AI Creatives - Friend or Foe?

As I sit here writing this, I take a moment to pause and think about how dependent I am on information at my fingertips - including apps - to help me do almost anything. From shopping for groceries to scheduling an appointment, I count on technology to help in my everyday life. When it comes to work I count on tech here too. I look up words, communicate with clients, see what’s happening around the world, find inspiration, and research our dependence on on artificial intelligence.  

Oxford University researchers have estimated that 47 percent of U.S. jobs could be automated within the next two decades. Martin Ford writes in Rise of the Robots, “I see the advances happening in technology and it’s becoming evident that computers, machines, robots, and algorithms are going to be able to do most of the routine, repetitive types of jobs.” So what does that mean for us? 

The thing that separates us from all other lifeforms, either artificial or natural, is our ability to create (not counting animals who are budding abstract painters). AI currently has the ability to synthesize and gather information, but can it “create” on its own without help from the human? About a year ago, Google built Magenta which allowed AI to learn and create art. The work was pretty good. And then there was the experiment last year by McCann Japan that pitted an info gathering CD to craft a spot (with help by humans) vs the 100% human CD It was a close call but the 100% human won. 

AI can help us to be free from the mundanities of life and allow us to be more creative. If we can be free to ideate, interact with each other, and think without distraction, then we can create better work, right? Sure, but what about when AI comes for our jobs? Other industries have experienced a massive rise in automation - and no amount of legislation is going to bring humans back into the equation. 

So where does that leave us, the people who want to make something that makes people feel and ultimately commit to action? Is that too abstract for AI? Can artificial intelligence supersede emotional responsiveness? Will data become more important than drama? In terms of our world of advertising, Machine Learning is on the rise in many ways -- like data gathering used to inform marketing plans or programming. It’s everywhere. And, as this becomes increasingly prevalent, it begs the question: who is creating, the people who code and program the AI or the artists with the big idea? Or both?

Will it be helpful or harmful to creative people? I think it’s a little of both, but one thing is for sure, we can’t be afraid of the future. We have to help build it. Don't forget the machine is nothing without us and creative thinking is still queen. 

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go feed my robots.