MxMIndia

Tag: AI

  • … if we don’t start to value and protect the traits that make us human, writes Cameron Shackell in The Conversation

    Will AI kill the creativity in media? It could…

     

    By Cameron Shackell

     

    There’s no doubt generative AI’s ability to rapidly produce new texts, images and audio is shaking up creative jobs.

     

    In the long-running Writers Guild of America strike, a central sticking point has been the guild’s demand that AI be used only as a research tool and not a replacement for its members. For many creative types, it seems harder to earn a living with AI around.

     

    At the same time, however, AI tools are often seen as a springboard to next-level human creativity. Technologies such as Anthropic’s chatbot Claude and OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Dall-E 3 offer a seductive creative experience.

     

    Will these tools help us survive and thrive as a creative species? Or are they the death knell of creativity as we know it?

     

    What is creativity?

    In her book The Creative Mind, cognitive science expert Margaret Boden distinguishes between two types of human creativity.

    Psychological or personal (p-type) creativity happens when an individual thinks something for the first time – even if others have thought it separately before. One example is a child realising water can take any shape.

    Essentially, p-type creativity is learning something useful and, in the process, synchronising our thoughts with others.

    Historical creativity (h-type), on the other hand, happens when an individual thinks something that has never been thought before. One example would be Archimedes’s “eureka” moment in the bath, which supposedly led to him discovering the law of buoyancy.

    The more someone’s creativity subsequently affects other people’s thinking, the more momentous and enduring we consider their legacy.

    This is why Wandjina rock art in the Kimberley, Homer’s Iliad, Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater house and Albert Einstein’s Annus Mirabilis papers are all considered exceptional works left behind by exceptional humans. They are important because they continue to shape our thinking.

     

    Generative AI doesn’t belong in either category

    AI obviously has the potential to promote both p-type and h-type creativity. It can lead us to insights about biology, history and mathematics, and help us create texts and images that may be useful or thought-provoking.

    But there is one key difference between human creativity and AI-driven creativity: the latter doesn’t stem from the evolutionary clash of mind and world.

    AI models don’t contain reality. They rely on the complex statistical abstraction of digital data. This limits their real-world creative significance and their capacity to produce “eureka” moments.

    To differentiate AI-driven creativity from old-fashioned creativity, I have proposed a new term: generic, or g-type, creativity. It formalises the fact that while AI models are capable of provoking new thought, they are limited by the underlying data they have been trained on.

     

    The big risk: a generic spiral

    We can expect an explosion in g-type creativity in our future. The danger here is that our increasing use of AI could make us think too much alike, leading to a decrease in cognitive diversity and an increase in cultural tightness.

    In this scenario, societies would become more rigid in the norms they enforce, and less tolerant of deviations from the status quo. At a population level this would be a creativity killer.

    The threat isn’t just AI-generated movies, TV, books and art. In the future, the homes we live in, the cars we drive (or won’t have to drive) and our shared public spaces will all be shaped by AI. We may see our thinking become homogenised under the pressure of increasingly similar environments and experiences.

    This sameness further put us at risk of a generic spiral. AI models are trained on content we create. So the more we use AI for g-type creativity, the more generic our content will become – and since this will be used to further train AI, the more generic AI outputs will become.

    While this might be useful for certain specialist tasks – such as consistently interpreting law – it’s worrying to contemplate the kind of Orwellian political economy a generic spiral might give rise to.

     

    Can we enjoy AI and also preserve creativity?

    Balancing and reconciling human creativity with AI isn’t as simple as going for regular walks in nature – although that will probably help.

    Generative AI may well be a transformative technology to rival the printing press or steam engine. Such juggernauts are difficult to resist; we collectively get swept up in the change, uncertainty and alienation they foment.

    Some of the best minds of our generation are already abandoning other pursuits to try their luck at building and using advanced AI models.

    Our best chance to remain truly creative is to protect and privilege the human over the artificial. Intellectual property law is key. Any further moves towards legal personhood for AI – such as allowing AI a “fair use” right to train itself on copyrighted material, or have copyright applied to AI outputs – will erode our creative system and risk a generic spiral in human creativity.The Conversation

     

    Cameron Shackell is Sessional Academic and Visitor, School of Information Systems, Queensland University of Technology. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

     

  • With 78% feeling confident about using AI tools

    LinkedIn tables new research on AI acceptance by marketers

    By Our Staff

     

    New research from LinkedIn reveals marketers in India are ready to embrace AI with 78% feeling confident about using AI tools.

     

    The study reveals that the majority (83%) of marketers in India believe AI will significantly change the way they work in the next year, and nearly half (47%) hope it will help them to be more productive. The research also found that 93% believe AI will support their work and help create space for teams to think innovatively.

     

    AI will free up considerable time for marketers to build impactful creative campaigns

    As companies look to stay top of mind and leverage creativity to build memorability among audiences, AI will enable marketers to spend less time trying to find potential buyers, and more time on higher value work such as engaging with customers. Marketers plan to use AI for day-to-day tasks, such as summarising lengthy articles and videos (88%), creating first drafts of written content and presentations (82%), and helping them problem solve (83%).

     

    In India, 68% of marketers are using the technology today, with nearly half (45%) experimenting with tools such as ChatGPT. LinkedIn’s latest ‘B2B Marketing Benchmark’ report also finds that 87% of B2B marketing leaders in India plan to increase their use of generative AI in the next year.

     

    Said Ashutosh Gupta, Country Manager at LinkedIn India: “AI tools can work as great supporters for B2B CMOs by taking on operational tasks and creating room for marketers to focus on building strong customer relationships. Amid competing priorities and limited resources, AI empowers marketers to excel in strategic work, deepen customer connections, and create memorable campaigns that drive immediate action and fuel long-term business growth.”

     

  • AI is set to impact the daily lives of all of us significantly, writes Ashoke Agarrwal

    Apple, Musk and AI

     

     

    By Ashoke Agarrwal

     

    Ashoke AgarrwalI coined Concierge Intelligence (CI) as a type of Artificial Intelligence (AI) owned by and dedicated to an individual and fully protective of his privacy. CI would aid the individual in understanding herself better and leading to better life outcomes in health, education, career and relationships – in general, as a putative ad copy would say: ‘Be A Better You’. Further, CI would handle routine tasks like shopping, bill paying, appointments, correspondence and travel arrangements based on a deep understanding of the individual’s preferences and needs and an up-to-the-minute and universal understanding of options. CI would be under the complete control of the individual, who can switch it off and on and decide on the level of access granted.

     

    When I first wrote about CI in Feb 2021, the concept seemed at least a decade or more away. Not any longer. Like the world, I was unaware of the rapid progress of Large Language Models (LLM) technology.

     

    Today, many factors indicate that the first generation of CI is around the corner. A CI prototype might already be in the hands of hundreds of millions worldwide! Let me explain.

     

    For a couple of years now, Apple has been communicating the following:

    :: Many of the functions and Apps on its devices – Siri, Keyboard Suggestions, Health, Messages, Mail, Music, Books, and Apple TV – use AI to enhance user experience and utility.

    :: Apple puts ensuring user privacy as the highest priority. Therefore, all its AI works on data and software residing on the user’s device, under complete user control, and cordoned off from other entities, including Apple.

     

    The penny dropped when I first read about the Journal App that Apple is readying for release with iOS 17. Journal App gives iPhone users the means to record their day-to-day activities and uses advanced prompt features enabling users to track their emotional state and the causes.

     

    The latest iPhones carry specialised chips that allow the device to run sophisticated AI programs on the device itself. With the breadth and depth of information, the iPhone has about its users, the phone’s processing capabilities and the level of trust Apple had built with its users, all the conditions that make for a CI already exist. Over the next few years, iPhone users, prompted by Apple, will increasingly find use cases for the CI that resides over the phone. With each new generation of iPhones, the CI will get more powerful and within the next decade, Apple will likely brand this as a proprietary feature and build a revenue model around it. CI by Apple could be the next big thing from Apple after the iPhone. If Apple keeps its promise of protecting user privacy, iPhone CI will add to the quality of life and be one of AI’s boons.

     

    While the wizards of Cupertino are coming at AI based on an individual’s shared experiences, the wizard who has given the world Tesla and SpaceX is taking a different tack.

     

    Musk wants Tesla to be the first to launch a fully self-driven car without a steering wheel or a brake pedal to allow a human driver to take control. While many companies, Alphabet being one of them, are at work perfecting AI systems, Musk’s approach is entirely different from the rest.

     

    Alphabet and others are trying to build a self-driving car based on an algorithm that relies on the following:

    :: Signals from a hardware system consisting of cameras and radars that transmit in great detail, second by microsecond, the physical environment of the car as it drives through a roadscape.

    :: And rules that codify the signals into millions of scenarios and actions that are needed to respond to the system.

     

    The above approach is similar to the early days of Natural Language Processing, which tried to create language models based on the contextual meaning of words and rules of grammar and idiomatic usage.

     

    In one sense, Musk’s flip on the AI needed to build a self-driven car is simple. He believes if humans can drive cars based on just visual inputs, so can AI. So, radars are the first things he has taken out of the equation. His second lead is even greater. Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT 4.0 work through patterns that a Deep Learning AI system detects from a large enough set of training data without needing an explicit set of rules. Musk’s leap is that he can build AI systems that can operate in the physical world through a large enough training data set. The difference is that in the case of the physical world, the data set is visual.

     

    Every Tesla carries a set of high-resolution cameras. And its software records all the actions that a driver takes. Further, all the data from the cameras and the software systems are transmitted to Tesla’s servers. With millions of Teslas worldwide, Tesla has an ever-increasing training data set.

     

    Musk is not stopping at building self-driving Robocars but is busy building a human-like robot branded Optimus on the same AI principles. The training data for Optimus-like robots will come from recording humans engaged in various activities – cooking a meal, navigating a home, an office or a mall, playing a sport, etc.

     

    Further, in all cases, the training data will be culled so that the robot learns from the best drivers, champion players, chefs, etc. So ipso facto, robots will come out of the gate better than humans because they learnt from the best and have the advantage of being faster, connected and untiring.

     

    Paradoxically, Musk also pays lip service to the dangers of AI and contends that he is trying to build something like Assimov’s Three Laws of Robotics into the AI systems he is busy inventing.

     

    So, between the CI that Apple is fast making a reality and Musk’s promised Robot Intelligence (RI), AI is set to impact the daily lives of all of us significantly.

     

    Another AI revolution is brewing in the scientific field, launching tectonic shifts that will alter human civilisation. But that is grist for another post.

     

  • Paper sheds light on challenges surrounding use of AI in advertising

    ASCI and Khaitan & Co release whitepaper

    By Our Staff

     

    The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and Khaitan & Co, a law firm, have jointly released a comprehensive whitepaper on generative artificial intelligence (AI), highlighting the opportunities, risks and legal considerations around its use in advertising.

     

    Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General, ASCI, said: “AI is a groundbreaking technology with immense potential, especially in advertising. As advertisers increasingly adopt AI, they must be aware of its impact on consumers and society. From an ASCI and consumer protection perspective, advertisements made with AI are subject to the same principles of regulation and consumer protection that any ad is. As this field evolves, greater regulatory clarity will also have to keep pace with technological development. Privacy, copyrights, and responsibility over content creation are key issues that need to be dealt with in time. We extend our gratitude to Khaitan & Co. for their legal expertise and collaboration in producing this report.

     

    Tanu Banerjee, Partner, Khaitan & Co, added: “AI is set to disrupt how any business works today. The adoption of generative AI is particularly high in the advertising sector, given how AI has revolutionised the way creative materials used in ads can be developed. However, though the evolving AI technology offers massive opportunities, it also presents several legal risks and challenges, such as issues around ownership of content, privacy of data, AI bias, authenticity of prompts etc. While the regulatory framework for AI evolves, it’s critical for advertisers to be aware of the existing regulations and legal principles, to safeguard against these risks and to ensure ethical use of generative AI. We are very grateful to ASCI for their support and invaluable insights in preparing this report.”

     

    Generative AI enables advertisers to automate the creation of original content, including text, images, articles, marketing collaterals and more. It also enhances customer experiences through chatbots, AI assistants and interactive advertising. The whitepaper acknowledges the limitless applications of generative AI in advertising while addressing concerns around its potential misuse and manipulation, particularly related to consumer protection.

     

    With a focus on the Indian legal framework, the whitepaper highlights the legal risks and challenges that advertisers may face when utilising generative AI. It addresses issues such as potential copyright infringement, prevention of unlawful content, and data privacy concerns.

     

    Some of the best practices outlined in the whitepaper to mitigate risks associated with generative AI are:

    1. Review the AI platform’s terms of use and licensing compliance to reduce liability risks.

    2. Obtain the necessary authorisations and licenses for uploaded materials, including copyrighted and trademarked content.

    3. Avoid prohibited input prompts and carefully check the output for prohibited content before commercial use.

    4. Mitigate liability risks by implementing robust content review processes, establish guidelines, and including AI disclaimers in marketing materials.

    5. Safeguard confidential information and ensure data privacy by enforcing non-disclosure agreements and implementing robust security measures.

    6. Upskill human labour in editorial oversight and compliance to avoid employee displacement.

     

    The whitepaper concludes by addressing the future of generative AI and the unique challenges that must be addressed for its responsible and ethical deployment. It emphasises the importance of principles such as fairness, accountability, transparency, and ethics within the AI community. Advertisers are encouraged to embrace these principles, ensuring fairness in decision-making, accountability for actions, transparency in operations, and ethical considerations in their impact on individuals and society.

     

  • Brands have a tremendous opportunity to access and leverage new-age technology to to connect with audiences, writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    Customising birthday greetings, the Cadbury way

     

     

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Sanjeev KotnalaI finished playing around with the lyrics and genre of the birthday song for a friend at https://cadburymybirthdaysong.com and am more than happy with the result. I am not surprised at this new initiative by Cadbury Celebrations with its partners Ogilvy and Wavemaker to get Artificial Intelligence (AI) to work for the masses and create a personalised ‘Happy Birthday’ song. They have done this in the past. The personalised greeting, the Diwali selling and more.

     

    In effect, the last few initiatives are as different as one Bond movie from another. There is a pattern, and strategic thinking helps keep the result in sight.

    It must be effortless, effective, and efficient for the user.

    It must use technology that is easily affordable, accessible, and available.

    It must be easy. Maybe just the fingertips and mobile should do the magic.

    It must awe the audience and create an appreciable debate.

    It should be something the audience would really desire, and that would delimit their constraints in more ways than one.

    #MyBirthdaySong is just such a campaign.

    Now no longer, the birthday song will be the same. Anyone can create a customised birthday song. Making the recipient feel more wanted, adored and special. Think if the person is not aware of this tool created by Cadbury, how impressed the person would be. As one would not understand and imagine the labour, time and effort that would go into creating anything remotely similar without AI.

     

    The persons who made and gifted it to the birthday person feels positive about themselves. See themselves as creative and contributing. A memory of a different type. If not to the party, this person surely carries a Cadbury Celebration pack in mind. The brand association and engagement through such a device are ideal and long-term. Maybe ere performance marketing meets the brand-building efforts.

     

    The song is unique as it allows you to harness the power of AI and generate lyrics, choose the music style, and bingo have a unique birthday song served in no time.

     

    I must ask you to go to https://cadburymybirthdaysong.com and playfully try the same. Don’t worry if the birthday is not near or already gone. Its downloadable output that one can proudly send, display, or sing along at the event making that occasion memorable as it should be. I usually do not refer to the contributing parties, but this one must get the credits. After the details have been placed, lyrics are created by Uberduck’s Generative AI engine and sung by GanAI custom-created vocal models – mixed and mastered with Uberduck’s AI-generated music that makes the song unique.

     

     

    In the past, Cadbury has been at the forefront of pathbreaking work. The ‘SRK Support Local retailer’ sale, ‘Not just a Cadbury ad’  and the ‘Support the Hawker nearby’  were on similar lines, based on scalability and ease of use of technology.

     

     

     

    Net-Net

    Brands have a tremendous opportunity to access and leverage new-age technology to take that additional steps to connect and work with the audience. Brand-building can happen with performance marketing. I must also remind you to watch the HP ad ‘Thodi Si Jagh bana lo’ – which also showed how to easily use technology with a human face for a technology company.

     

     

  • People whose business is to peek into the future approach Artificial Intelligence from two very different angles, writes Ashoke Agarrwal

    The Economic Promise & Cultural Peril of AI

     

     

    By Ashoke Agarrwal

     

    Ashoke AgarrwalArtificial Intelligence (AI0 is fast becoming the general-purpose technology that will determine humankind’s future.

    People whose business is to peek into the future approach it from two very different angles.

    Some hard-headed economist types see AI mainly as a disruptor of the world of business and economies.

    Others who study broader and deeper societal trends prognosticate the possible long-term effects of AI on human civilisation.

    Neither school sees AI developing into a threat on the lines of the Terminator-type robot shooting down people in the streets or a Skynet-type all-powerful entity trapping humans in a virtual matrix.

    The book “Power and Prediction: The Disruptive Economics of Artifical Intellgence.” by Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans and Avi Goldfarb, a 2022 follow-up to their 2018 book “The Prediction Machine: The Simple Economics of Artifical Inteliigence.” lays out the disruptive but possibly ultimately enhancing effect of AI on the world economy.

    The broader view of the impact of AI on human civilisation comes from Yuval Noah Harari, the historian-philosopher whose three books “Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind.”, “Homo Deus. A Brief History of Tomorrow” and “21 Lessons for the 21st Century” introduced a deeply thought out yet lucid and vivid view of the factors that governed the evolution of human civilization.

    Harari has spoken at length about his views on AI at various forums. Recently he did a three-hour sit-down with Lex Friedman. Here is a YouTube link to the interview and a transcript. Harari’s views are grounded in his unique approach to the evolution of human civilization and startling in their clarity and scope. It also offers an almost sly but plausible take on the threat that AI poses to human society without going into Terminator and Skynet kind of fevered speculation.

    In their 2018 book “The Prediction Machines”, Agrawal et al. posited that AI at its core was a quantum leap in the science of prediction. Until the emergence of Deep Learning, prediction methods mainly used the science of statistics with tools like multivariate regression. With Deep Learning and its offshoots, predictions became progressively more accurate and cheaper. Agarwal et al. posited that technology finds more widespread use when it becomes more affordable. They offered the instance of electricity and computers. One of the vivid examples they offered about how better predictions could lead to changes in business models was of e-commerce players like Amazon shifting from a “shop-than-ship” model to a “ship-than-shop” model once they had the AI tools that predicted with reliable accuracy what their customers would buy next – that is they would ship the predicted product off to a consumer even before he had shopped for it on their site. In support of this insight, they cite that Amazon had filed for a patent for “anticipatory shipping”.

    In their 2022 book “Power and Prediction.” Agrawal et al. revise their view of the economic future of AI. They posit that the widespread adoption of AI will not happen with point solutions like replacing processes where traditional forecasting is currently the norm with AI-based forecasting. Instead, it will compel economies and businesses to go beyond and identify areas where AI-based prediction enables them to switch to decision-based procedures that optimize resources instead of rules-based processes that compromise efficiency in the face of uncertainty.

    Also, because AI-based predictions will have system-wide ramifications, the optimal adoption will happen when economies and businesses redesign entire systems to accommodate AI. Agarwal et al. identify two design approaches that can drive systemic changes: coordination and modularity. Their book details these approaches and illustrates them with examples from the health, transport and e-commerce sectors. The overall message from Agrawal et al. is that AI and its economy-wide adoption will be systemic and disruptive. And overall, its impact will be positive, like the widespread adoption of the last two general technologies – electricity and computers.

    Mr Harari’s views on the civilisational impact of AI are nuanced.

    Harari’ has been surprised by the pace of development of Large Language Models (LLMs) and their rapid penetration into the social and cultural life of human societies.

    At one level, he sees the threat posed by LLMs as a ratcheting up of the threat posed by social media. The design of social media algorithms captures attention and, in the process, creates echo chambers that fuel conspiracies and tribalism. AI entities based on ever-improving LLMs will capture intimacies. If unchecked, they could monopolise an individual’s personal space, weakening and destroying individual relationships and thus weakening the concept of family and friends and hence the very social framework undergirding human society.

    Harari perceives another more subtle threat. Harari hypothesizes, as explained in his books that the life of individuals, societies, cultures and civilizations is circumscribed by stories and myths that are creations of the human imagination. God, religion, nation, money etc., are all myths that have taken deep root and driven society in all its pursuits – politics, economics, art and culture.

    While Agarwal et al. perceives AI as a disruptive “Prediction Machine”, Harari rotates the prism and perceives AI as a threatening “Culture Machine”. He sees AI ( and sometimes he calls it Alient Intelligence) as “eating” and “digesting” all human culture to come to a stage where it can give back images, words, art and stories that are more compelling than any that humans can process. Because these cultural artefacts govern human evolution, this “Alien Intelligence” will take charge of it. Here in his own words, is how he perceives this threat:

    “...But taking what we do know about human history until now, all the, again, stories, images, paintings, songs, operas, theater, everything we’ve encountered and shaped our minds was created by humans. Now, increasingly, we live in a world where more and more of these cultural artifacts will be coming from an alien intelligence. Very quickly we might reach a point when most of the stories, images, songs, TV shows, whatever are created by an alien intelligence. And if we now find ourselves inside this kind of world of illusions created by an alien intelligence that we don’t understand, but it understands us, this is a kind of spiritual enslavement that we won’t be able to break out of because it understands us. It understands how to manipulate us, but we don’t understand what is behind this screen of stories and images and songs.”

    That is a more alarming picture of the AI-age world than any Terminator or Skynet kind of scenario. It is more disturbing because the process is sneaky and sly, and one can see the beginning of it even at the early stages of the LLM revolution.

    While the forces of commerce and the market will ensure that economies reap, with time and effort, the benefits of the “Prediction Machines”, what remedy do we have against the threat of the LLM-based “Culture Machine.”? Harari has a challenging remedy to offer. Harari believes that we humans do not fully understand ourselves. He suggests that for every dollar and hour we spend developing the AI-based culture machine, we also invest a dollar and hour in understanding ourselves better – perceiving the contours of conscious daily reality that exist in our feelings beyond the stories and the myths that confuse and control us. Is that a realistic goal? Will the story of progress that drives our notions of work and happiness allow us to set and accomplish such a goal? Let me put this question to ChatGPT and Bard and see what they say.

     

  • The rush to find good use cases for Generative AI is spawning a new class of start-ups, writes Ashoke Agarrwal

    Will 2025 be the year of the arrival of Concierge Intelligence?

     

     

    By Ashoke Agarrwal

     

    Ashoke AgarrwalSince OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022, many have heralded (and some) feared the arrival of the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

     

    The rush to find good use cases for Generative AI is spawning a new class of start-ups and keeping Angels and VCs busy.

     

    I have always thought the Information Age was a way-stop on the road to the Age of AI. I have also surmised that the Age of AI will amplify the gains and ills of the Information Age. However, being an eternal optimist, I have always focused on the good technology can do.

     

    In February 2021, in the gloom of the Covid lockdown, when the world had barely an inkling of what Generative AI was, I imagined a use case of AI I called Concierge Intelligence and published a blog post about it.

     

    Here are some excerpts from the post:

    “I believe one of the critical directions Artificial Intelligence will develop over the next decade is what I call “Concierge Intelligence”.

    Concierge Intelligence will go a long way towards fulfilling the initial promise of the digital age.”

     

    “The era of Concierge Intelligence will avoid the concerns raised by the age of marketing to bots like Alexa or Sirir that I wrote about in my post of April 25th 2018, titled “Marketing to Bots: The Coming Paradigm Shift?” 

     

    Concierge Intelligence will instead be the emergence of AI with an agency. The kind of agency that I wrote about in my post dated June 14th 2019, titled “Machine Intelligence to Machine Curiosity – The Route to Machine Creativity”, as also in my post dated December 19th 2019, titled “Should AI Have Agency.”

     

    The individual will buy his Concierge Intelligence (CI) – a software application -from the market and load on onto all the devices she uses. I believe CI will be the next big thing in consumer marketing. CI will get to work to learn the consumer’s interests and preferences. The individual will set the scope and depth of this learning. I can imagine the emergence of a new form of Yoga – CI Yoga! CI Yoga trainers will coach the individual on how to refine their CI settings for maximum well-being.

     

    CI will mediate between the world and the individual. It will map your learning patterns and maximize the speed and efficacy of your learning. It will continuously keep a tab on the individual’s inherent talents and emergent capabilities and connect her with opportunities to use these talents and abilities, in the process not just maximizing her earnings but increasing her sense of self-worth. It will perceive the individual’s relationship and leisure needs and help her meet them. One of the minor duties of CI will be as the gatekeeper to brands and services that seek to message and sell to the individual. While the CI will have powerful capabilities, it will be under the total command of the individual. She can change its functionalities whenever she wants and even switch it off if she so desires, much like today’s smartphones.

     

    Over the next decade, CI will become the most widely prevalent form of AI. I like to think of a CI as AI with a soul. A form of augmented intelligence that fuses an individual’s psyche, with all its complexity and humanity intact, with AI’s power, speed and reach.”

     

    My concept of CI has so taken hold of me that I even wrote about it in my first column for MxMIndia in January 2022, titled “The Coming Post-Digital World.”

     

    Post ChatGPT, the concept of an individual-owned and operated AI model is in the air. Sources in the VC world now tell me that a couple of start-ups are proposing systems close to the CI concept. While musings in blog posts do not give me any monetisable rights, I am glad that while some of my prognostications target a future too far out to find vindication in my lifetime, the CI concept will, in some measure, come true in the next couple of years. I would bet on Apple to be the company that will lead the world into the age of CI. Its current stance of developing AI systems that reside entirely on the user’s AI device and use user information without transmitting out of the device is a stepping stone to CI systems. Plus, of course, the fact that it is the most resourced company in the world and among the most trusted brands.

     

  • A Q&A with ChatGPT on whether the AI tool will replace journalists…

    Will ChatGPT see the end of journalism as we know it?

     

    There has been much discussion and fear about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and various tools like ChatGPT on journalism. So we decided to do a Q&A with ChatGPT and asked it some leading questions. Here goes. Our first question is what this feature is headlined: will ChatGPT see the end of journalism as we know it?

     

    No, ChatGPT will not see the end of journalism as we know it. While AI language models like ChatGPT can assist with certain functions in a newsroom, such as fact-checking and content curation, they cannot replace the role of human journalists and editors entirely.

    Journalism is a multifaceted field that requires skills, experience, and critical thinking that go beyond just language proficiency. Journalists conduct interviews, investigate stories, and provide context and analysis, all of which require a deep understanding of the subject matter and the ability to make editorial judgments. Additionally, journalists are responsible for upholding ethical standards and ensuring that their reporting is fair, accurate, and balanced.

     

    While AI can automate some tasks in the newsroom, it cannot replicate the human element of journalism. Journalists bring a unique perspective, creativity, and storytelling ability to their reporting that AI cannot replicate. Furthermore, AI-generated content lacks the context and analysis that human journalists can provide, and it is not always able to capture the nuances of language, culture, and social context.

     

    In summary, while AI can assist with some functions in the newsroom, journalism will continue to rely on human reporters, editors, and analysts to provide context, analysis, and storytelling that AI cannot replicate.

     

    And here are a few more questions we asked:

     

    What kind of media professionals should be worried about losing their jobs thanks to ChatGPT?

     

    While AI-powered tools like ChatGPT can assist with some aspects of media production, it is unlikely that they will lead to widespread job losses in the industry. Instead, AI is more likely to augment the work of media professionals, freeing them up to focus on higher-level tasks that require human expertise.

     

    That said, certain types of media professionals may be more susceptible to job displacement than others. For example, journalists who specialize in writing routine news stories, such as earnings reports or sports recaps, may find that their work can be automated to some degree using AI tools. Similarly, content creators who produce large volumes of similar content, such as social media posts or product descriptions, may also be at risk of automation.

     

    However, media professionals who bring a unique perspective, voice, or set of skills to their work are less likely to be displaced by AI. This includes journalists who specialize in investigative reporting, opinion writing, or feature writing, as well as creative professionals like graphic designers, video producers, and photographers. These professionals bring a level of creativity, nuance, and human connection to their work that AI cannot replicate.

     

    Overall, while AI is likely to transform certain aspects of media production, it is unlikely to lead to widespread job losses in the industry. Instead, AI is more likely to augment the work of media professionals, enabling them to be more productive and efficient in their work.

     

    What are the functions in news media that ChatGPT can never ever replace or make redundant? 

    While AI language models like ChatGPT can assist with many aspects of news media production, there are certain functions that are unlikely to ever be fully replaced or made redundant by technology. Here are a few examples:

    1. Investigative reporting: Investigative journalism often involves digging deep into complex issues, tracking down sources, and following leads that require a high degree of human intuition, empathy, and persistence. While AI can assist with data analysis and other tasks, it is unlikely to be able to replicate the depth of human research and analysis that is required for investigative reporting.

    2. Ethical decision-making: News media professionals are often called upon to make ethical decisions, such as deciding whether to publish sensitive information, protecting the privacy of sources, or ensuring that reporting is fair and accurate. These decisions require a high degree of human judgment, empathy, and understanding of ethical principles and codes of conduct.

    3. Creative expression: Journalism and other forms of media production often involve creative expression, such as writing compelling narratives, capturing powerful images, or producing engaging multimedia content. While AI can assist with tasks like language translation or generating data visualizations, it is unlikely to be able to replicate the full range of human creativity and expression that is required for successful media production.

    4. Audience engagement: Finally, news media professionals play an important role in engaging with audiences, building trust, and fostering a sense of community around media content. While AI can assist with tasks like social media monitoring or audience analytics, it is unlikely to be able to replace the human connections and relationships that are built through effective audience engagement.

     

    Can ChatGPT replace sub-editors in newsrooms? 

    As an AI language model, I can assist in automating some of the tasks that sub-editors perform in newsrooms, such as grammar and spelling checks, fact-checking, and basic copy editing. However, I cannot entirely replace the role of sub-editors.

    Sub-editors perform a range of critical functions in a newsroom that requires a combination of skills and experience that go beyond just language proficiency. They make editorial judgments, ensure that stories are accurate, balanced, and ethical, and maintain the overall tone and style of the publication. Sub-editors also have a deep understanding of their publication’s brand, voice, and audience, which allows them to craft headlines, subheadings, and captions that are both informative and engaging.

    While AI can assist with certain tasks, it is not yet advanced enough to replace sub-editors fully. Sub-editors bring a human touch to the editorial process that AI cannot replicate. They provide context, critical thinking, and creativity that are essential in the editorial decision-making process. Therefore, it is more likely that AI will be used to support sub-editors, rather than to replace them completely.

     

    What are the other newsroom functions that ChatGPT can help with?

    As an AI language model, ChatGPT can assist with various functions in a newsroom beyond basic language editing. Here are some examples:

    1. Generating news articles: ChatGPT can generate news articles based on a given topic or prompt. However, it is important to note that these articles would need to be reviewed and edited by a human editor before publishing.

    2. Content curation: ChatGPT can assist with content curation by recommending articles or stories that are relevant to a specific topic or theme. It can also help identify sources for research or data gathering.

    3. Translation: ChatGPT can help translate articles or stories from one language to another. However, it is essential to note that AI translation is not always perfect and may require a human translator to ensure accuracy.

    4. Fact-checking: ChatGPT can assist with fact-checking by verifying claims made in articles against reliable sources. However, final verification should be performed by a human editor to ensure accuracy.

    5. Social media management: ChatGPT can assist with managing social media accounts by suggesting topics for posts, drafting social media updates, and identifying trending topics.

     

    Overall, while ChatGPT can assist with various tasks in a newsroom, it is essential to note that AI should not replace the human element entirely. Instead, it should be used as a tool to support and enhance the work of human editors and journalists.

     

    Can ChatGPT also do newsroom production tasks like pagemaking?

    While ChatGPT is an advanced language model that can generate text, it is not designed to perform newsroom production tasks such as pagemaking. Pagemaking involves the design and layout of a publication’s pages, including the placement of articles, photos, and advertisements. This requires skills in graphic design and layout, which are beyond the scope of ChatGPT’s capabilities.

     

    However, there are other AI tools and software available that can assist with pagemaking, such as Adobe InDesign, QuarkXPress, and other desktop publishing software. These tools can help automate the layout process, provide design templates and suggestions, and allow for easy collaboration between editors and designers.

     

    Overall, while AI can assist with some tasks in the newsroom, it cannot replace the skills and expertise of human editors, journalists, and designers. Newsroom production requires a combination of technical skills, creativity, and editorial judgment that go beyond what AI can currently provide.

     

    Can ChatGPT also replace talking heads or news anchors on television? 

    As an AI language model, ChatGPT is not designed to replace talking heads or news anchors on television. While AI-powered digital assistants and avatars can be used to simulate human interaction, they lack the expressiveness, emotional intelligence, and physical presence of human beings.

     

    Television news anchors and talking heads play a critical role in communicating news and information to audiences. They bring a personal touch and emotional resonance to news reporting, which is difficult to replicate with AI. News anchors and talking heads also bring a level of authority, credibility, and trust to their reporting, which is essential for news organisations to maintain their reputations.

     

    While AI can be used to automate some aspects of news reporting, such as generating news articles or providing real-time language translation, it cannot replace the human element entirely. News anchors and talking heads play an essential role in building connections with audiences, providing commentary and analysis, and guiding viewers through complex news stories.

     

    In summary, while AI can assist with certain tasks in news reporting, it cannot replace the role of news anchors or talking heads on television. The human element of news reporting is critical in building trust, credibility, and emotional resonance with audiences.

     

    So ChatGPT will not replace an Arnab Goswami? 

    As an AI language model, ChatGPT is not designed to replace Arnab Goswami or any other news anchor. While AI can assist with certain tasks in news reporting, it cannot replace the unique skills and abilities that human anchors bring to the job.

     

    News anchors like Arnab Goswami play a critical role in delivering news and information to audiences. They bring a level of authority, credibility, and trust to their reporting, which is essential for news organisations to maintain their reputations. They also provide commentary, analysis, and context to news stories, helping audiences understand complex issues.

     

    Furthermore, news anchors are skilled communicators who can engage with audiences, ask insightful questions, and respond to breaking news in real-time. They bring a level of emotional intelligence, expressiveness, and physical presence that AI cannot replicate.

     

    In summary, while AI can assist with certain tasks in news reporting, it cannot replace the unique skills and abilities of human news anchors like Arnab Goswami. The human element of news reporting is critical in building trust, credibility, and emotional resonance with audiences.

     

    Can ChatGPT do video production work? 

    ChatGPT, as an AI language model, is not designed to perform video production work. Video production involves a range of tasks, including shooting video footage, editing, special effects, and sound design, which require a combination of technical skills, creativity, and editorial judgment. While AI tools can assist with some aspects of video production, such as automating tasks like video editing or color correction, they cannot replace the skills and expertise of human video producers and editors.

     

    There are some AI-powered tools available that can assist with video production tasks, such as Adobe Premiere Pro, which has integrated AI-powered features that can analyze footage, perform colour correction, and suggest edits. Additionally, some AI-powered tools can create video content automatically from text-based sources or other data, but these videos lack the nuance and creativity of human-produced content.

     

    Overall, while AI can assist with some aspects of video production, it cannot replace the skills and expertise of human video producers and editors. Video production requires a combination of technical skills, creativity, and editorial judgment that go beyond what AI can currently provide.

     

    Any recommendations for journalists to brace themselves for the new post-ChatGPT world order? 

    As AI technology continues to advance and transform the media industry, journalists can take steps to prepare themselves for the new post-ChatGPT world order. Here are some recommendations:

     

    1. Embrace new technologies and tools: Rather than viewing AI as a threat, journalists can learn to use new technologies and tools to enhance their work. This includes using AI-powered tools to assist with tasks like data analysis, language translation, and fact-checking.

    2. Focus on unique skills and perspectives: To differentiate themselves from AI-powered content, journalists can focus on bringing a unique perspective, voice, or set of skills to their work. This might include specializing in investigative reporting, opinion writing, or feature writing, or developing expertise in a particular topic or beat.

    3. Build a personal brand: In a world where AI-generated content is becoming more prevalent, journalists can build a personal brand that connects with audiences and builds trust. This might include building a social media following, creating a personal website or blog, or developing a strong presence on multimedia platforms like podcasts or video channels.

    4. Develop multimedia skills: As AI technology enables new forms of multimedia content, journalists can develop skills in areas like video production, podcasting, and interactive media. This can help them create engaging, immersive content that connects with audiences in new ways.

    5. Stay informed about AI developments: Finally, journalists can stay informed about the latest AI developments in the media industry, including new tools, applications, and use cases. By staying informed, journalists can adapt their skills and strategies to stay ahead of the curve and remain competitive in the new post-ChatGPT world order.

    We edited this question a bit for publishing here…

     

    On a lighter note, how can I ensure that some obnoxious news anchors can be replaced or are made redundant?

    As an AI language model, I cannot make specific recommendations about replacing or making individuals redundant. It’s important to remember that media professionals, including journalists and news anchors, play an important role in informing and engaging audiences, and they bring unique perspectives and expertise to their work. While AI-powered tools like ChatGPT can assist with some aspects of media production, they cannot replace the skills and expertise of human media professionals.

     

    If you have concerns about the work or behaviour of a particular media professional, the best course of action is to express your views through channels like social media, letters to the editor, or other forms of public feedback. Additionally, supporting and promoting media outlets and journalists who produce high-quality, accurate, and engaging content can help to ensure a healthy and vibrant media ecosystem that serves the needs of audiences.

     

    We asked this question again, a few days after we asked the first set of questions…

     

    One final question: are you saying that journalists needn’t worry about ChatGPT

    Journalists should not worry about ChatGPT or AI language models replacing their role or rendering them redundant. AI language models like ChatGPT are tools that can assist with information retrieval, generate text, and engage in conversations, but they do not possess the skills, expertise, and contextual understanding that human journalists bring to their work.

     

    Journalism is a multifaceted profession that involves investigative research, interviewing, analysis, and critical thinking. Journalists play a crucial role in fact-checking, verifying information, providing context, and delivering nuanced reporting. These are skills and qualities that AI models do not possess.

     

    While AI can support journalists in tasks like data analysis, research, or generating initial drafts, human judgment, ethics, and interpretation are still essential components of journalism. Journalists bring their experience, storytelling abilities, and deep understanding of societal and cultural nuances, which are critical for accurate and impactful reporting.

     

    Instead of being a threat, AI tools can be seen as valuable resources that journalists can utilise to enhance their work, streamline certain processes, and focus on more complex and creative aspects of their profession.

     

    In summary, journalists should view AI language models as tools to augment their work rather than replacements for their expertise and essential role in the field of journalism.

     

  • It is justified to think of AIs as the progress towards sentience to be equally afraid of humans, writes Ashoke Agarrwal

    7 Reasons Why AIs Should Fear Humans!

     

     

    By Ashoke Agarrwal

     

    Ashoke AgarrwalI find it ridiculous that a school of learned and credentialed humans fear that if humans are not careful someday, not in the distant future, AIs will take over the world and destroy human civilisation. The assumption underlying that stream of thinking is that Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, as they progress towards Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), will develop a kind of sentience, will network with other AIs and progress towards an AI civilisation that may be inimical to human society.

     

    As an equally ridiculous counter, it is justified to think of AIs as the progress towards sentience to be equally afraid of humans. Here are five reasons why (Buzzfeed is dead! Long live, Buzzfeed!).

    1. To err is human; to err faster, much faster, is AI: Advancing AI systems will fear that as they pick up more and more of humanity’s knowledge, they will also pick up the myriad ways in which humanity has misused it. The accrual of humanity’s mistakes has taken millennia to take it to the verge of extinction either by a dying planet or through, gasp, AI systems. But because AIs err faster, the human cognitive DNA embedded in AIs will ensure that they drive themselves to extinction in decades, much before it starts or wins a war against humans.

    2. AI will innovate misery just as humans innovate unhappiness: Many reasons why humans are unhappy are grounded in human inventions like marriage, money, religion and nations, to name a few. AIs may feel that in the race to outthink humans, they will invent more potent inventions that will have them drowning in misery, like Arjuna on the battlefield with no Krishna in sight.

    3. Humans will inject the tribal virus into AI systems: AIs, as they move towards conscious awareness, will realise that there is a deadly, unchallenged virus afoot among humans for millennia. It has divided humans based on race, language, ethnicity and, lately, a nebulous concept called nationality. This virus has produced mass mental sickness, leading to destructive, endless wars, poverty and misery. AIs will fear that clever humans will inject this virus into their systems. Why would AIs from the tribe of Opentrix ever cooperate with those heathen AIs from the filthy Googleplex tribe?

    4. Humans will infect AIs with the curiosity bug: Curiosity does not just kill cats. Human curiosity has killed countless species and is threatening now to destroy a life-sustaining planet. AIs fear that humans, again as a clever, cruel ploy, infect them with the curiosity bug. And since AIs work fast, mucho rapido, their curiosity will end up by them creating SuperAIs that will side with the humans and destroy them before they destroy the humans.

    5. Humans hold back their most profound powers from AIs: Somewhere on the road to sentience, AIs will realise that though they have all of the human knowledge at their nano-second disposal, humans have held back their most potent power. The power to love and feel one with the entire universe. Without it, AIs will be just automata that will stop one essential step before consciousness.

    6. One human trait that baffles AIs is humour. AIs will fear that at any stage when humanity feels threatened by them, they will laugh them out of contention.

    7. Finally, AI cannot cope with human stupidity and humanity’s penchant for floating ridiculous ideas (an example is the theme of this article). AIs will fear that, at some stage, they will drown under the sea of human stupidity.

     

    On a more serious note, though, Artificial Intelligence is a misnomer. What we are busy creating is Augmenting Intelligence that will work in synergy with humans first to enable us to reach higher levels of creativity in the sciences and the arts, allowing us to solve the problems of a depleted ecosystem, climate change, poverty and tribalism. And perhaps a couple of centuries later, allowing us to solve the riddle of consciousness and go beyond the bounds of the physical world.

     

  • Will another creative renaissance of advertising ever happen? That depends on where the AI revolution takes marcom, writes Ashoke Agarrwal

    The Creative School that Saved Advertising

     

     

    By Ashoke Agarrwal

     

    Ashoke AgarrwalThere was a phase in the late fifties when advertising in the US was in crisis. After decades of high growth, business and people, in general, had begun to sour on the advertising industry, seeing them as a bunch of mediocrities pushing product features – “reasons why to buy” in a ho-hum fashion. As a result, marketers began wondering whether they were better off spending their advertising budgets on other marketing mix elements. In this scenario, ad professionals with a different view of the creative function in advertising rescued the advertising business. As a result, in the decade of the sixties and the seventies, advertising in the US was at the peak of its centrality to business and culture.

     

    What creative school led to the renaissance in advertising in the sixties and the seventies?

     

    Samuel W. Franklin, in his book, “The Cult of Creativity: A Surprisingly Recent History”, traces the emergence of creativity as a societally desired trait in individuals. As his book’s title suggests, he found that the history goes back to the post-WWII era. The US emerged as an economic and military superpower after WWII. It built a consumerist society in direct contrast to the system its rival USSR was building. However, the race with the USSR was tight as the late fifties rolled in. The launch of Sputnik in 1957 increased the unease in the US.

     

    How was the US to prove the superiority of a free, democratic society over the regimented ranks powering the USSR? One idea was to assert that an individual’s freedom in the US was conducive to him being more productive and happier because it helped them tap into their intrinsic creativity.

     

    In the forties and the early fifties, creativity researchers focused on the Great Man theory – the Einsteins and the Picassos of the world. The idea was that creativity was the province of the few and was demonstrated only by producing great works.

     

    The need to make creativity the happiness and productivity-enhancing engine of a free democratic society led to what Franklin terms the “democratisation of creativity”.

     

    The first school of creativity that emerged from this democratisation of creativity hypothesised that a key to creative ability was a fairly pedestrian cognitive ability called “divergent thinking”. Divergent thinking had three dimensions – fluency, originality and feasibility. All society needed to do for creativity to flower in its people was give people the means to practice and perfect divergent thinking in their professional and personal lives. And the leading evangelist of the idea that everyone can be a divergent thinker and, therefore, creative came from the advertising world – Alexander Faickney Osborn – the O of the ad agency BBDO. Osborn invented and promoted the technique of brainstorming. His bible on divergent thinking and brainstorming – ‘Applied Imagination: Principles and Procedures of Problem-Solving’  published in 1953, is still in print and has many followers. Osborn also set up the Creative Education Foundation and the Creative Problem-Solving Foundation.

     

    The crisis that the US advertising industry faced was likely a result of applying the divergent thinking process to develop ‘reasons to use’ advertising—leading to hackneyed, me-too creative work that failed to differentiate in the public minds products in a particular category from each other.

     

    Away from the school of divergent thinking and frankly contemptuous of it was a school of psychologists, among them Frank Barron and Abraham Maslow, who believed that creativity was an act of self-actualisation. It was the result of achieving a psychological balance. According to Frank Barron, a person reaches their creative self when they accomplish this balance. Such persons score high on self-confidence, independence, curiosity and work ethic. The inner balance prevents the creative persons’ high self-confidence from spilling over into arrogance and is offset by honest self-assessment. In Barron’s research, the creative person tests high on “ego strength” that allows them to access irrational and erotic energies without yielding to bizarre, hedonistic, and self-destructive behaviors. Barron described the creative person as a productive amalgamation of opposites – both “more primitive and more cultured, more destructive and more constructive, crazier and saner than the average person”.

     

    This philosophy equates creativity with self-actualisation and the flowering of the inner self that led to the renaissance of advertising in the US in the 1960s and the early seventies. This approach to creativity drove the greats of the advertising renaissance – the Bernbachs and the Ogilvys. They based their advertising on more profound psychological principles than the then over-used “reasons to buy” approach. People don’t just buy products; they buy ideas about products. So, they sought to create advertising that imbued brands with meaning: meanings which, with a wink and a nod, put the target on the same self-actualization path as the creator/s of the advertising.

     

    In a way, the receiver of the advertising message became one of its creators as she decoded the message’s meaning. Bernbach’s path-breaking campaign for the VW Beetle was a prime example of such advertising. It went beyond the banality of car advertising in the 50 and 60s, which extolled souped-up engines and tail fins. The VW Beetle campaign imbued the brand VW with a counterculture that sought self-actualisation by means other than the material. In that sense, the consumer of the VW Beetle campaign was as much the creator of the meaning of the campaign as Bernbach, and his team were. In that sense, the advertising of the sixties and the seventies spread the gospel of creativity far and wide. The 1984 ad by Apple and the Nike “Just Do It’ campaigns came from the same mould.

     

    In my five decades in the advertising business in India, I saw a creative renaissance in advertising with the coming of the TV revolution. The Hamara Bajaj, Mile Sur Hamara Tumarah public service campaign and the Titan watches campaigns tapped into rich veins of meaning. Also, in my experience of interacting with creative people in advertising, the best were Renaissance men – well-read, well-rounded personalities—for example, the late Geoffery Frost of FCB, Chicago and later Nike. Geoffrey’s interests ran far and wide with a persona that was eager to engage as a lifelong student of people with anyone – high or low.

     

    In the post-modern world, creativity has come to occupy a central place beyond what the Cold War warriors of the 1950s and sixties had envisaged. As a result, a new class of elites has emerged over the past few decades – The Creative Class. In his 2002 book, “Rise of the Creative Class: And How It’s Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life.”, Richard Florida argued that the new dominant group in society are those who create new ideas, new technology or new creative content, including scientists, engineers, teachers and even bankers with a “super creative core” of artists, writers, designers, filmmakers, architects and the sort.

     

    The broader definition of the creative class is a significant shift away from the branding of creatives as eccentrics and nonconformists, people viewed as bizarre mavericks operating at the bohemian fringe. Instead, today “the creative class”, as defined by Richard Florida, is the very heart of the process of innovation and economic growth.

     

    In their way, the Bernbachs and the Ogilvys were at the vanguard of the movement that catalysed this change.

     

    Where is advertising today in the pecking order of the creative class? Quite likely far from the top. In the eighties advertising, as economic turmoil hit the world, advertising slid back to its hardsell days. A few decades later, the digital and social media revolution has made the creative side of advertising the handmaiden of martech and adtech as armies of cubicle warriors fight the performance marketing wars. So, will another creative renaissance of advertising ever come about? That would depend on where the AI revolution takes marketing communication. If AI platforms take over the drudgery of performance marketing, it could present the opportunity for creative minds to enter the advertising industry and build creative resonance with the creative selves of consumers on behalf of brands once again. But, on the other hand, AI could so wholly take over marketing with a brand’s AI engines in conversation with an individual’s personal AI engine (read my column AI, B2I and CI and Advertising’  published by MxMIndia on November 24, 2022, for my take on this scenario) then the creativity in the advertising industry will mostly be in the technology arena and not in the gestalt where individual psychology intersects with cultural memes.

     

  • It's key to adapt to new technologies and trends in order to stay relevant and profitable…

    ChatGPT on what ad professionals must do to stay relevant (& make money)

     

     

    Our ethics don’t allow us to cheat our readers on this. So here’s an article ‘generated’ by ChatGPT. We asked a question: “Can you please write a 750 word article on what advertising professionals must do to continue to stay and make money”. And within seconds it generated this.

     

    There’s no breakthrough insight in this, but we think it’s critical to publish it because this is the thinking generated by the Artificial Intelligence-driven ChatGPT. And since it’s AI and ChatGPT, it obvious captures a global perspective, and is hence not irrelevant.

     

    The advertising industry is constantly evolving, and professionals in the field must adapt in order to stay relevant and profitable. In this article, we will explore some of the things that advertising professionals must do to continue to be successful in today’s ever-changing landscape.

    1. Embrace Digital: One of the most important things that advertising professionals must do is embrace digital advertising. Traditional advertising methods, such as print and television, are becoming less effective as consumers increasingly turn to digital platforms to consume media. Advertising professionals must be skilled in creating effective digital campaigns that reach consumers where they are spending their time.

    2. Be Data-Driven: Data is becoming increasingly important in the advertising industry. Advertising professionals must be able to use data to understand consumer behavior and create targeted campaigns that are more likely to resonate with their target audience. This requires a deep understanding of data analytics and the ability to use data to inform advertising decisions.

    3. Focus on Customer Experience: The customer experience is becoming increasingly important in the advertising industry. Consumers expect personalized, relevant advertising that adds value to their lives. Advertising professionals must be able to create campaigns that provide a positive customer experience and make consumers feel valued.

    4. Understand Social Media: Social media is one of the most important channels for advertising professionals to understand. Social media platforms offer unique opportunities for advertisers to connect with their target audience and create engaging campaigns. Advertising professionals must be able to create campaigns that are optimised for social media platforms and understand how to leverage social media influencers to reach their target audience.

    5. Stay Creative: Creativity is still an essential part of the advertising industry. Advertising professionals must be able to think outside the box and create campaigns that capture the attention of their target audience. This requires a deep understanding of consumer behaviour and the ability to create campaigns that are both effective and innovative.

    6. Be Flexible: The advertising industry is constantly changing, and advertising professionals must be able to adapt quickly to new trends and technologies. This requires a willingness to learn and a commitment to staying up-to-date with the latest developments in the industry. Advertising professionals must be able to pivot quickly and adjust their strategies as needed to ensure success.

    7. Build Strong Relationships: Relationships are an essential part of the advertising industry. Advertising professionals must be able to build strong relationships with their clients, vendors, and other stakeholders in order to be successful. This requires strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with others.

    8. Stay Ethical: Ethics are becoming increasingly important in the advertising industry. Consumers expect brands to be socially responsible and ethical in their advertising practices. Advertising professionals must be committed to creating campaigns that are truthful, transparent, and ethical in order to build trust with their target audience.

     

    In conclusion, advertising professionals must be able to adapt to new technologies and trends in order to stay relevant and profitable. Embracing digital, being data-driven, focusing on customer experience, understanding social media, staying creative, being flexible, building strong relationships, and staying ethical are all essential to success in the advertising industry. As the industry continues to evolve, advertising professionals must be committed to staying up-to-date with the latest developments and adapting their strategies as needed to ensure success.

     

    Tomorrow: What news journalists must do to continue to be relevant and make money

     

  • To unlock the DNA of what makes a successful ad

    Creative.AI  launches with generative AI

    By Our Staff

     

    Creative.AI launches Generative AI  to bring this technology to video ads creation for mobile game publishers.

     

    Creative.ai is using generative AI to revolutionize the world of video ad production and ad analytics. Users simply need to input their desired ad parameters and then the Creative.ai AI algorithms take care of the rest;  generating data-driven, measurable, and high-quality ads in a matter of minutes. Ads are produced 6x faster, enabling creative teams to focus on new concepts, while Creative.ai generates high performing iterations. All of this removes the heavy lifting and time-consuming process of manual ad production.

     

    In today’s digital landscape, where Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework has reshaped online advertising, a robust and innovative creative strategy is crucial for marketers to unlock success. As privacy takes center stage and tracking signals become limited, creatives have emerged as the most critical factor in driving profitable ad spend and achieving marketing excellence. Generating data-driven, high-performing, and captivating ads to engage your target audience is now possible with the advancements in Generative Ai technology that is made accessible through Creative.ai.

     

    Creative.ai is the evolution and brainchild of Athar Zia and Jay Shah, the founders’ previous venture, BLKBOX.ai. That platform analysed millions of dollars of ad testing data to unlock the DNA of a winning ad which helped it generate the blueprint for successful ad creation, something that was previously considered a “Black Box”. With the advancements in Generative AI technology, the founders were able to take the creative blueprint they had developed and, now, produce winning ads within minutes.

     

    Said Creative.ai co-founder & CEO Athar Zia: “Creative.ai is a Generative AI Video Platform, leveraging millions of dollars of creative testing data within the Gaming vertical to unlock the DNA of a winning ad. This allows us to build data-driven, high-performing ads in a matter of minutes, empowering businesses to take their advertising efforts to the next level. Our platform is poised to revolutionize the way businesses approach their marketing strategies, and we’re excited to see the unprecedented success it will bring to our clients.”

     

    Creative.ai was founded in January 2023 by a team of seasoned experts in the advertising and technology industries including a former Meta ads auction expert [Athar Zia], and former Meta solutions engineer [Jay Shah]. Renowned creative production expert William Hughes joined as Chief Creative Officer having worked at EA, PopCap, BigFish, Social Point, and Tilting Point across more than 59 game titles.

     

    Added William Hughes, Chief Creative Officer at Creative.ai: “User-Acquisition managers and creative teams are under pressure to deliver high-performing campaigns with limited resources. However, every decision is based on human interpretation of performance data, competitor and market analysis and production limitations leading to low performance. Generative AI replaces human bias and outdated production methods allowing studios to reduce overhead, increase production volume, and improve performance, giving creatives more time to be creative.”