Even if you have not been keeping up with digital trends today, I am sure that we are all aware of the rise in Gen AI. However, the term AI is used ambiguously and referenced to many forms of intelligent machines and software. As a result, it is used as an umbrella term for many other forms and classifications for specific AI software. First and foremost, let's delve into:

What is AI?

Aforementioned, there are many types of classifications of AI. In this article today, we will be using Huang and Wang’s (2023) classification of AI, whereby AI can be split into 4 different categories.

1. Converser: AI-powered conversational agents (e.g chatbots and smart speakers)

   *You can also check out our article on the rise of chatbots here and everything you need to know about ChatGPT here.

2. Creator: AI content generators / AI Content Writers (e.g news articles and artworks)

3. Curator: AI checkers / AI-agents that collect, select, and present information to users according to certain criteria relevant to the functional area (e.g false information or POFMA)

4. Contemplator: AI-agents that recommend optimal solutions and make decisions through collecting and analyzing relevant information from users and other sources

For this article specifically, we will be focused on the “Creator” classification, or otherwise known as Generative AI as well.

Overview of Generative AI

To reiterate, Gen AI is artificial intelligence that can produce various types of content, including text, imagery, audio and synthetic data. Thus, more recently, we would be able to observe AI in digital marketing, AI in advertising or simply put, AI being integrated into different parts of the creative industry in order to generate content that are related to, or in-line with the company's vision.

Implications of Gen AI in the Creative Industry

1. Lack of Creativity and Quality

   One of the most obvious implications that one would automatically turn to when incorporating Gen AI into creative content is the lack of creativity. Some images and videos we see today are unmistakenly AI-generated. There is a lack of liveliness and is easily identifiable as “copies” of original work. Compared to previously where art came in many forms - animations, paintings, sculptures (the list is truly endless) all of which with their own distinct styles for every single artist. However, with AI, art-styles, art mediums and designs as unique identities have all been put into a melting pot and repurposed to a uniformed and generic art-style which fails to provoke emotions or actions that companies are looking for.

2. Risk of Automation Bias

   AI as mentioned before takes into consideration huge amount of data. It then processes these data in order to formulate outputs for users. However, data that has been input into AI all stems from humans. As such, the data is packed with human biases, human discrimination along with human errors. These error-packed data, funneled through AI may then inadvertently perpetuate biased outcomes, leading to inaccurate content generation.

3. Consumer Resistance Due to Machine Heuristics

   Machine heuristics refer to the set of perceptions or stereotypes that humans hold about machines. With the lack of general understanding about AI, how it works and operates, many of us tend to be skeptical of AI and what it generates. Additionally, it is evident that AI is flawed, attributed to it still being in its development stage for the most part. When using ChatGPT for example, how likely are you to fact-check the information given? Even in educational institutes, we are taught to always check and validate the information given to us by technology. Clearly, there is an air of mistrust and doubt. Apart from general anxiety about new technology, resistance can also be attributed to a phenomenon named algorithm aversion where people lean towards choosing humans over algorithms even if they are aware that algorithms outperform humans in a certain task. Therefore, consumers of creative work may also be resistant and skeptical to AI-driven creative work (such as marketing content, advertisements, artworks and more), viewing them as impersonal.

Despite these implications, it is not to say the Gen AI should be avoided completely. Gen AI does have many perks too, evident in its incorporation in many parts of our world today.

Benefits of Gen AI in the Creative Industry

1. Generation of Ideas

   Although mentioned above that Gen AI may seem to lack creativity and quality, arguably, it is still capable of creating what humans are unable to, especially at an exceptional speed. Furthermore, with the immense data size that it is capable of handling, Gen AI to some extent is still capable of generating concepts and ideas that humans might take a long time before even coming across.

2. Personalization

   As reiterated multiple times in this blog, AI has the ability to analyze and sieve through large amounts of data. As a result, it is capable of creating campaigns and messages tailored to individual preferences and behaviors. Generally, it takes a lot of time spent in research in order to fully understand and comprehend societies that we are not part of and preferences of individuals that we do not understand. As a result, messages that we are trying to send through our creative works might not echo as loud as desired towards our audiences. The use of Gen AI, however, cuts this process down manifolds. With existing data of the audiences, we are trying to reach, it can be programmed to immediately generate ideas that would speak to them.

3. Dynamic Content Creation

   How much time would you say you spend on your mobile phones doom scrolling your interests and hobbies? Now, how much of that time spent is relevant to the trends today? Living in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) world today, information is constantly being transmitted, knowledge is constantly being shared and data is running from system to system all day long, all year round. Furthermore, Gen AI is kept up to date. Making use of Gene AI would then give companies the edge to generate dynamic content that adapts to real-time user interactions, preferences and daily trending topics and events. Thus, companies would be able to deliver more relevant and timely content to engage consumers and increase conversion rates.

Summary

Ultimately, companies should look into embracing the rise in Gen AI as it is up and coming. Avoiding it would only prolong the transition and cause firms to fall behind. As long firms are willing to educate their employees on how to prompt and fact-check information that come from Gen AI, it should prevent the misuse and unintentional bias and discrimination that seeps into the messages that they try to send their audiences. Instead of being afraid of new technology, we should embrace and view AI as a tool. By being able to extract all the benefits of AI, we would be able to use it to our advantage. The more we make use of AI, the more we familiarize ourselves with it, extinguishing all negative stereotypes and views we have of new technology.

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