Why we should not only talk about risks when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI), but most importantly about opportunities.

In 1830, there was a tailors’ revolt in Paris. The professionals stormed the world’s first sewing machine factory. In some ways, the event of the tailors’ revolt and many people’s current fear of Artificial Intelligence can be compared. In the case of the Tailors’ Uprising, the tailors were afraid that the introduction of the sewing machine would make their traditional craft obsolete and put them out of work. This concern was not unfounded, as the sewing machine greatly increased productivity in the field of textile production. In both cases, the concern is about the fear of technological progress making people redundant.

However, there are also important differences between the two events. The tailors’ revolt was a direct reaction to a specific technological innovation, while the concern about Artificial Intelligence is broader and encompasses various aspects, such as the use of AI in automation, robotics, decision making and data analysis. And then there is the great fear that through AI, humans could make themselves obsolete or a dictatorship of machines could obtain power over us.

Currently, there is a lot of talk about the dangers and risks of AI development. Therefore, the positive aspects, especially for the communications industry, should be highlighted here for once:

• There is no doubt that the use of AI in the communications industry is associated with an increase in productivity: Generative AI, in which content such as texts, images or videos is created by machines, makes it possible to implement creative ideas for customer projects quicker. A recent study by McKinsey (June 2023) calculates that AI technologies could enable an annual productivity increase of the equivalent of 2.4 to 4.1 trillion Euros worldwide.
• In this context, the question will increasingly arise: How do we define creativity when AI is involved? And will human creativity without the use of AI actually become a more valuable, more exclusive commodity?
• By using AI, communications agencies can automate routine tasks, such as creating social media content or managing advertising campaigns. This frees up employees and gives them more time to focus on strategic tasks.
• In market research, AI can analyze large volumes of data and identify patterns that are useful for market research, trend predictions and, for example, brand strategy developments.
• On behalf of their clients, agencies can use AI to create personalized content and advertising messages tailored to individual customer preferences and behaviors. This can improve the customer experience and strengthen brand loyalty.

The positive global consequences of AI

Socially and globally, AI could help us address many societal challenges in the future – from treating diseases to minimizing environmental impacts in agriculture, for example. Fears of job loss also don’t seem justified: It is estimated that AI and robotics could create 60 million new jobs worldwide by 2025. After all, AI is only as good as the human who operates it. For example, it’s not about automating management decisions. It’s about improving the quality of decisions. Seen in this light, the result is cooperation between human and artificial intelligence.

Last but not least

AI has been part of our everyday lives for some time now ­– whether we are talking to Siri, chatting with a chatbot, translating a text in DeepL, or giving commands to the navigation device in our car. Today, we already use AI on an average of 220 times a day. It’s high time we lose our fear of it.