Times are more interesting than ever with artificial intelligence becoming increasingly intertwined in our everyday lives. When ChatGPT made its debut, many proclaimed it the dawn of the AI era. But if we look more carefully at how we’ve been exposed to AI for much longer than we realise, a different perspective emerges.
If you’ve owned a smartphone, you’ve been interacting with AI for years. Think about facial recognition, Siri, Google Assistant, the intelligent functionality in your banking app, or your smartwatch serving as a holistic health tracker.
Consider how Netflix and Disney+ recommendations fit your preferences like a glove, or how you confidently shop online through platforms like Sixty60, Takealot and Superbalist. Think of the convenience that Uber and Airbnb created, the extent of customisation on social media – we live in a time where convenience is on demand, and we can’t deny or avoid it.
Learning from history
I can’t help but reflect on history when people feared for their livelihoods during the industrial revolution. Yes, machines replaced human labour as some job functions became redundant, but it also created many new jobs and roles not imagined before.
By automating manual functions, it allowed humans to apply and develop themselves elsewhere, where they added more value. The bottom line is that automation of job functions is not new, and throughout history, technology has evolved how jobs are done and what skills and news jobs are needed.
I share the same sentiment about the rise of AI: AI is an enhancement and incredible leverage, not a replacement.
While AI can process vast amounts of data and make decisions based on that data, there are many areas where human skills and creativity are necessary. Specifically in the context of the marketing and creative fields, human skills are essential, such as creativity, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking. AI will provide massive leverage, but it cannot completely replace human expertise.
The symbiotic relationship
This perspective was reinforced during a recent client meeting. We were working with a company that runs social media campaigns using CRM tools to optimise their sales funnel, maintaining a 360-degree media approach that includes traditional communication channels.
The client posed an interesting question to our Digital Strategist: “Can companies afford not to have social media in this day and age?”
Her response was telling: “No. With traditional media, you can’t guarantee that your target market will be reached by your message, and it usually can’t be measured. On social media, you can be more certain that a bigger chunk of your target market will see your message, and you can measure it.”
She emphasised how AI has enabled us to reach audiences more successfully by serving them content customised to their preferences – the algorithm does the heavy lifting. When the client asked, “But will you still have a job in the future?” her answer was profound: “We have brand insight and context, and we implement the strategies for these campaigns. The algorithm needs us as much as we need it.”
This captures the essence of our relationship with AI: it’s symbiotic. AI needs data; we need customisation, context and insight. Together, we achieve better results.
Insights from industry leaders
Bill Gates recently shared his perspective on AI with Jimmy Fallon, offering valuable insights from someone who witnessed computing’s evolution firsthand.
Gates, who turns 70 this year as Microsoft celebrates its 50th anniversary, reflected: “People thought computers were against them because they were only for big companies. Then, when the personal computer came, it was like ‘power to the people.'”
He continued: “The era we’ve come to is that computing was expensive and it basically became free. The era that we’re just starting is that intelligence is rare – you know, a great doctor and a great teacher. With AI, over the next decade, that will become commonplace. It’s kind of profound because it solves specific problems, like not having enough doctors or mental-health professionals, but it brings with it so much change.”
Asked if we’ll still need humans, Gates responded pragmatically: “Not for most things. There’ll be some things that we reserve for ourselves, but in terms of making things and moving things, and growing food – over time, those will be solved problems.”
Practical implementation in creative industries
We still have much to learn about AI, but it’s better to engage with it than remain oblivious. The likelihood of AI replacing you is high if you don’t tap into it and use it to your advantage.
At Uppe Marketing, we’ve introduced an AI policy for our copywriting and design departments, defining what we allow and what we don’t based on our current understanding. Our designers use Midjourney as a resource, and I’ve observed how the skill of prompting and customising AI-generated images requires its own expertise.
Can clients achieve the same results? Unless they invest significant time in developing these skills, probably not. Even if they do, it remains time-consuming to get results exactly right, requiring existing design capabilities and skill to polish the final output.
This dynamic may change as AI evolves, but it will simply allow us to add different value to clients, letting machines handle the “making and moving” while we focus on the thinking.
The evolution continues
Do our copywriters use ChatGPT? They’d be foolish not to.
When online translation tools emerged, we used them to accelerate research processes rather than rely solely on dictionaries. These tools simplify and speed up manual processes, but the finishing touch remains crucial. Working with these tools regularly helps you identify their use more easily while improving your prompting skills over time.
In Google Ads, we’ve consistently seen AI-driven Performance Max campaigns outperform traditional ad sets like display ads. They enable next-level customisation through algorithms, resulting in customers being more attracted to ads that resonate with them.
We’re currently developing our first AI functionality on a project – uncharted territory that’s exciting as we learn what these tools can offer and partner with experts who bring fresh approaches to their technical skill sets. Sometimes I have to pinch myself as they make the unimaginable, tangible.
Tip of the iceberg
We’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg (or shall we say Zuckerberg), and there’s much more to come. Consumers are increasingly exposed to AI integrations in their everyday lives: e-cars, smarter ecommerce practices like Amazon’s drone delivery technology, smart homes using Google Home, Apple HomePod, and Alexa. All of this makes our rushed lives more convenient.
As long as we continue solving problems and utilising available tools to do so, we will remain relevant. We won’t just stay in business – we’ll grow business and our capabilities.
While there is no doubt that AI will make some skills redundant, we need to pay attention to developing the unique and essential skills which will not be replaced by Artificial Intelligence anytime soon.
The future is not an either/or scenario, but rather a both/and, where people and AI work together in a complementary and collaborative way. The key is embracing AI as our creative partner, not our replacement.
In the marriage between human insight, critical thinking, emotional intelligence and artificial intelligence, the best marketers and creatives will find their most powerful competitive advantage yet.
Clara de Wet is CEO of Uppe Marketing, a full-service marketing agency specialising in digital strategy and creative solutions.
