Today’s ever-changing business landscape has seen generative AI emerge as a transformative force. Powered by sophisticated algorithms and vast data sets, generative AI programs autonomously produce a wide range of content such as images, text and even music through simple user prompts.
These tools are having a particularly big impact on the advertising and marketing industries, as brands are forced to think about how they choose to engage consumers in this increasingly artificial online sphere.
While some companies remain in a wait-and-see position, others are fully embracing technology. Some are even venturing into the realm of employing AI influencers – individuals who do not physically exist and whose profiles feature a constant stream of artificially generated images – to grow and promote their brand.
So how is this technology already transforming the brand marketing field and what lies ahead for businesses looking to expand and connect with this cutting-edge innovation?
“Generative AI has probably had a fire lit like no other in terms of the innovations we’ve seen emerge over the last few years,” says Suzie Shaw, CEO of the Australian division of socially-led creative agency We Are Social. , which aims to help customers effectively engage with culture in today’s age of social media.
“Behind every brand and every marketing campaign or initiative, there are a lot of thoughts that consumers don’t see,” says Shaw. “This thinking will always be necessary if production is to be as good as it is now and certainly if it is going to improve.”
The first artificial influencer
We Are Social has always positioned itself at the forefront of adopting new technologies, launching numerous initiatives such as recruiting computer-generated model Lil Miquela for a Samsung Galaxy campaign in 2019.
Lil Miquela, widely considered the first major artificial online influencer, was developed by American AI transmedia studio Brud. Since his first social media post in 2016, estimates suggest that Lil Miquela now generates over $10 million per year for his creators through a mix of exclusive partnerships, sponsored social media posts and guest roles. brand ambassador.
Its remarkable success underscores the public’s apparent willingness to embrace artificiality in the digital age. But despite the success of Lil Miquela and others in the space, Shaw emphasizes that the demand for authenticity online will always remain an important factor for brands planning their future navigation in the market.
“No one wants to interact with a person or thing that seems fake, and so generating a level of authenticity will be as difficult with AI, if not more so, than with a real person,” she says.
“Generative AI has probably had a fire lit like no other in terms of the innovations that we’ve seen come out over the last few years.” –Suzie Shaw
What an AI influencer gives brands, she adds, is a level of flexibility and scalability.
“But it still requires building an audience, that’s a big challenge and it will continue to be a big challenge.”
According to Shaw, the industry is currently still in a discovery phase of AI, as brands, marketers and creative agencies all work to refine their best practices in order to fully exploit the technology .
This includes mastering the art of rapid engineering, where strategic input queries are finely crafted to guide and shape the results generated by AI systems, aiming for outcomes that are both highly developed and distinct from competition.
“Previously we had an analog approach to strategizing and creative development and now we have to learn AI’s more generative approach to these things,” says Shaw. “Otherwise we risk ending up with significant generic production.”
Consumer-led change
Despite the marketing industry’s current phase of experimentation with generative technologies AIShaw believes the trajectory of its broad rollout will always be determined by consumer behavior, preferences, and ultimately whatever builds the largest audience.
“An absolute unknown in any marketing initiative is consumer response, especially when it comes to things that originate and grow on the Internet,” she says. “You could come up with the most fabulous thing built by generative AI and if consumers don’t respond immediately, then all that thinking could be redundant.”
So far, at least, consumer interest seems overwhelmingly positive, keeping pace with the latest iterations of the technology.
Recently, OpenAI, a leading developer in the field of generative AI, introduced Sora: a text-to-video conversion model, capable of creating detailed video scenes from concise text prompts. The launch of Sora sparked widespread excitement on social media due to its already advanced capabilities and potential future applications.
“With AI, the whole industry has exploded and we are seeing real-world solutions to real problems,” says Manolis Perrakis, director of global innovation and future strategy at We Are Social .XYZ. “It’s not an overrated technology and eventually AI will be in everything we use.”
“With AI, the whole industry has exploded and we’re seeing real solutions to real problems. » – Manolis Perrakis
One company that has fully harnessed the potential of this era is Lalaland.ai, an Amsterdam-based studio that uses generative AI to offer brands and retailers the ability to create unique, hyper-realistic digital models.
“If you look online today, you’ll be surprised how many brands are already using AI models,” says Michael Musandu, CEO and co-founder of Lalaland.ai. “Instead of having to hire real models, photographers and makeup artists, in just 5-10 minutes, brands can generate an unprecedented ‘on model’ image.
“It’s not a gimmick, it’s something that’s commercially ready to use and integrate.”
So what does this shift mean for the future of human influencers and even traditional models in general? Is the artificial replacement of these numbers inevitable in the digital space?
“We see this technology as a way to complement all traditional photography, so it’s not going to replace it,” adds Musandu. “You will always need real models that have a real connection with consumers. »
Honest governance
For Patrick Whitnall, chief executive of the Australian Influencer Marketing Council, known as AiMCOThe benefits of AI in industry must be developed within a clear regulatory framework that enhances transparency.
AiMCO is a representative body of diverse stakeholders engaged in influencer marketing, celebration and collaboration to improve industry best practices.
“Right now, if you work with human influencers, brands are increasingly reliant on it being a rented relationship,” says Whitnall.
“What we’re seeing with AI is that it’s starting to eliminate the need for expensive, slow design work, licensing and usage costs and, over time, allows brands to create their own assets and audiences in the influencer space.”
“Whether it’s human or AI, authenticity is key.” –Patrick Whitnall
While this cost-benefit and intellectual property appeal for brands is obvious, Whitnall believes it is imperative that some form of honest governance of AI-generated content is widely adopted in the future.
“I think it needs to be disclosed that this (image or video) was generated by AI,” he said. “When I see AI influencers on Instagram, most of them say they’re either ‘AI-powered’ or ‘I’m an AI,’ so whoever the creator is, they’re already outspoken and honest.”
Even in such an exciting space, Whitnall believes the same rules, approaches and regulations that govern human influencers should apply.
“Whether it’s human or AI, authenticity is key. disclosure and transparency are already very important in the influencer sector.
Insightful words for brands and businesses to think about as they navigate a rapidly changing digital landscape and consider the extent to which they are ready to embrace this powerful – and almost inevitable – future of artificiality.
