Welcome to the blog! Let’s talk about AI

The ED Creative blog is back! This is something I used to truly love working on for my business but as things do over time, other commitments began to take over. However, as most of the writing I do is for clients and commercials, writing for my own business and my own interests is oh, so fulfilling!

It also gives me that sparkly, fire-in-my-belly excitement I used to get way back when (cue swirly time travel moment)…

I have always loved being creative with the written word. One of my earliest memories is writing stories as a young girl about fairies and witches with my Grandad. I used to love folding up the pieces of paper, crafting a fun title, adding colourful illustrations with a pack of new Crayola crayons and scribbling adventures of new characters all the time. I never finished a full story as my brain was just so excited for the next idea and adventure that would conjure up as I played and delved deeper into the theatre of the mind. All the time, imagining that, one day, I would actually be an author!

(Insert swirly time travel moment back to present day).

I may not be an author in that traditional sense I dreamed of, but that’s because I had no idea about the possibilities and the avenues that my love of writing would lead me down.

Since 2006, I have been on a gorgeous journey of discovery about literature and the power it holds over our emotions, decision-making and how we see ourselves, and others. From converting consumers through commercial copy to educating and empowering viewers with powerful promotional films and so many marketing, entertainment, broadcast and educational content pieces; it’s been a rich, abundant and never-ending learning experience.

It’s something I have always loved to do, and that feeling when a piece of work is released and successful or feedback is positive and clients continue to return never gets old. That cliché “Find something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” may not be strictly true. I pride myself on working hard on each and every project I undertake for clients, but I don’t think I’ve ever really had a ‘proper job’. I get to live out my 8-year old dream and see my work transformed into creative artwork, powerful films and engaging, fun commercials with household name brands and small, independent clients. Is it really work when it feels that good? Can you love what you do without the guilt that not everyone feels the same in their career? The latter is something I tussle with on a regular basis when I see loved ones not feel the same in their position, but just because you love it, it doesn’t mean it’s always easy.

And easy is certainly not a word I would use to describe the landscape in the last two years.

You know why. I know why. We all scream for AI.

It’s the buzzword of the decade and is no doubt going to continue with strength. And yet, the conversations around it always feel fractured, tense and destructive to professional relationships and opportunities. It’s as contentious as your standpoint on politics and your view is unfairly critiqued or mocked if you don’t have all the facts straight and your argument water tight. This is something I have found increasingly difficult to air my views on over the last couple of years, because the landscape, capabilities and potential impact on the world change on a daily basis. It’s almost impossible to have a cemented opinion on whether AI is good or bad for your business or brand today, when tomorrow it could look totally different.

It’s also very difficult for those effected by the AI revolution without presenting yourself as bitter and in denial. Of course you writers will lead the charge against the AI downfall, you never wanted it to be a success! You only care about your own future and business!

But with every single creative I know, that certainly isn’t the case. Creatives are empaths. They are dreamers. They push boundaries. They see things nobody else can see and reflect back at you things you didn’t even realise you felt. Creatives see a problem and find unexpected solutions. They surprise you. They feel deeply about the work they create as if each were their own flesh and blood. The pride. The dedication. The feel-it-in-your-very-soul passion for the work they do.

The stance on AI and how brands are using it isn’t out of fear. It’s out of disappointment.

Seeing work that has been developed by AI because it’s quicker and cheaper (or free) and not because it tells a brand’s true story or resonates with consumers and creates community and connection is not just annoying; it’s deeply frustrating. The power of human connection is never to be underestimated. And on the surface, while content may seem like it does the job, are you willing to risk it for the long term effect on your brand growth and connection to your audience?

“But wait! Nobody even knows it was done with AI! We got away with it!” Even if work isn’t called out, noticed or even cared about on the surface as to whether it was created by a human or not, doesn’t mean it has been as effective as you think. So whilst AI may enable your business to scale up content, literature, marketing materials and more at speed for a fraction of the time and cost, what will the cost actually be long term for that quantity over quality approach?

AI is here to stay, but as it continues to feed upon it’s own creation, the monster will only implode with it’s own synthetic prose as brands and businesses forget what really matters when it comes to marketing their business.

Connection.

It’s a feeling.

It’s a way in which we perceive a brand personality that is difficult to describe yet impossible to ignore.

And creating it, seeing it, feeling it and working within it? I feel like that 8-year old again.

And long may that continue with those that truly understand the depth and emotion and the power and potential it truly has.