Using A.I. will destroy your brand's authenticity

In the last ten years, branding and ad agencies have been telling CMOs that they need to:

• be an authentic brand
• be an inclusive brand
• be a socially responsible brand

But with the arrival of A.I. as a creative shortcut, all that cramped-up realness may be wiped away fast.

In a discussion with a former 'camera' photographer who boasts her new skills as an A.I. ‘artist,’ the authenticity question came up: “How do you defend humanoid models showing off dresses as authentic and as part of your audience?”

After a brief silence, she was absolutely sure that we shouldn’t stand still in time – while this unavoidable technology would take over anyway.

Not an answer to the question, of course.

Models by A.I. are models created by collected data. You know that already.

So what’s acceptable?

CGI? Yeah, that’s ok. Fantasy backgrounds in movies. Extras that aren’t extras. Actors that aren’t actors – to tell the story – call it ‘creative license.’

But Brands aren’t a story. Brands represent real people making and providing things for other real people. Customers want to be able to rely on brands.

Many years ago CMOs were told that they should be a trust brand. Using A.I. in marketing will start eroding trust really fast, as in what to trust about your brand and what not.