The industry is buzzing with debate over generative AI’s role. Will it replace our jobs or open up new opportunities? Is it a mere tool or a creative partner?
Should we embrace it or resist it? Amidst this whirlwind of opinions, it’s crucial to step back and understand where all this uncertainty stems from.
Generative AI didn’t just appear overnight; it has been quietly transforming our work for years.
In fact, Adobe has been using AI and machine learning for a while now in most of its Creative Suite tools. Features like Adobe Sensei have enhanced creative workflows by automating repetitive tasks and suggesting design elements.
Similarly, the gaming industry has been generating vast and complex worlds using generative AI for years. Games like ‘No Man’s Sky’ utilise procedural generation to create entire planets, ecosystems, and landscapes dynamically.
Generative AI has been part of the creative industry for years, but the uncertainty we face today stems from the technology becoming super accessible and being labelled independently as AI.
This shift has magnified its presence and potential impact, sparking debates on its role and future implications.
Navigating the balance
As we navigate the future of AI in creativity, it’s essential to strike a balance. Generative AI is not destined to transform our world into a utopia or a dystopia. Instead, it represents a powerful enabler that can significantly impact our industry based on how we choose to use it.
The key lies in our responsibility to guide this technology towards positive outcomes. By leveraging AI thoughtfully and ethically, we can harness its potential to enhance creativity and efficiency without losing the human touch that makes our work unique.
Diving deeper into generative AI usage
Generative AI is redefining the creative process in two main areas: creative efficiency and creative excellence.
Creative efficiency: AI helps us work faster, more accurately, and at scale. Large language models ensure our copy is error-free—imagine never misspelling ‘definitely’ again.
AI enables us to create highly personalised content quickly, optimising our work to better meet the needs of clients and audiences.
Creative excellence: AI opens new avenues for creativity. It allows us to analyse vast amounts of data to find trends and insights that inspire innovative ideas.
AI tools can generate initial drafts, suggest improvements, and even create complex designs or artwork that would be time-consuming for humans alone.
This collaboration between human creativity and AI capabilities can lead to extraordinary creative outcomes.
Our creative teams have been at the forefront of exploring these frontiers. One of the most brilliant case studies is from Leo Burnett Germany, “Climate of Realism.”
The team brought our climate future to life through the eyes of famous painters. AI pipelines were trained on the styles of painters like Van Gogh, and then current climate change data was fed into the system to show the audience how those landscapes have changed beyond recognition and how they will look in the future.
What stands out about this campaign is how the team used AI to create a new and unique perspective on climate change.
We have become accustomed to seeing futuristic images of our planet’s potential fate, to the point where we have grown somewhat immune to their impact.
By showing us the same dire consequences through the lens of iconic paintings brought to life, the campaign strikes a different nerve.
The AI-generated images show the gradual deterioration of these famous landscapes, making the impending climate crisis more relatable and poignant.
This innovative approach brings the issue to our attention in a fresh and impactful way.
Another notable example is the campaign “Taste the AI” for NESTLÉ La Lechera, created by Publicis Colombia. To celebrate its 100th anniversary in Colombia, La Lechera created never-before-seen recipes with unique ingredient combinations.
The campaign featured 10 recipes representing each of the last ten decades, incorporating historical facts, iconic flavours, artistic trends, and condensed milk.
With the help of a historian, the most relevant data from each decade was processed and put into Midjourney, generating ten unique images that inspired the recipes.
These desserts were then brought to life and displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in Bogotá, offering visitors a real taste of history through innovative culinary creations.
Generative AI has already been integrated into our industry in various forms and has shown its potential to enhance creativity rather than hinder it.
By embracing AI responsibly and creatively, we can unlock new opportunities and ensure that technology serves as a partner in our creative endeavors, rather than a threat.
By Ahmed Younis, Chief Creative Officer at Publicis Communications
