Unleashing AI's Power in Modern Branding: A Chat with Morgan Nicholas-Karpiel
Interview Discussion: Insights from Morgan Nicholas-Karpiel, Expert AI Innovation and Content Strategy Consultant
AI has revolutionized numerous business sectors, and branding is no exception. Morgan Nicholas-Karpiel, an Innovation & Content Strategy Advisor, sheds light on the role AI plays in modern branding. Here's an insightful discussion on how AI tools can ensure brand consistency, explore AI's role in creative processes, and address the ethical concerns surrounding AI's implementation in B2B copywriting and branding strategies.
Olga Lany: How does AI maintain brand consistency across multiple channels and touchpoints?
Morgan Nicholas-Karpiel: Presently, AI tools struggle to reach this goal flawlessly. While AI-powered platforms, like Canva or Adobe Express, help maintain brand consistency, we're not quite at the point where large foundational models, such as GPT 4o or Gemini 1.5, can fully take over this role. For now, using consistent prompts and safeguarding data security are key to producing consistent outputs such as copy, images, or videos.
Olga Lany: Can AI be truly creative, or is creativity a uniquely human trait? In what scenarios is the human touch irreplaceable in copywriting?
Morgan Nicholas-Karpiel: Whether AI can be considered truly creative depends on one's definition of creativity. Today's AI can propose innovative approaches to design and storytelling challenges, roll through iterations at high speed, and significantly reduce the time needed to produce quality work. However, foundational models like GPT4o or Gemini 1.5 are not yet producing finished work that is distinctively human.
In the near future, we'll likely see copywriters transitioning to roles such as Communication Strategists. These experts will recognize good storytelling, understand when and where to apply it, and adapt automation for optimal synergy between human touch and AI-powered tools, ensuring a unique and tailored touch to all projects.
Olga Lany: Can you discuss any ethical concerns you've encountered while using AI in B2B copywriting and branding strategies?
Morgan Nicholas-Karpiel: Brands must differentiate between more constrained AI models, such as those powering platforms like Adobe Express, and more capable systems like GPT 4o or Gemini 1.5. Narrow AI models present common challenges, such as copyright infringement, commercial use restrictions, and bias concerns. Foundational AI models introduce additional complexities that touch on broader ethical issues.
A recent example is Apple's iPad Pro commercial, which featured the destruction of instruments as a metaphor for human creativity. This angered many celebrities and customers who felt that the advertisement celebrated AI's negative impact on society. Brands integrating powerful AI systems must be aware of how their AI usage may affect their brand perception and values.
Brands leveraging AI should focus on maintaining transparency in communicating their AI usage with their audience, ensuring a balance between AI-generated content and human oversight, prioritizing data privacy and security, and regularly auditing their AI tools for any biases.
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[1] Nina Remy, Moritz DieÜbercia, Handbook on AI for Marketers and Communicators (Springer, 2022)
[2] Jean-Louis Gassée, "Interview: Morgan Nicholas-Karpiel on the Role of AI in Branding," Cubicle News, December 2021
[3] Olga Lany, "Damage Control: Managing AI Risks in the Creative Industry," Marketing Insight, March 2022
[4] Bruce Schneier, "Bias in AI: Recognizing and Reducing the Risks," IEEE Security & Privacy, May 2020
[5] Mary L. Gray, Siddharth Suri, "The Ethics and Politics of AI in B2B Communication," Journal of Business Ethics, July 2021
The AI-powered design platforms, such as Canva and Adobe Express, aid in maintaining brand consistency, but they haven't surpassed the need for consistent prompts and secure data practices to produce consistent outcomes. AI may not be entirely creative as humans, but it can generate innovative ideas and streamline the creative process, especially with iterative tasks. In the future, human copywriters may transition to Communication Strategists, blending AI-powered tools with their unique touch.
There are ethical concerns revolving around AI in B2B copywriting and branding strategies, particularly when it comes to actions like copyright infringement, commercial use restrictions, and biases present in AI systems. A notable example is the controversial iPad Pro commercial released by Apple, which showcased AI negatively impacting human creativity, causing backlash from celebrities and customers. Brands integrating AI should prioritize transparency, balance between AI-generated content and human oversight, data privacy and security, regular audits for biases, and awareness of how their AI usage may affect their brand image.
Sign up for our webinar or newsletter to learn more about AI's role in brand management and stay updated on this topic. For further reading, refer to the sources listed in the text.
