The call for humanizing AI content is sounding louder and clearer at some of the largest global advertising agencies as artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms their agencies and their creative work.
The chief executive officers (CEOs) of WPP, Omnicom, Dentsu and Interpublic Group (IPG) have all emphasized on Campaign US and in the New York Times the importance of human talent and humanizing AI content as the key driver in this transformation.
Humanizing AI Content
Specifically, all of these CEOs agreed that human talent, the human touch and human creativity are more essential than ever in the age of AI and that it will facilitate and strengthen creativity, not replace it.
Mark Read of WPP describes AI as a “force multiplier of creativity” that doesn’t dilute the business case for creativity, but strengthens it, making creativity more valuable, more achievable and more necessary than ever before.
“In the hands of people who understand both sides, AI can create better insights, stronger ideas, world-class execution and proven impact across all touchpoints, but it is neither a replacement for creativity nor is it a guarantee of it,” explained Reed.
Gen AI as Partner in Creativity
Omnicom’s John Wren also envisioned the future as a place where humans and generative AI will work together, not as a place where generative AI will displace human creativity.
“As exciting as the technology is, I do not see a future where Gen AI will replace humans or create groundbreaking work without a symbiotic relationship with humans,” Wren noted. “The brilliant ideas of our people are what will ensure Gen AI is harnessed in a way that properly and cleverly captures the depth, complexity and unpredictability of consumers. So, while Gen AI is having a profound effect on our industry, it will always only be a partner to our people’s creativity.
“When you can establish a true union between humans and machines, this technology can have a multiplier effect on creativity that leads to better ideas and solutions. As everyone is deploying the same tools, creativity is what will make some work stand out from the rest.”
Hiroshi Igarashi of Dentsu also views creativity as of paramount importance in the age of generative AI.
“We firmly see AI and technology as tools to amplify the talents of our amazing people, enhancing their work, not replacing it,” Igarashi commented. “For Dentsu, innovative thinking and technology are a wrapper to our creative endeavors, allowing us to amplify the potential impact that we can make for clients.”
Creative Synergy of the Human Touch & AI
Philippe Krakowsky of IPP has little doubt that the future of creativity and AI will be increasingly intertwined.
“The power of AI is unlocking a whole new palette of expression for our creative teams, allowing them to bridge to simulations, visualizations and hybrid realities in everything from video content to gaming, physical/digital activations and other forms of marketing activity,” he noted.
However, he also urged the need for diligence and discipline as well as collaboration across industries to mitigate bias, misinformation and security risks.
Not surprisingly, to support this trend, chief marketing officers (CMOs) have increased their brand’s use of generative AI in content creation, according to a survey by Boston Consulting that was reported in Ad Age. In addition, approximately 80% of CMOs say generative AI is improving productivity, but at the same time, surprisingly 18% have rejected its use entirely, an increase from 12% last year.
In fact, six out of10 marketing professionals responding to a study prepared by the CMO Council and Zeta Global Holdings Corporation said AI and generative AI are likely to provide the highest return among their investments this year, according to an article in Forbes.
Striking the Right Balance
These top advertising agency executives have stressed that the key to successful content creation today lies in striking the right balance between AI capabilities and human creativity. While AI can generate content quickly and efficiently, it lacks the nuanced understanding of human emotions, cultural contexts and brand values that human creators bring to the table.
As AI technology continues to evolve, the role of human creators will shift, but will remain indispensable. The future of content creation lies in the synergy between human creativity and AI capabilities. This collaboration will likely lead to more innovative, efficient and impactful content strategies.
The agencies and brands that will be the most successful will be those that invest in both AI technologies and human talent. They will foster environments where creative professionals can leverage AI tools to enhance their work while maintaining the human touch that will shape generative AI content to connect their work with their clients’ audiences.
Writing For Humans™
In conclusion, humanizing AI content is not about choosing between human creativity and artificial intelligence. Instead, it’s about finding the proper balance between the two so that it is both efficient and data-driven as well as factually accurate, original and relevant. As the advertising industry continues to evolve in the age of AI, this balanced approach to AI content editing will be the key to writing for humans.