Born in the mid-70s, I am part of a generation that knows what life was like in an analog world. This uniqueness gives us a unique sensitivity to the impact that the introduction of technology has had on society, whether by altering behaviors and relationships, by the speed it was introduced into all areas and moments of our lives, or by the ability to create competitive advantages in any business area.
My childhood dream was to be a car designer – and so I take this moment to pay a humble tribute to Marcello Gandini, one of the most brilliant and innovative designers who passed away a few days ago – but due to the impossibility of going to London or Milan, I ended up joining IADE in 1993. It was at this stage of my life that I started to grasp the genuine potential technology held as a complement to creative prowess.
Currently, my responsibilities at WHITE encompass creativity, innovation, and administration, with a portion dedicated to pursuing the competitive advantages mentioned earlier. It was with this objective in mind that I implemented Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a valuable tool in 2022. Through a pilot project characterized by a steep learning curve, we gained insight into its effects on the final outcome and the market’s interest, solidifying its role as an essential component across various facets of our daily operations.
As participants in a fiercely competitive and saturated market, we have recognized AI as a significant catalyst for transformation. It has proven to be a potent instrument in propelling project development, fostering inspiration, enhancing creative expression, and expediting processes. Consequently, we view AI not as a threat to our business, but rather as a valuable complement to our ideas and creativity. We have come to realize that the daily challenges encountered by agencies like WHITE can be effectively addressed with AI support. This innovative approach holds immense potential for transformative outcomes, paving the way for new opportunities in innovation and business expansion.
As we observe our surroundings, we note the widespread and rapid adoption of AI, particularly evident in the Mkt&Pub industry. This sector boasts an unprecedented ability to analyze data, detect patterns and trends, and predict insights and behaviors. Such capabilities facilitate exceptional decision-making and enhance the effectiveness of communication efforts. Conversely, tools like ChatGPT, Dall-E, Midjourney, Ideogram, Illusion Diffusion, Tryleap, Aragon, and Jitter represent just a fraction of the growing array of creativity-supporting resources. These algorithms have revolutionized possibilities, enabling swift and boundless innovation, a crucial asset in a world where analog concepts are increasingly scarce and change occurs rapidly and aggressively.
Nonetheless, despite witnessing significant AI evolution in creativity and its immense potential for the future of this field, it remains that, as of today, all these generative platforms replicate existing aesthetics and creative styles. They analyze data and rapidly produce results based solely on the input prompts provided. Yet, these prompts are contingent upon human creativity, our comprehension of the world, our problem-solving approaches, accumulated emotional experiences, and above all, the extraordinary capacity of our minds to envision the non-existent and conceive concepts surpassing those already existing.
Opinion article by Ricardo Henriques da Silva, Founding Partner at White Way ®, originally published in Portuguese on Meios & Publicidade.
