AI is no longer just a buzzword and is now transforming every industry including advertising, according to James Bush, head of creative technology, Dentsu Creative ANZ.
He was the opening speaker at AdNews L!VE event, AI: Winners & Losers in Adland.
The advertising groups, and the big digital platforms, are engaged in a form of arms race to be find ways to use AI to improve work and service clients.
Bush said Microsoft has been partnering with many of the big global advertising groups.
"If all the holding companies partner with the same people I fear we are going to end up with the same products," he said.
"We're talking about cost benefit, efficiencies, speed of getting creative to market, doing things cheaper.
"Microsoft is leading the way in these relationships and I don't think it's going to create anything good."
AI is advancing so fast that it's almost impossible to keep up, Bush said. Last week, Apple announced it would integrate AI into a range of products including Siri, covering lost ground on fast-moving competitors such as Google, Microsoft and Samsung in their AI adoption.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai has made the point that AI is transformative, a change as profound as electricity or fire. Google is investing $50 billion in AI research and development with a focus on personalisation.
But job losses won't be as huge as media reports might suggest.
"If you work in marketing, advertising, and have that title, creative, or brand managers in your role, you're probably already a product engineer, a good copywriter, or can write a prompt better than the average person," he said.
Agencies should focus on reasoning over speed when developing AI systems.
Partner with the right tools to build systems that are different from competitors, while also considering data privacy, regulation and opportunities for collaboration.
AI investment by holding companies, according to a slide from James Bush:
Thank you to our supporting partners: Blis, Mamamia, Meta, Ryvalmedia. Associate partners: nexxen, Quantcast. And friend of AdNews: IMAA.
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