TITLE: Co-Managing Director, PHD MENA
YEARS IN THE ROLE: 1 year
YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY: 17 years
YEARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST REGION: 20 years
POWER ESSAY: IT STARTS AND ENDS WITH US – THE HUMAN ROLE IN GEN AI
Resistance and evolution are two remarkable opposing forces. In art, music, technology, we constantly analyse the impact of any type of change on our little world and tend to stick to the familiar, i.e. the path of least resistance. Yet, we often fall for the new, jumping on trends and adopting new behaviours. Yet, while the proliferation of AI in the content we consume may seem to erode our ability to make conscious choices, it becomes even more crucial that we are the ultimate arbiters and curators of the choices we make and the content we consume.
Consider Face App. While some avoid it on ethical grounds, many use it and unknowingly muddle the beauty norms on social media. Similarly, using GenAI to write captions is certainly efficient, but they end up all reading the same. The problem is not the device, but the usage we make of it. While convenient, this uniformity raises questions about originality and value. GenAI may be efficient, but by making many things readily available and often at little to no cost, it is contributing to a decline in the value of products and services.
This is also true to our industry, where AI will become foundational in how we operate. The perceived value of creative work has plummeted because it’s now so easily accessible. If GenAI can create content at the click of a button, where does the true value lie? Who gets to define it? To add to the complexity, AI generated content becomes more sophisticated as we designed algorithms to learn at brisk speed. How will we assess the value of this content? Will human-created work be compared to AI-generated pieces? And most importantly, will it even matter?
GenAI has achieved remarkable progress in creating content that can match, or even surpass, human abilities. But the real question isn’t the source of a piece of content but whether it resonates with its audience on a human level. The worth of a piece of writing or work of art isn’t tied to its origin but to its ability to connect with audiences, evoke emotions, or spark thought. In a world where everyone can create, it’s the curators and connoisseurs who determine value. Human judgement, intent, empathy, ethics, and contextual understanding are what ultimately assign value.
We are still the decision makers. Our choices determine the success of brands and businesses. While we embrace AI’s benefits, we know it lacks emotional depth. Face App can be used to create the most beautiful face imaginable, but it will never have the impact of Sharbat Gula, the “Afghan Girl” whose National Geographic portrait captured a story of war to millions in one headshot because it was ‘real’. AI can generate a new Elvis song, but it can never be the next Elvis. This is the irreplaceable value of the human role.
Though this is my personal take on GenAI, it is aligned with PHD’s, and with good reasons. We’ve been early adopters, exploring AI’s implications for marketing in our thought leadership books and events, from Sentience in 2015 to Ascension this year.
In our latest event BrainScape, we examined the impact of AI on different functions, the tasks most likely to be given to AI and the implications of this. Most importantly, we addressed how the role of the individual will need to change in our view for the better. The key takeaway? We must approach AI with a mindset of collaboration, not competition or fear. We are evolving with AI aware that its short-term impact is overhyped, and its long-term impact is underestimated. When everything becomes possible and accessible, nothing feels special. AI can take us from nothing to average, but it is in our response to the average where our greatest human creativity breeds.
CAREER HIGHLIGHT
There have been many highlights in the past year, but of course being given the chance to lead the agency that I have built my career in is a huge privilege. Co-managing PHD MENA with Daniel has been a brilliant experience; an unconventional leadership structure that appeals to my love for the unconventional. It’s been a lot of fun, but what makes me most proud is the impact that we’re having on our growth, our culture, and most of all our people.
RAPID FIRE
Focus for the next 12 months?
Our people.
Buzzword we need to kill?
Demure.
Marketing needs to prioritise?
Perspective.
Marketing needs to change?
Short-term thinking.
Top lesson learnt in 2024?
Do what you’re good at.
What worries you the most?
The impact of the political instability on the region.
Biggest blessing in your life?
Family.
Value/principle that matters the most?
Honesty & humility.
Next travel destination?
Ecuador.
What is your pet peeve?
A voice note as an answer to a text.
