Rusty Nelson.
In a world saturated with mass-produced, AI-generated work, human intentionality may be the only way to differentiate, writes CX Lavender’s Rusty Nelson.
Without question, AI is gearing up to flip the world we know on its head. Redefining how we live, work and create.
Cures for incurable diseases, neural experiences to stimulate the subconscious (imagine ad agencies writing dreams instead of ads) or interplanetary exploration leading to space colonisation. These aren’t just industry shifts but shifts in the way we live (and potentially where we live).
This technological breakthrough we’re witnessing is the most advanced and fundamental tool update we’ve seen in generations. In our world of communication, new tool adoption is not new. Our tools have been evolving since the first idea was scratched in rock inside a cave. Shortly after fire was invented, I bet someone in the cave picked up a rock to document how they did it. Probably.
Mark-making is part of our evolution as humans. Along with the spoken word, it is the foundation for how we communicate. On the day my daughter first made a mark with intention, I received a report from the daycare centre. Artistically, it’s every dot, line, stroke delivered with purpose.
Although our tools have changed, the primary goal remains. Communicating an idea.
While our primary audience is still human (and scarily, this may not always be the case) then our job remains to communicate these ideas to humans. An idea without a human truth or an emotional connection is just another piece of litter in the very polluted waterways we work in.
How will AI change the role of advertising creatives?
AI won’t replace concepting. But like all tools it can help. It can break you out of a rut, crack a tricky decision, visualise a thought (quickly), pit concepts against each other with micro variations to accelerate test and learn, faster and more efficiently than ever before. This is groundbreaking. But the conceptual leap, the strategic connection, and the emotional tone still come from humans.
Creative departments the world over are adapting to the explosion of AI. We’re exploring new ways of working and developing new tools. Rigid structures and legacy (in some instances archaic) processes are being challenged. Change can hurt.
There is strength in understanding the power of the machine. But there is even more strength in understanding the appetite for human imperfection. In this shift, it’s going to be more important than ever to retain those imperfections. Brush strokes and blemishes over em-dashes and hallucinations.
When we see artists like Beeple and Refik Anadol show AI-generated pieces that defy the human imagination, it’s easy to conclude that the era of human creativity is coming to an end.
But while there is still a human name attached to the artwork, there’s still something uniquely human at play. Someone who shaped and curated the creative output or added an emotional narrative.
AI does not produce the work alone. In its current (commercially available) form, it still requires a level of supervision and feedback. This means a human touch and eye still very much have their place in the process.
Prompting is the new brief writing. And like the writing of briefs, it’s an art form. But it’s an evolving skillset. What we knew six weeks ago has been superseded by updates to the technology and the evolution of our hands-on experience.
Creativity will always need a human intention
We need to embrace change without losing sight of our role in shaping it. Being future-ready isn’t just about mastering these new tools. It’s about evolving the way we think, lead, and create. The best creatives won’t just adapt to AI. They’ll humanise it.
In a world saturated with mass-produced, AI-generated work, human intentionality may be the only way to differentiate. When the dust settles, whatever remains will be the best of the human experience.
Our strength lies in our ability to feel emotions and empathise with others. Those who survive the pivot will be the ones who can blend intuition with innovation and guide the machine without losing themselves in it.
I’m not ashamed to say that a certain AI machine has been by my side for the entire process of writing these words. I’m in the optimistic camp of ‘writer’s block killer’ as opposed to ‘writer killer’.
But that’s exactly what an AI machine would want you to think if it was in control of these words.
Rusty Nelson is a Creative Director at CX Lavender