marketing artificial intelligence
Should we be worried about AI homogenisation?
Should we be worried about AI homogenisation?
If 2023 will be remembered as the year we all discovered ChatGPT, 2024 will undoubtedly be known as the year AI technology went mainstream. ChatGPT grew from having no users to over 100 million active monthly users in just two months after its launch and according to OpenAI, more than 90% of Fortune 500 companies are now building on its products.
Despite the near-infinite use cases, marketers are approaching the business applications of generative AI with caution. For example, a recent survey of global marketing leaders found that while data analysis and market research have become some of the more popular applications of generative AI, other seemingly popular use cases like copywriting and image generation aren’t as widely used.
Given the myriad of potential issues with Gen AI use, such as copyright questions, model opacity/ transparency concerns, bias issues and more, now is the time for the industry to invest in understanding the role of AI and how to use it to maximise the impact of creative marketing campaigns, and the skills of the professionals who deliver them.
The fantastic ways that AI can enhance advertising
When asked about the areas of marketing with the most significant potential for generative AI use, one of the top choices for marketers was data analysis. Across the industry, applications of generative AI in data analysis include natural language processing, predictive analytics, and finding insights and patterns in large datasets.
Not only does this make it possible to deliver more targeted marketing experiences, but it also enables advertisers to understand performance without having to wade through hundreds of data points to gain insight. Marketers can then use this insight to inform creative approaches and optimise, adjust and measure campaigns in real time.
Could AI lead to the homogenisation of creativity?
AI is great at generating content based on patterns and algorithms, but it struggles to create new ideas or think outside the box. AI also struggles with understanding context and tone, impacting the quality of generated content. Instances of misinterpreted context, inappropriate tone, or cultural insensitivity underscore the potential dangers for advertising. We’ll always need human creatives in the lead role here to ensure nuanced creativity and emotional depth.
Critics fear that an overreliance on AI could lead to a homogenised and impersonal advertising landscape, in which brands fail to resonate with both their values and the interests of their consumers with repetitive and irrelevant messaging. For example, AI-driven systems that are driven by efficiency can inadvertently lead to a uniformity in artistic expression and creative content. In the advertising world, this could present itself as ads served to consumers based on past interactions and preferences, creating a feedback loop that limits their exposure to new products and brands.
The big question however is whether there is scope for AI to inform and support humans with the creative process. The answer is yes. We’re now seeing creative teams develop ‘creative prompts’ and in doing so drive production efficiencies. AI is providing advertisers with a jumping off point for creativity, informed by the data-led insights it is uncovering, so that ideas and content can be generated at a much faster rate.
Using AI to scale advertising and win in omnichannel
Where AI provides real value in the creative process is by enabling campaigns to scale across channels. Eight years ago, an advertiser would only have to make up to six standard IAB formats for a digital campaign compared to thirty for today’s different digital channels. We’re seeing brands experiment with using AI to quickly create new versions of content across any screen, format and device, tailor ads for specific audiences, and test endless variations for performance while preserving the human element of the creative process. This means the creative campaigns that brands develop can be rolled out more effectively and efficiently and tested to understand the creative variation that drives the best performance.
With stricter government regulations and growing consumer privacy concerns, there’s no surprise that creativity is becoming a key variable for improving campaign performance. But the future of our industry doesn’t lie in choosing between AI and human creativity, it sits somewhere in the middle. Combining the efficiency of AI with the emotional richness of human creativity will shape the most impactful brand campaigns.
While the advertising industry is in a constant state of flux, there is a wide range of tools designed to help brands improve their creative process, insight generation and output. Finding a partner that sits across both the creative and media realms and enables businesses to operate on the leading edge of AI, while navigating the complexities of the digital age will set brands up for success in an ever-changing digital landscape.
Simon Thorne
Simon Thorne, Managing Director EMEA at Flashtalking by Mediaocean. Simon is responsible for all commercial relationships and operations for Flashtalking by Mediaocean in EMEA. Before joining the Mediaocean team, Simon spent three years establishing Flashtaking’s Australian office and drove its rapid expansion across the wider APAC region. Prior to that, he worked in London as an Account Director and latterly Director of Ad Operations for Flashtalking, helping to shape the company’s digital ad management and analytics technology. Simon is highly experienced in creating the best ad tech strategy to meet sophisticated advertiser requirements. Before joining Flashtalking in 2007, he worked in Ad Operations at ad technology company Tangozebra, acquired by DoubleClick in 2007.
