Geoff Clarke, COO, IPG Mediabrands Australia
Transparency…I am a self-confessed petrol head, EV’s no need to apply.
V12s, V10s or V8s all bring out the petrol head in me. I also spend a lot of time (outside of work of course) watching videos, and searching the internet for the latest information on cars I’ll never be able to afford and often wonder what it would take to be as good a driver as Chris Harris?
Recently I’ve noticed an increased amount of AI generated content that is purely speculative, flooding my feed with headlines saying Latest Official’, ‘All-New’ ‘First Look’ when clearly, they are not, designed as click bait for the petrol heads among us, including me. With an AI generated voice over, the content showcases what a brand is apparently going to do, without manufacturer authorisations.
Putting aside brand misrepresentation legalities, it got me thinking where have the humans gone, big shout out to #Throttle House, #Shmee 150, #EmiliaHartford. They’re still there of course with 3.06M, 2.7M, 1.68M subscribers respectively, however they’re increasingly being drowned out by AI generated content armed with an intelligent and somewhat aggressive algorithm.
The future of AI is not about replacing humans, but about augmenting them. It's about working together to achieve things that neither of us could do alone."
Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft
This quote emphasises the proposition AI is not replacing human roles but enhancing the quality of our output. It suggests a future where we work together with AI, leveraging our respective collective strengths to achieve greater results.
If that is the desired state, why are humans increasingly disappearing from my feed in my ongoing search for the very latest intel and exhaust pipe soundtrack of the world’s top car manufacturers?
I have an opinion on this:
Automated Video Editing:
- AI can efficiently analyse footage and automatically edit car videos, creating cuts, transitions, and adding music to produce a polished final product. This speeds up the editing process and allows for more efficient content creation, but in context of this article is resulting in lower quality content.
Personalised Recommendations:
- AI algorithms analyse user data to recommend car videos that are most likely to be of interest to the desired target audience, in this case me. It is intended that this will help me discover new content, keeping me engaged for longer periods of time. The jury is presently out on this benefit.
Dynamic Content Creation:
- AI can generate personalised car videos based on user preferences, such as specific car models, features, or driving styles. It is intended that this will improve my internet searching, allowing me to find more targeted and engaging content. Personalisation is welcomed, as long as the content is of a high quality and accurate, which as I’ve already mentioned, is neither.
Improved Visual Effects:
- AI can be used to enhance car videos with realistic visual effects, such as adding virtual backgrounds or creating immersive driving experiences. This is designed to enhance the visual appeal and engagement of the content. From my experience to date, the content is often misleading at best, and often not even close once the car arrives in the showroom.
So where to from here, the jury has been called back into the room for further deliberation. In front of them a trial of sorts, AI versus human-generated content. Human bias of the jury noted, to ensure as much balance as possible AI was used to establish AI’s ‘Pro’ position.
Red Corner: AI-Generated Content:
The new kid on the block, with a big reputation.
Blue Corner: Human-Generated Content:
Proven experienced performer, historical results.
AI-Generated Content:
Pros:
- Efficiency: AI can generate content much faster than humans, especially for repetitive tasks like product descriptions or social media posts. This provides improved turnaround times, increasing productivity.
- Consistency: AI can maintain a consistent tone and style across multiple pieces of content, ensuring brand messaging is consistent.
- Scale: AI can generate large volumes of content, making it ideal for content marketing strategies that require a high volume of content.
- Data-driven insights: AI can analyse data to understand audience preferences and tailor content, accordingly, leading to more effective marketing campaigns.
- Cost-effective: AI can reduce the cost of content creation, as it requires less human effort and time.
Cons:
- Quality concerns and possible plagiarism: AI relies on data and algorithms for content. AI tools are great at covering black-and white-areas of a topic but can struggle assessing the grey with context and tone often getting lost.
- Lack of originality and creativity: While AI can generate content, it often lacks the originality and creativity of human ingenuity. It can struggle with complex ideas and nuanced storytelling.
- Potential for bias: AI algorithms are trained on data that may contain biases, which can be reflected in the generated content.
- Limited emotional intelligence: AI lacks the emotional intelligence of humans, making it difficult to create content that resonates with audiences on an emotional level.
- Ethical concerns: There are concerns about the ethical implications of using AI to generate content, particularly in terms of plagiarism and copyright.
Early thoughts from the jury, AI-generated content while efficient and can be delivered at scale for a relatively low-cost point still requires human oversight to ensure accuracy, relevance, quality and human connection.
Human-Generated Content:
Again, to ensure balanced representation in front of the jury, AI was used to establish human ‘Cons’.
Pros:
- Creativity and originality: We bring unique perspectives and creative ideas to life, making it more engaging and memorable.
- Emotional intelligence: We connect with audiences on an emotional level, creating content that resonates and inspires.
- Nuanced storytelling: We have the ability to craft compelling narratives that evoke emotions connecting on a deeper level.
- Authenticity: Our content is more authentic and genuine, reflecting the creators unique voice and perspective.
- Critical thinking and problem-solving: We can analyse complex issues providing insightful solutions, which AI may struggle with (at this point in time).
Cons:
- Time-consuming: Human quality content creation is time-consuming, especially for complex projects.
- Inconsistent quality: The quality of human-generated content can vary depending on the talent of the creator.
- Costly: Humans are expensive, especially for specialised subject matter.
- Limited scalability: It can be difficult to scale human content creation to meet the demands of large-scale marketing campaigns.
- Subjective interpretation: Humans are all individuals and as such may interpret information differently, leading to inconsistent messaging.
So both sides have put forward compelling arguments, so where have we landed.
Final closing arguments: The automotive landscape is changing, and the way we consume content is evolving alongside it. While AI offers undeniable benefits in terms of speed, efficiency, and personalisation, it's crucial to remember that it's a tool, not a replacement for human creativity and expertise.
In the context of this article the future of automotive content will lie in a balanced approach, leveraging the strengths of both AI and human creators. While AI can handle repetitive tasks, personalise recommendations, and enhance visuals, humans bring originality, emotional connection, and nuanced storytelling that truly captivates audiences.
The "battle for supremacy" is not a zero-sum game. Instead, it's an opportunity for collaboration. By embracing AI as a partner, human creators can elevate their work, reach wider audiences, and create a more engaging and informative experience for petrol heads like me.
Ultimately, the key to success like most things in life lies in finding the right balance between AI and human ingenuity. This hybrid approach will ensure that automotive content remains relevant, engaging, and authentic, capturing the passion and excitement that drives the industry forward.
Long live Hammond, May and Clarkson.