GenAI: supercharging our own superpower
As the debate on AI intensifies, it can sometimes feel like a battle between hard and soft. Hard being personified by the new era of the machine-learning that will sweep all before it. A new superpower. Soft represented by the nuanced craft of creativity’s human hand that has served agencies so well for over a century. And humankind for much longer. The old guard.
But this isn’t a tale of new, hard power sweeping away the softer skills. Like every big debate in our industry it’s far more nuanced than that and there’s far too much at stake not to see that opportunity lies somewhere in the middle ground.
Those were my feelings as I digested the discussions that took place at our recent IPA event ‘Creativity in the Age of AI’.
As an industry we need to keep everything in perspective. Nothing in relation to GenAI is going to be as simple as black and white. But we do have to champion where human creativity retains its vital edge as our own superpower. In its ability to craft compelling narratives; to engage the emotions; to make unexpected intuitive leaps; to improvise; to make sound ethical judgements and a fair bit more besides.
It’s in everyone’s interests to step up
But it’s not enough to talk that talk. We have a collective responsibility to step up. Through the flexing of our creative muscles and not defaulting to AI when human craft should be doing the job. Even more importantly, it’s our job to step up and keep showing everyone – colleagues, peers, clients, the public – that human creativity does deliver the vital competitive advantage in the real world.
In this way we’ll lead by example and show future generations that ours isn’t the old way but a vital component of the new way. Human creativity used with and complemented appropriately by GenAI can serve us well. While avoiding the sea of sameness.
Leading by example is in our best interests to futureproof the industry. It will ensure that future generations of talent aren’t blindsided into seeing GenAI as being the only tool and providing the only answers when it comes to generating creative ideas. The threat is too great to allow that to happen. We’d face a race to the bottom with a commoditised product that adds no value to anyone’s balance sheet or brand.
Investing in ideas remains everything
We have a responsibility to show future generations that human endeavour remains at the heart of really compelling creative ideas. Ones able to connect with humans. Ones that do add value for agencies, brands and society.
Future generations need to appreciate that to truly understand an idea, and to be able to convince others of the power in that idea, you need to have invested in your own inspiration, and probably perspiration, to create it. Of course GenAI can help you to finesse the idea, to expand and stress-test it and more. But human creative craft lies at the heart of generating that first powerful thought. The one that makes you tingle when you first write it down or sketch it out.
Focus on ‘how’ not ‘why’
We’re way beyond the point of ‘why AI?’ of course. There’s no point burying your head in the sand and hoping it’s all a bad dream. But it’s important that we don’t overlook the how of GenAI. How to best adopt it as individuals, as disciplines, as agencies, as partners, as an industry. And how to ensure that we adopt it to complement and supercharge our own superpower: human ingenuity and creativity. If we can get that balance right, we’ve got a fighting chance of avoiding that sea of sameness.
Happy to chat
For creative ideas, questions or opportunities for either Story or the IPA in Scotland, feel free to contact me at [email protected].
Jim Kelly is Deputy MD and Head of Planning at Story in Edinburgh.
