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Artificial Intelligence Brand Purpose ChatGPT

AI and digital transformation are the creative rebirth we’ve been waiting for

By Alistair Robertson, Creative Partner

Nucco

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April 17, 2023 | 5 min read

Alistair Robertson of Nucco writes that artificial intelligence (AI), rather than sounding the death knell for agencies, will raise creative expectations and save us from dreary commoditization.

Close-up of red motherboard

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) can liberate creatives if they let it. / Michael Dziedzic

As a self-declared cynic and brutal realist, yet one who is utterly enchanted by new technologies, artifical intelligence (AI) has given me all the thrills and chills. But after playing with the tools a lot, going all the way back to 2018, I'm convinced that AI is the shot in the arm our industry needs.

To my mind, our industry has faced a decade of stagnation, data obsessions, and unfulfilled trysts with the likes of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the metaverse. But for me, AI is the tonic we all need to revitalize and refocus.

Where we’ve been

The digital transformation of the early 2000s led us all down a path of data-driven growth at the cost of insight and intuition. Alongside a relentless pursuit of the next shiny object. And yes, I do appreciate the irony of that statement when writing about the current one. But either way, we lost sight of the human connection that made our work truly valuable.

Clients, in turn, began to view us as little more than commodity sellers. Trust in our opinions and convictions dwindled. We found ourselves scrambling to prove worth, often resorting to complex data models or the Twitter hype machine. Arguably alienating senior clients even further - especially in terms of delivering ROI.

Enough looking back; let’s leap forward

Cut to 2022 and AI’s big prom debut. The evolution and explosion of tools over the past six months has been breathtaking.

The latest generation of tools (ChatGPT, Firefly, Midjourney, and more) are sophisticated beasts. They may lack precision, but they’re capable of generating content that's engaging, entertaining and, dare I say it, utterly brilliant.

AI is the ultimate creative enabler. Giving thoughtful minds of every kind the opportunity to skip the laborious and allow focus to remain on the vital human touches that makes strategy and creative work resonate.

Creative quality is going stratospheric

Like no point since the early 2000s, we now have the chance to redefine our industry in the same manner the digital revolution did. Yet, this time it isn’t in the form of devices or media formats – it’s in brilliance. Stand-out, hold-on-to-your-hat, we are all going to do some crazy-shit, gob-smacking, beautiful brilliance.

The tools have raised the bar for us all. Writers, you’re going to be 1000% more productive and spend more time on wit and verve and less on research. Art directors and designers, the visual world is your oyster, and you’re at least partly unshackled from whether or not you can use Creative Suite.

In short, the tools have given us all the opportunity to do more. So the question we should be asking is, “what more can we, should we, will we do?”

I’ve not been this excited for our industry for a long time. We have a route back to being the purveyors of the wonderful. We can return to being partners in ‘wow’ rather than merely deliverers of ‘assets’.

And, if anyone wants to contest that the tools will mean clients can do it all themselves, I’ll happily note that the same was said about the proliferation of camera phones and arrival of social media creators. Yes, some work went a different way, but if clients want insightful, knockout creativity that answers briefs and drives businesses, they’ll still need talented specialists.

Welcome the chance for craft, talent, experience and wholehearted creative conviction to be the biggest differentiators in success. Now, stop reading this twaddle, and go make something brilliant.

Artificial Intelligence Brand Purpose ChatGPT

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