Why the human touch is indispensable
Last year was the year of mass generative AI experimentation, while 2024 is the year of mass generative AI application. For some, it’s a big change – we’re moving from a world where we use technology to make things to one where we work with technology to make things. We’re finding ways to collaborate with our new AI partners: to brainstorm, to reflect, to iterate, and ultimately to create, writes Darrin Patey, VP, creative technology at No Fixed Address.
As we move into 2024, understanding the role of generative AI is key: AI content is not an output. There’s no world in which our best work comes from simply pressing a button and dropping the result into a deck. Rather, AI is a powerful input that can help us find our best work at every stage of the creative process.
Augmentation, not replacement
AI does not replace you. The creative spark that has made you “you” throughout your career is irreplaceable. Think of AI as your giant Marshall amp. It’s there for you to plug in and riff on your ideas, providing a sandbox of possibilities you might not have considered, always ready to turn any of them up to 11 at the flick of a switch.
It’s not about AI taking the lead; it’s about using AI to explore the weird little corners of your ideas. It’s about turning all your what-ifs into a dozen different creative paths to follow. Imagine briefing your AI tool on your campaign goals and target audience, and it comes back with a range of concepts, headlines or even visual ideas.
Personalisation
Personalisation isn’t new. One-to-one marketing has been around since long before ChatGPT blinked itself awake in late 2022. But AI is opening up ways for us to get closer to true 1:1, crafting messages that take our customers’ context seriously and resonate on a deeply personal level.
But here’s the catch: It’s the insights and parameters we feed into AI that make this magic possible. Our experience, our moments of sheer blinding genius, our personal pizzazz all go into guiding our AI partners. The output it returns? It’s up to us to take it for what it is. It’s up to us to make sure it’s in line with our brand voice and ethics. AI can suggest a hundred ways to say “I get you” to your audience, but crafting the right way to say it? That’s where the human touch is irreplaceable. Where the human touch is irreplaceable.
The efficiency game
Real-time is a luxury, and AI is a time machine. It quickly takes care of the grunt work, from data analysis to content creation, allowing us to focus on strategy and storytelling. But efficiency doesn’t mean cutting out creativity. Instead, AI gives us a starting point, a rough draft that we can polish, tweak and enhance. It’s about using AI to do more of what we love, period. Writers can be writers instead of typists. Designers can craft instead of push pixels. Strategists can think instead of compiling.
Navigating ethics
We’ve avoided clichés so far, but it’s time to trot one out. With great power comes great responsibility. Yes, AI can crunch data and produce content on an unprecedented scale, but it’s up to us to use it responsibly. Maintaining consumer trust means ensuring that our use of AI is transparent, ethical and, above all, human-centred. It’s a delicate balance, and it’s up to all of us to stay informed and on the right side of history as we move further into the future.
The future of marketing with AI is bright, but let’s not forget: AI is just one tool in our arsenal. Our role as marketers isn’t diminishing – it’s evolving. Our creativity, empathy and strategic thinking will make the difference, with AI serving as a catalyst, never the creator.
As our clients and their customers continue to be captivated by the idea of AI, we need to remember what they come to us for. They come to us for insight. They come to us for disruption. For perspective. AI is a powerful input into our creative process, offering a world of possibilities. But ultimately, the output – the heart, soul and effectiveness of our work – is in our hands.