It’s not as new as you think. It feels like it’s everywhere now, and soon enough it will be. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been part of our technology for quite some time. From automated customer service phone calls to Alexa and Siri, we have interacted with AI in some fashion over this still early 21st Century.
Now, we see AI as a content generator in the creative field where an algorithm can create images or write copy with only a few keystrokes. With programming, AI can generate code automatically without the need for a developer to write the code or to find open source code already established. For many in the creative sector, it can feel like a method to replace human artistic expression and imagination. For others, it’s a way to cut costs (as well as staff) and churn out content in record time.
So which is the truth?
As with everything in the creative world, art can be subjective to the point of view. Graphic designers by and large use stock images to generate visuals for projects that they themselves did not create from scratch. However, we must not forget that those “stock” images came from photographers or illustrators paid for their work to be used by others.
And herein lies the paradox: If AI is a method where all creative works are scanned, stored, and then used to artificially generate “new” content, is that not in a way Intellectual Property theft? How do we resolve, for example, using AI to create an image for a design project or copy that wasn’t created at some point by a person compensated for their original work?
One solution to this debate is to view AI simply as a tool to bring an idea to life. In terms of copywriting, using AI like ChatGPT could help a writer to think of different ways to convey a thought, while still using their own words based on their ideas. For graphic artists, using AI to generate an image based on their imagination may help to visualize a concept that could help them then create the image using software like Photoshop or Illustrator, or to search out a stock image that still compensates the original creator for their work.
For those of us who took the path into the creative world, we don’t want a program to create for us. That defeats the purpose of being a “creative”. To view AI as another tool we use without eliminating the “human touch” element of creativity, however, could be the bridge to viewing AI not as a replacement, but simply as a supplement.
There’s a creed in the creative world: “Content Is King.” This idea is what drives us on any project we are tasked with creating. “Content” being the copy written, the images used, or the overall layout and message – with an emotion or intent of the viewer we are hoping to achieve. Who will be “king” of content now? Will it still be the human creator, or left to AI? The sub-line of this creed – for us anyway – has always been good Content Is King.
That is something we must all remember as technology flies past us at lighting speed. There is not and will never be a replacement for the “human” element. Our thoughts, ideas, emotions, and aspirations are what make any creative piece unique and gives it “heart.”
In terms of the Advertising & Marketing world, the human element is key for the emotional component that inspires people and draws them to a company’s message, service, or product. That “feeling” towards a brand is what makes them loyal customers and encourages others to support the company or business. This is something (we hope) that can never be easily replaced by something “artificial.”
