Is the marketing industry asking AI the right questions?

BY ALEX PANOUSIS

AI, it’s complicated.

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should... is perhaps one of the greatest lessons of the last 20 years when it comes to technology advancement.

Digital technology has provided connectivity, democratized access and created new opportunities that have literally changed the world. But, for all the wonderful things tech enabled, we’ve learned many lessons – including that nothing in life is free and few things come without consequence.

Now the buzz is all about Artificial Intelligence. AI is not inherently ethical or unethical. It’s the way in which it’s used that determines its ethical value.

And it’s complicated.

AI combines computer science and data sets to enable problem-solving, using algorithms to predict behaviour based on provided information. It’s been around for decades but, in late 2022, OpenAI’s public beta launch of ChatGPT (a generative AI application), sparked a lot of activity and controversy.

The initial question for AI was “Can machines think?” (Thank you, Alan Turing.) Today we’re asking: “Can machines create?” And, if so, what are the implications?

The advent of AI, and generative AI specifically, brings a host of opportunities and challenges. It enables computers to create new content from the elements of previously created content, such as text, audio, video images and code. Generative AI (GAI) uses machine learning to create new forms of augmented and synthetic media and has the potential to revolutionize industries and society.

But, as we navigate these new territories, there are more questions than answers: How will our industry judge or value human creation vs. machine creativity? Who will be responsible for setting ethical boundaries? How will public policy govern the use and development of AI?

Today, there are both practical and been banned in certain school districts, its application is being sued for copyright infringement, and its outputs are being hotly debated.

As we navigate these uncharted waters, it’s crucial to establish what is responsible use of AI. Industry, government and academia must come together to shape public policy around AI. The ethical implications must be considered, as experts question how far AI should be allowed to go and how to distinguish between human and machine-generated creations.

The genie is out of the bottle and there’s no turning back. It’s essential that companies evaluate the risks, impacts and side effects that new technologies may have on their business and stakeholders. Our ability to create things is one of our strongest traits, but thanks to generative AI, almost every field that once required humans to create original content is being reinvented, whether it be social media, gaming, advertising or beyond.

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai referred to AI as the most important thing humanity

There are more questions than answers: How will our industry judge or value human creation vs. machine creativity? Who will be responsible for setting ethical boundaries?

experimental uses for GAI. GPT Boss can create a virtual workforce. Platforms like Cala are using AI to create original clothing designs. The revenue generated by AI software is expected to exceed $120 billion by 2025. This is big business.

As we enter this new era, it’s important to consider the potential consequences of these developments. The safety, privacy and freedom of expression of individuals are at risk, and these concerns will only be intensified with the evolution of AI. The use of generative AI raises questions about the disruption of labor markets, the legitimacy of data sources, ownership of intellectual property rights and copyright, plagiarism and the potential for bias and misinformation. Recently, ChatGPT has has ever worked on, a “game changer” more profound than electricity or fire. The progress of AI and GAI is moving fast, and quantum computing will be the next wave. It’s important we focus on wide-spread learning testing and experimentation, while also engaging in open and meaningful debate and policy making.

The future of AI is uncertain, but it’s here to stay. The marketing industry should embrace its potential, but also critically evaluate the ethical implications of AI usage. We should question if AI is solving more problems than it’s creating. Only time will reveal that answer.

(This article was edited by my personal AI intern.)

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