Transforming Creativity with Ethics & Empathy: Is There a Dark Side to AI?
In a time where artificial intelligence and technology are transforming how efficiently, quickly, and effectively we work, creatives are asking more than ever what are the ethics of AI? At Automated Creative, we balance the use of technology with the human touch, valuing the individual input and looking at ways in which AI can improve marketing output. Our Global Head of Creative Strategy, Amy Wright, weighed in on the “dark side of AI” on a recent episode of the Access: VFX Podcast, particularly looking into how AI can be harnessed for enacting positive change.
While AI has known a meteoric rise, it’s also come up against scrutiny from several angles. There are, of course, concerns about it taking creatives’ jobs - from scriptwriters to artists. But there’s more: the algorithm is trained on our own biases and it’s increasingly holding up a mirror we may not want to look into. It showcases race and gender stereotypes and runs the risk of perpetuating these in any field, including data-driven marketing.
AI Is a Double-Edge Sword in Creative Industries
Anyone from writers to visual effects artists have been affected by the rise of AI. We’ve recently seen Hollywood writers go on strike because of this, but the implications are even more profound. However, as Amy put it, “AI is definitely a component, but it’s almost certainly a symptom of a wider systemic threat.”
If artists and creatives were being treated correctly by studios and corporations, AI would have the opportunity to be seen as a positive force in the industry. It’s therefore key to look at systemic issues before we rush to blame biases or disenfranchisement on AI alone.
Creative Tools Have Been Democratised
The rise of AI is a positive for those who see it as a way to democratise creativity and open up new opportunities for creators. Just like social media allowed more creators than ever to have their work discovered and experienced by new audiences, AI enables more people to engage in content creation. And, in the same way, there are ethical concerns about who owns the output, the equity of what’s prioritised by the algorithm, and the importance of creative contributions online.
At the same time, AI creativity has also shed light on our biases. Not policing AI output risks permeating inherent stereotypes, especially white-centric or sexist content that automated machine creations have been shown to come up with.
Navigating the Ethical Challenges
Ultimately, AI in itself is neutral and depends on who’s using and controlling it. You can think of it as a hammer - Amy says - allowing you to “use it to fix something or as a weapon.” With the right policing in place, AI can not only help democratise creativity further but also challenge systemic inequalities and inherent biases that we now see being perpetuated in its outputs.
It’s not AI that’s a threat - it can do a lot of good for all industries, including data-driven marketing. In art, marketing, or any other field, AI can help uncover true talent and value because, “in a world where anyone can be a creative studio, the only differentiator is going to be creative ability.” You no longer need an army to help you put out a campaign or to be part of a huge creative studio to have your work seen. And that’s a huge leap forward.
One final and important piece of the puzzle when it comes to content creation, as well as lawmaking that can regulate its use, is representation. An optimistic view of AI will tell us that it’s a great equaliser - it allows better access to digital tools to everyone and anyone. But its intrinsic biases (based on the information it’s been trained on) need to be called out, and this requires lawmakers who understand the way it works and users (at all levels) who represent enough diversity.
If we use AI, we need to make sure we’re not just replicating existing power structures that don’t function for people. We have to use technology to build better versions of these things, to improve representation in society.
“AI can help deconstruct and rebuild [power structures] instead of just amplifying those that aren’t working.” And, in the end, artists and creators have always been at the forefront of societal change. AI is making it easier and quicker for them to enact this, so there’s a lot to be excited about.
The Access: VFX Podcast on “The Dark Side of AI” was hosted by Nene Parsotam and had Savena Surana (Marketing Strategist at Research Retold), Jide Johnson (Co-Founder and Head of Video Production at Univid), and Amy Wright as guests. You can listen to the whole episode here.