Drawing The Line Between Cost And Creativity
AI provides cost optimization opportunities across multiple sectors. But unfortunately, some business leaders view AI as a replacement for creatives.
My position on AI is that it will help businesses become more efficient, but it will always require human expertise, especially in creative fields. I caution everyone from assuming that AI is a panacea for cost efficiency. It’s still in its early infancy. Consider this moment a test-and-learn phase, which is par for the course when it comes to any emerging technology.
We’ve been in constant transformation due to tech advancements, such as big data analytics, SEO/SEM updates, and the evolving social media landscape. A team of people learn how to use new tools. Then, overnight, more sophisticated innovations emerge. Leaders have to strategize when to use new tools, when to use talent and how to pivot, especially in artistic fields. However, there should be a fundamental understanding that the human experience matters. We should never view AI as a replacement for talent but rather as a process to retrain, retool and redeploy strong and nimble creative teams. So, I look at emerging technologies as opportunities for teams to grow, not cut.
I believe that Hollywood’s leaders made a critical mistake in how they decided to approach their writers in light of AI advancements. Leaders should not take their creative talent for granted. If everything were written by AI, the world would become an echo chamber of inauthentic thoughts. Varied points of view and opinions pave the way for the quirks and genuine interactions that foster brand and consumer connections. My own team has tapped into AI to quickly learn information; it’s helped us become more efficient. But ultimately, a computer can’t think beyond the task it was designed to do. AI will help generate a social media post, but what’s next? Engagement? Reaction? Responses? Creating content may seem simple, but it still requires critical thinking skills and an understanding of human nuance that AI does not possess.
So, in light of the recent events in Hollywood, I’m waiting to see which of the big entertainment companies will find the best balance between technology and humanity. Because people and their stories and experiences will still be the inspiration for movies, songs, books and other forms of art. Life inspires creativity, always.
Future Outlook On Adaptive Talent
The writer’s strike brought up a much larger conversation that needs to be had on the future of creative rights: At the negotiating table, how can we protect writers, artists and other creatives from future emerging technologies?
Returning To The Negotiating Table
Any creative business, be it entertainment, fashion or marketing, will have its share of upheavals and changes. However, this scenario of big business versus the little guy will repeat itself until a practical and collaborative mindset becomes the foundation of partnerships. The “us versus them” mentality is simply not productive to anyone.
Corporations are not soulless nameless entities, they are made up of people. As such, respect is needed on both sides. Each side must be willing to understand the needs and agendas of the other party and find common goals to arrive at win-win solutions. There needs to be a good answer for both sides, not a best answer for one side.
This strike needs to be considered as more than just about affirming the universal consensus that workers should be protected. It sets a precedent for the transformation and evolution of the industry. It sets the stage for future negotiations to always start with this one critical question: “How are we going to do business and win together?”
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