individuals love Google Flights. They love seeing what the perfect deal is. So when you can relate your product to one thing folks already know, it makes it simpler to get them to care.”
They’ve even borrowed ways from celebrity-style accounts. Considered one of Phia’s profitable collection reveals tips on how to get celeb seems to be like these worn by Sabrina Carpenter at a fraction of the value utilizing Phia. “Individuals can actually remark and request, ‘I wish to see this celeb subsequent,’” they shared.
The workforce additionally runs neighborhood product dinners, inviting fashion-savvy customers to critique the app. That suggestions loop helped them enhance product-market match and constructed natural buzz. “Persons are going to care extra a couple of product in the event that they really feel like they’d a voice in creating it,” stated Kianni.
