Jurassic Park is one of my all-time favourite films, and the other day, I recalled the line that Jeff Goldblum’s character, Dr Ian Malcolm says after dinosaurs have begun running around the park eating people.
“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could that they didn't stop to think if they should."
And it got me thinking about the current state of generative AI.
Just because we can, does it mean we should? Don’t get me wrong I’m incredibly interested and impressed with some of the results I’ve seen from Generative AI, particularly in the image generation space, and it’s easy to have your head turned by the newest shiny tech. BUT is it the RIGHT thing to do?
I was fortunate enough to be asked to sit on a panel at the DMA (Data & Marketing Association) UK Scotland event last week discussing Driving Responsible Growth with AI in Marketing, and the specific subject of when was the right time to use AI and when not, was a prominent question.
Because of the proliferation of the tech over the last 2 years, we have a situation currently where a vast number of people are ‘playing’ with AI to find out what it can do. We’ve seen some intelligent, practical and inspirational results and we’ve also seen the opposite – Glasgow’s Willy Wonka experience anyone?
While the noise will undoubtedly settle down over time, we will be left with some big areas that need consideration. Here are some key themes that I took away from the DMA event:
What do you want to achieve?
Just because AI can produce a result, is it the right result? The old adage “rubbish in rubbish out” still stands here, I’ve used the analogy a few times but just because you can pick up a camera doesn’t instantly make you a great photographer. If the data you are feeding an AI tool is of poor quality so will the results be. Set your outcome before you decide that AI is the solution.
Don’t let your AI go unchecked
Guardrails are critical, whether they are checks and balances within the AI or having a human in the loop, remember AI can produce results, but it has a much harder time determining if they are right or wrong. The numerous stories of AI hallucinating, or chatbots being tricked into selling cars for $1 are rife.
Transparency is key
I’ve heard many times now that using AI feels like cheating, for me it’s more about having another tool in your arsenal to help you do things more efficiently. With Forbes stating that 59% of the UK population is concerned about the use of AI, trying to disguise the fact you are using AI is not going to win you favour with your customers. So creating an AI policy that gives your audience transparency on how and when you are going to use AI within your business will give you more credibility.
The Hidden Environmental Impact
With the cost of an AI image in energy terms as high as charging your phone, there’s a huge concern about the environmental impact of using Generative AI. The larger the language model the more energy it uses to create its outputs. So consider what models you want to use, or integrate into your work, and have an awareness of what the environmental impact might be. Also, consider refining your prompts before inputting them into the AI rather than continually regenerating with minor amends.
Generative AI is here to stay, keeping the conversations going, and staying ahead of the curve will be critical in the next few years. LOOP Agencies are already working on several experimental and commercial Generative AI projects with our clients if you'd like to know more get in touch.
Read more from our blogs - AI and the copywriter. Shall we dance? 5 predictions for generative AI in 2024.