Are creativity and GenAI at odds?
More and more marketers are integrating GenAI into their content creation practices with varying levels of success. GenAI has presented entirely new capabilities for marketers – the ability to take data and create something new – for outputs that previously relied entirely on human creativity. For content creators, this is transformative technology. With a simple prompt and a couple of minutes, a host of marketing communication material can be created, adapted and optimized.
But we’ve all seen AI-generated content. It’s often blatantly obvious. Formulaic. Lacking any human element. And, ultimately, losing the genuine intention behind the communication.
Does this mean that human creativity and GenAI must be at odds? Can machines really understand and produce creative content, or is that the exclusive domain of human ingenuity?
It depends.
Creativity and GenAI can be a harmonious duo, if blended strategically and intentionally.
GenAI in content marketing
Deloitte research found that close to 50% of all companies are using GenAI for marketing content today. For most early adopters, tools such as ChatGPT have shown positive results in less complex use cases: improving content quality, increasing content volume, and benefitting worker productivity. In most of these cases, GenAI was used to optimize or adapt existing content rather than create complex or complete content materials.
The research notes that there is no “opt-out” for GenAI, especially as the technology matures. But based on what we’re seeing today, GenAI is more likely to serve as collaborative tool than a worker replacement.
Here’s where human creativity fits.
Complementary roles of GenAI and human creativity
Human creativity provides a mix of storytelling, emotional perspective and the ability to ‘think outside the box’. It’s fueled by imagination, culture and personal insights.
Successful content creation requires a blend of deep audience understanding, strategic thinking, creative approaches, and strong writing and communication skills to effectively engage people, evoke emotion and build connection.
GenAI forms a harmonious duo with human creativity when we let the strengths of each loose within their respective domains. When applied appropriately, AI opens new opportunities for creative people to focus on adding more value through innovation and, well, creativity.
Enhanced efficiency – AI is great at repetitive and time-consuming tasks such as data analysis, keyword research and drafting basic content. This lets creators focus on what they do best: conceive original content, tell engaging stories and advance marketing objectives.
Data-driven creativity – AI provides a wellspring of insight, analyzing data and highlighting trends that could be missed. These insights can inspire creative decisions, helping creators understand what resonates with the audience and why. It’s like having a crystal ball for content strategy.
Augmentation, not replacement – AI can be a co-creator. It can offer suggestions and streamline processes, but the creative touch always comes from real people – people with the expertise and context required to ensure quality and effectiveness. With effective prompting strategies, AI becomes a powerful tool, enhancing human abilities rather than overshadowing them.
Best practices to strengthen the GenAI and human creativity duo
#1: Identify key areas for AI enhancement – review content creation processes and marketing plans to determine which tasks AI is best suited to support:
- What channels require content and are some better suited for AI support?
- Are there time-consuming administrative tasks that could be accelerated using AI?
- During content generation, could AI provide co-creation support through brainstorming, idea generation, keyword analysis, etc.?
#2: Build prompting skills – AI output is only as a good as the information that goes into it. Even with a plan for integrating AI into the content creation process, prompting skills are critical to using these tools effectively. Here are two blogs to inform better prompting:
#3: Start with small use cases – begin with small content projects to test and learn with AI before scaling up. Different content types may require different prompting strategies to get ideal output.
#4: Create a feedback loop – publishing completely AI-generated content is a losing strategy. For GenAI and human creativity to be a successful duo, AI outputs must be refined. This is the time for the creator to infuse the expertise, empathy, and nuance that make the content authentic, unique, and tailored to both objective and audience.
#5: Measure impact with regular reviews – establishing a regular review process for AI-supported content to maintain quality and measure the impact of AI on your content strategy. Use this ongoing analysis to make informed adjustments.
Human touch is fundamental
Creativity and GenAI don’t have to be at odds. AI can enhance efficiency and provide valuable insight, while human creativity brings emotional depth, authenticity, and innovation. As GenAI matures, the personal touch remains fundamental to creating compelling, effective content that’s genuine, human and unique.