With the latest digital innovations now bringing AI to the forefront of marketers' minds - how will these new tools redefine creativity in 2024? With AI dominating many of this 2023’s panel discussions and masterclasses, we’ve been reflecting on the potential AI has in the world of marketing and the expert predictions for the future. 

In an Ingenuity Masterclass earlier in 2023, we heard from Eight&Four as they explored the potential of AI in social media marketing and the considerations when using these tools. In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, the prevalence of cutting-edge technology has introduced an exciting but uncertain era. The question arises: Are we witnessing the dawn of a new era that could potentially phase out human-intensive marketing services? It prompts us to ponder the role of humans in this transformed landscape. Amid the technological frenzy, one thing remains clear – these advancements urge us to elevate our standards within the marketing industry.  

Almost a year ago today marked the initial stages of grappling with this technology in the marketing world, presenting both opportunities and challenges for marketers striving to adapt. Despite the overwhelming number of AI tools flooding the market, only a select few have emerged as core players, but which tools are genuinely valuable for agencies seeking to enhance their creative processes? Eight&Four shared their thoughts on some of the tools that stood out, including how text generation AI has emerged as a game-changer, offering the potential to kickstart projects and validate ideas through a sensory check at their conclusion. However, heavy reliance on AI risks averting us toward mediocrity, as creative brilliance is born from human input.  

The realm of image generation AI has also garnered significant attention, with Photoshop overtaking MidJourney in some respects. Eight&Four recalled how anticipations are high in the agency world about the commercial application of AI-generated images, which could revolutionise product shoots by reducing retouching times and boosting efficiency – so is this the end of physical product shoots?  

In another Ingenuity Masterclass, this time hosted by Faith, VCCP’s AI Creative Agency, we gained insight into why 2024 won’t be like 1984. Faith was born on the foundations of humans working with AI to make more interesting creative. With very little legislation currently in place for working with AI, VCCP has created its own set of guidelines and rules to ensure the ethical and appropriate use of the technology. Looking specifically at Generative AI, Faith highlighted how there isn’t one program that does everything really well; various AI tools need to be used in combination to bring creative ideas to life. What was clear throughout both Faith’s and Eight&Four’s presentations was the emphasis that although AI provides the prompts, humans are still very much the creatives, and the way we use these tools is just as important as the tools themselves.  

Faith took us down memory lane with an AI regeneration of Apple’s iconic ad to introduce the Mac back in 1984. The original 1984 futuristic creative was seen by many to help democratise computers, so Faith used this meaningful piece as they felt AI is in a similar space in helping to democratise the creativity. Faith took us through the process of using various programs like ChatGPT, Midjourney, Runway, D-ID, and Eleven Labs to reimagine Apple’s iconic ad into an AI-generated 2.0 version. A key point made throughout this presentation was the advancement and continual development of AI tools; Faith forecasted that we will see more companies step up and combine different tools into their core offering.  

Later in the 2023, we had Big Group join us for our next instalment in our AI Masterclass series. Large Language Models (chatbots) are near-universal tools for knowledge work; however, as with most aspects of AI, there is no manual or how-to guide, so many tools are not being used to their full potential. Big Group shared some tips on how LLM’s can best be used to make our jobs in marketing easier. One of the biggest takeaways was how AI literacy is now an essential skill - marketers need to be able to demystify the tech, while also understanding its capabilities and flaws. Both individually and as an organisation, the rate at which we understand and apply AI will have a large influence on our success in work. Big Group highlighted the speed at which AI is developing - with the latest GPT-4 being trained with 1 petabyte of data, that’s 2000x more data than the previous GPT-3 was trained with, highlighting the progression of the technology in recent years. Keeping up to date with the latest technology and its uses while mainly relying on academic literature to lead us through much of the change will no doubt be a challenge for marketers going into 2024.  

As we reflect on 2023, it's evident that AI has undeniably been a focal point in the dynamic realm of marketing, capturing attention and sparking discussions across various platforms. From Ingenuity Masterclasses dissecting AI and taking a deep dive into this digital world, it’s clear the landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace. The pivotal question persists: Are we on the brink of a revolution that could redefine the very essence of human-intensive marketing services? While the allure of AI tools is undeniable, the wisdom imparted by industry experts underscores a crucial truth – the symbiotic relationship between human creativity and AI prompts. As we embark on the journey into 2024, the challenge for marketers lies in embracing AI literacy, demystifying the technology, and discerning its capabilities and flaws. The canvas of marketing is being painted with the strokes of innovation, urging us to elevate our standards and navigate the uncharted waters of this transformative era. The road ahead may be uncertain, but one thing remains clear: the fusion of human ingenuity and AI is poised to shape a future where creativity knows no bounds.